Belly Grab to land fish

[RUGER]

In the very little time that I have watched fishing on tv I have noticed a change in how they land the bass.

Instead of lipping them, they grab the bass underneath by their belly.

Does this kind of calm the fish or something?
I notice once they come out of the water like this they never flop?

Just curious.

 

[MMHunter]

I've have noticed the same thing. Not sure myself.

 

[KENBOB10]

I don't think I would do it with a rattletrap hanging out of its mouth.

 

[catman529]

I noticed that too and I know that lipping a larger bass can damage its jaw but not sure about the smaller ones.

Ever see them grab the bass by pinching the gill plates? That makes them quit flopping, I do that on bluegill all the time

 

[Winchester]

Belly landing them does give you a few seconds to get them onboard without them flopping, seems to momentarily calm them. This also keeps you from getting a hook in your hand while trying to lip them, which is harder to do accurately vs belly landing them anyway.

 

[Setterman]

It's designed to keep from breaking their jaw which happens when you lip and lift larger fish

 

[MidTennFisher]

I just always use a net. I do a lot of crankbait fishing and since I'm always in a kayak, the safest way to avoid hooks in my legs or hand is to net the fish. Belly grab seems to me like a way to let them slip out and lose one.

 

[peytoncreekhunter]

When I catch trout it seems to me that when I hold them in my hand belly up it seems to calm them down for some reason.