Belly Grab to land fish

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RUGER

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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.
 
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
 
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.
 
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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.
 

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