Handling A Bass With Treble Hooks (Rookie Question) 2024

RF813 reply :

Do you handle a bass differently when you land them using a lure with treble hooks? It's easy enough to lip them on a single hook, but it's something i've wondered. Especially since I don't fish crankbaits / treble hooked lures too often. A friend of mine (whom I DON'T fish with) actually had the misfortune of getting hooked by a treble while it was still in the fish, which led to a very messy outcome.

So, i'm just curious. And if there are any resources on landing fish in general i'd love some recommendations. I just try to go by what i've seen in videos online, but don't have much experience other than what i've picked up on my own.

Delaware Valley Tackle reply :

I prefer a Boga type lip gripper or a net when treble hooks & toothy critters are in play. Lipping is doable but as you can see from your friend's mishap extra care needs to be taken.

BassinLou reply :

Quick answer. Very carefully. I have had my share of mishaps with treble hooks. One ER visit quickly comes to mind. DVT also brought up a great point. Boga grips or The Fish Grip are great tools to have handy to handle treble fish.

Alonerankin2 reply :

If you fish with cranks or hard jerk baits long enough, it's going to happen.. Google this, there are plenty of videos that will show methods of, on the boat/ bank removal techniques, and I would suggest learning how to remove hooks from yourself or partner. Don't be afraid, just be aware of it.. Good question..

RSM789 reply :

I have a couple of different methods, depending on the size of the fish and where exactly he/she is hooked:

Belly Lift - If you slide your hand under the belly of a bass & apply pressure on their belly with 1 finger, it often immobilizes them similar to a lip landing;
Gill Lift - for small to medium fish, you can grab them by the top of the head, putting pressure on both gill plates;
Lure Lift - I started doing this as a teenager when fishing deep diving crankbaits & it works if the bass is well hooked and much of the lure is outside of the fishes mouth. Just grab the lip of the crankbait & lift.

faygo1979 reply :

Yes I use Fish grips when handing fish with treble hooks. Pulling a hook out of your hand is not fun.

Dwight Hottle reply :

With smallies we always net them & then grab them with the boga to unhook them. That way you get a quick weight if you want to know how big. Dinks I just grab the line ahead of the bait then boga them. A little precaution goes a long way.

fishballer06 reply :

I normally do the gill grab and lift. If it's easier, I'll do the belly lift as well.

hoosierbass07 reply :

On 2/13/2015 at 4:46 AM, Alonerankin2 said:
If you fish with cranks or hard jerk baits long enough, it's going to happen..

That's one reason why I think those hooks should be banned. Treble hooks are dangerous and not very sporting even though I do use them since I own crankbaits. I wouldn't mind seeing a bass tournament where treble hooks are banned.

Lund Explorer reply :

On 2/13/2015 at 5:40 AM, hoosierbass07 said:
That's one reason why I think those hooks should be banned. Treble hooks are dangerous and not very sporting even though I do use them since I own crankbaits. I wouldn't mind seeing a bass tournament where treble hooks are banned.

Can I suggest that if you are that worried about being injured that you try pinching down the barbs on those hooks before you have them banned for everyone else?

FrogFreak reply :

I too have made a trip to the Emergency Room to get a treble out of my finger. From that point on, I used a Boga Grip type deal to grab any fish when using trebles. I think I bought the Berkley model with a spring scale on it for around $40. Works great!

MichiganBass80 reply :

Handle em the same way I handle them when fishing with single hooks. Smaller fish I'll just lift em, grab the line then grab the body of the fish and then either take the hook out while holding it that way or lip it and take the hook(s) out. If they are bigger fish I'll just net them.

RSM789 reply :

On 2/13/2015 at 5:40 AM, hoosierbass07 said:
That's one reason why I think those hooks should be banned. Treble hooks are dangerous and not very sporting even though I do use them since I own crankbaits. I wouldn't mind seeing a bass tournament where treble hooks are banned.

I dropped an anchor on my foot once & it hurt, so we should ban anchors. They are just way too dangerous. Who knows how many fish have been smashed against the bottom by an anchor coming down on them. You could really injure yourself if you swung an anchor around like a throwing hammer, there is no place in fishing for a dangerous item like that.

All anchors should come with a complete list of warnings and possible injury's if used. The government should provide a caretaker for every anchor sold to make sure you don't get hurt trying to use the anchor. In fact, if the government worker is fat enough, we could use him as an anchor and save having to buy the heavy iron object. That is it, fat government workers should be on every boat, in the name of safety.

Senko lover reply :

I swing any fish under 2 pounds, and I lip anything else. I fish with jigs and soft plastics 80 percent of the time, so when I am fishing with treble hooks I just am a little more careful.

RF813 reply :

Could I please ask that this be kept on topic from this point? I know it's hard, and winter has been around for too long for many of us. But there's useful information for me here.

Dwight Hottle reply :

On 2/13/2015 at 6:58 AM, Senko lover said:
I swing any fish under 2 pounds, and I lip anything else. I fish with jigs and soft plastics 80 percent of the time, so when I am fishing with treble hooks I just am a little more careful.

You don't want to lip a 6lb smallie that has choked down a pointer 128 with three trebles. Trust me.

RSM789 reply :

Trust me, doing what you can to avoid dropping an anchor on your foot is VERY useful information...

Hyrule Bass reply :

i just try to be really careful with trebles. if youre going to lip them, better put the death grip on them because they will flop around if you dont...

ColdSVT reply :

On 2/13/2015 at 7:02 AM, RSM789 said:

Trust me, doing what you can to avoid dropping an anchor on your foot is VERY useful information...[/quote

Ya dont have to lip a fish to get hooked...trust me lol

i had a 28-30inch northern that i picked up bt the gell go nuts and bury and husky jerk 14 into my thumb. Then she promptly ripped it out lol. Looked like a murder scene in the boat]

matuka reply :

I have the hardest time with small stripers, they are uncontrollable. Now I net them, grab the jaw with the boga, and unhook with really long nosed pliers. Getting hooked hurts and you can't fish from an ER waiting room.

ColdSVT reply :

On 2/13/2015 at 8:41 AM, matuka said:
I have the hardest time with small stripers, they are uncontrollable. Now I net them, grab the jaw with the boga, and unhook with really long nosed pliers. Getting hooked hurts and you can't fish from an ER waiting room.

Thats why ya gotta get it out on own man!...its hurts either way ma. Lol

noway reply :

The Fish Grip.

http://www.thefishgrip.net/#!store/c23d3

tatertester reply :

Smallies are the worst....Just when you think you got em under control,they do their thing and they got you!......Oh Yah , it hurts.

geo g reply :

A boga or fish handler is the best way to go when in doubt. A big mudfish or peacock, are as bad as anything that swims. They will put a treble hook in your finger fast then you can blink. There is nothing like a treble in a finger, attached to a big peacock. It will make a grown man cry!!!

SirSnookalot reply :

I've been hooked by a small bass as I was lipping it, was handcuffed,spent some time at the ER. I was hooked in the lower leg as I pulled a bluefish from the surf. I was lucky enough to get the fish off pretty quick, but those #1 4x trebles took some doing. I'm very cautious, I don't put the welfare of any fish over my safety.

papajoe222 reply :

I mostly lip the fish very carefully unless the hooks are deep in it's mouth. On the other hand, I've had a number of fish shaking to get free from one hook while I was hooked with the other, so don't take my advice. I'm a s l o w learner.

Choporoz reply :

After my trip to the ER, I bought a rubber net and always have it in the boat now. I also bought a Fish Grip, but being a Tool Time kinda guy, I got the large one. Anyone want it in trade for a small one?

As to the anchor ban; I imagine that Lester Holt would be pretty upset....I mean he just got in the chair

Dylcook91 reply :

If I feel the fish is hooked well, I will play it alittle longer to tire the fish out some. Then use judgement on the location(risk) of the lure...then decide if it's safe to lip, if not I use my boga.

corn-on-the-rob reply :

catfish are the worst... I hate dealing with them

wytstang reply :

I hold mine by the belly and put the tail between my arm and torso. This keeps the fish from suddenly kicking out and hooking me. The belly hold seems to make LMB extremely still allowing me to remove the hooks with very little movement from them.

Sam reply :

RF813. since I had a treble hook thrust into my finger, had to cut the hook off at its shank, and then go to a physician to have the barb surgically removed I am paranoid about treble hooks and treat them with the greatest of respect.

Granted, this happened many, many years ago but I still remember where I was fishing; the crankbait I used; and the two pounder that thought he could swim away while I was holding his lower lip.

So now I am extra careful when fishing treble hook baits and use a needle nose pliers to remove treble hooks.

I also will not put my fingers in a bass' mouth if he has a treble hook bait in his mouth.

This experience is why I preach to everyone to bring their needle nose pliers with them to remove all hooks.

And I also watch my treble hook baits while in the boat. No telling how many "holes" I have in my boat seats from hooking them while fishing. Plus the places in the boat's and my man cave's carpet where I had to either rip out the treble hook or cut it out with a scissors.

Be very careful when you are fishing with treble hook baits. I don't want you or any others having to go to a doctor to have the hook removed via surgery.

everythingthatswims reply :

I see lots of people in videos that try to lightly lip a bass and yank their hand back every time the fish thrashes (almost like it's a snake trying to bite them)---this seems like it would be a contributor to getting a treble in the hand...If you are gonna lip the bass, just hold on to him for crying out loud, then he will have a very hard time hooking you. If the hooks are in a position preventing you from lipping him safely, grab him behind the head.

kms399 reply :

On 2/13/2015 at 8:24 AM, ColdSVT said:

On 2/13/2015 at 7:02 AM, RSM789 said:

Trust me, doing what you can to avoid dropping an anchor on your foot is VERY useful information...[/quote

Ya dont have to lip a fish to get hooked...trust me lol

i had a 28-30inch northern that i picked up bt the gell go nuts and bury and husky jerk 14 into my thumb. Then she promptly ripped it out lol. Looked like a murder scene in the boat]

me too brother no fun at all!

ClackerBuzz reply :

do-not-hesitate.

I wouldn't try lipping a treble bass until you can decisively lip a single hook bass. things aren't going to end well if ur one of those guys that tippi toes around a bass face, waving ur hand in front of him, hesitating while he spins in circles. learn how to master a single hooked bass first

Bluebasser86 reply :

I grab them by the back of the head for the most part. Bigger fish I'll lip but like others have said, do it quickly and decisively. The guys I see get hooked are the ones that are tentative about it.

DILLY07 reply :

I'ved had Owner brand treble hooked my finger. It hurts I learned my lesson.

Sometimes, I'll boat flip the fish and grab the crank and quickly lip the fish. Get pliers, unhook the trebles and throw the lure in water.

Sometimes, I'll belly lift or grab the head.

Fishes in trees reply :

Every fish is different. My advice is to try to pay attention and not hurt yourself. I carry a hibernet, a long shaft fish gripper and a shorter fish gripper in the boat and use which ever is appropriate. I bring all 3 every time because I know if I forget one, that will be the one I need. Any fish that I think I can swing into the boat, I swing into the boat. Once, when I was fishing a BFL I had a boater try to swing a 3 lb or so fish into the boat - rod broke – broke rod cut the line - fish lost. I felt bad but also I felt that he could have called net, and maybe I would have netted the fish and maybe I wouldn't have, but in either case, his $300 more or less Loomis rod wouldn't have busted.

So the point of this post is to use your best judgement, try to have the correct tools for the job on hand, and try not to do something dumb.

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Handling A Bass With Treble Hooks (Rookie Question) 2024

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