4 lbs and under swing them over the rail in a manly manner like it's not your first fish. Over that net them. When I see someone net a 2 lb fish I immediately think they slept in the bed with their momma till they were 12. I know you can't when you are using spinning gear and for those people I have nothing to say other than grow a pair.

Grabbing the line cost me my biggest smallmouth EVER on Ray Roberts... had a face full of jerkbait and for some reason I thought it was a good idea to grab the line to assist me in "bellying" the fish. Didn't work out so well for me with 10 lb line, the moment I grabbed it giganta smallie made a run and SNAP!

I love that BASS and MLF dont allow nets, its not "idiotic" at all IMO... requires more skill to land them this way than just cranking them to the boat and scooping the fish up!

Grab you a fist full of braided line with a decent Bass on the end of it and at some point you will have wished you just grabbed a fist full of razor blades instead! That stuff can slice a finger to the bone in the blink of an eye and its more painful than a razor as well!

I assume you are joking, right?

I will never do it unless there's no other way to get it in the boat.

I caught a 7+ and a 5 pounder on a fairy wand Saturday to win a little tourney. I hand lined them both the last couple feet. I use 6lb leaders and the drag is set loose enough for them not to have a chance to break the line. When they�d get close enough to grab them, they�d pull more line. When they�re tired, they�re good to go.

I, on the other hand, do have a big pair. Big enough to put my money on the line with a fairy wand and take everyone else�s money. No sweat. If it�s what it takes to catch big fish, I�m secure enough to do it.

very nice steez

Smoking isn't good for the fish's health geeez steez

I put the senko in my mouth, before I hook it. It�s my secret. It works great. The big girls love my smoker spit. Lol. They come swimming.

I got a $ 99.99 KVD net for getting fish in the boat .

Wear the fish down... then grab the line to guide them into your hand

Never, never do that..Be a man, real the damn fish in and let em wear themself out, then lip em..

No, I absolutely am not joking. In what world can you find logic in hand lining a fish when there are nets made for that exact purpose? Please explain this to me. The only redeeming value I see in it is the entertainment value in watching those guys perform their maneuvers. Ranks right up there with Iconelli throwing a tantrum. Professional bass fishing is becoming the piscatorial version of the WWE.

Whatever.