Saw an episode of BassPro a while back.

KVD said you can hold a Bass in your hand, midway of the fishes body, cupping your palm so that you're only touching the dorsal and ventral (top & bottem) parts of the fish, therefore, avoiding touching the lateral lines and it will hold still.

I finally remembered to try this technique this past weekend with a couple of Bass and, sure enough, they locked-up. Didn't jerk around at all.

I'm wondering, is my experience just a fluke, or have others tryed/do it with success?

thanks

hope to read more about this.....

I have noticed this on smaller fish where I can hold with one hand they seem to be calmer than holding by the mouth.

I always wondered how the pros grab the fish out of the water under the belly and the fish just set there. I thought if I did this it would flop out of my hand and and fall out the other side of the boat.

The success I had was with about 2lb Bass.

Is that what you mean by "smaller?"

I have done it and had it work ok landing them that way when fishing alone, no net man. I did not try to hold them that way a long time, as in unhooking them. I just lipped them as usual after in the boat. This is up to 6-6 1/2#. Might be more like BurgerKing after that though......., takes 2 hands to handle a whopper!

If you are bringing a fish to the boat and it has crank bait all over it's mouth than yes I will palm the fishes belly. It works great. You can lift the fish out of the water without any flopping.

Yep, I've palmed a few hogs caught on crankbaits and neither of them made a fuss about it.

Good info...I gotta find me a hawg and belly land him and see. Thanks for the insight on something "new."

While reading this I was thinking I would probably get a treble in me the first time I tried this with my luck! Then I see that picture.

Yeah, that is something to avoid lol.

Seems like a good time to employ such a technique...
Human flesh is no match for a sharp, short shank triple grip....

If I don't boat flip them, I palm them under the belly until they're in the boat.

Sorry. I'm old school and prefer the lip unless it's small.