Smallmouth Bass Fishing

by Juan Veruete
CentralPAfishing.com

I’ve been a catch and release smallmouth angler for over 20 years and I’m always looking for ways to better insure a successful release of my catches. Most anglers understand the basics of reducing handling time, protecting the fishes slime coat, and revival techniques. These tips have  been the subject of many articles.

Always support the fishes weight by placing one hand under it's belly

In recent years, various lip grippers have come on the market aimed at helping anglers better land and release fish. I’m particularly fond of lip grippers like the Boga. As a Kayak angler, I’m always searching for better ways to control fish and save space. Having a smallmouth bass with a mouth full of treble hooks in the cockpit of my kayak is certainly not my idea of a fun time! Grippers are the ticket! Unlike nets, they take up very little space and are an extremely effective tool for landing feisty smallmouth. During the 2009 season, I successfully landed and released many smallmouth ranging from 15-20 inches with my grippers.

I prefer lip grippers rather than landing nets for several reasons. First, as alluded to previously, they require a lot less space in my kayak. That is certainly a plus for a lure junky like me who needs at least 30 lbs. of hard baits, plastics and terminal tackle. Of course this is a slight exaggeration but you get the picture!. Second, the gripper if used properly, reduces the need for extensive handling of the fish thus preserving the fishes slime coat. In addition, nets (even rubberized) tend to get tangled in lures and increase the handling time of the fish. Last, nets can damage a fishes slime coat.

Here are a few quick tips for using Boga style grips.

• Select grippers with fish friendly design- grippers with a swivel, like the original Boga grip, can help decrease the chances that a struggling fish will end up with jaw damage. Also, some grippers have spring “shocks” that, again, reduce the chances that a struggling fish will suffer jaw damage as you lift it out of the water.
• Keep the grips in an easy to reach location - This speeds up the time it takes to land the fish so you don’t over play it. Too much time spent fighting a fish can decrease the chances of its survival after the release. The great thing about grippers is that you can attach them easily to objects in your boat or kayak so that they are ready to use. I attach my gripper to the seat straps on my kayak.
• Always support the fish near the belly - When you lift a fish from the water using a gripper style tool,  place one hand under the belly/anal fin area to support the weight of the fish. This lessens the pressure on the jaw and decrease the probability of jaw damage.
• Keep the fish in the water as long as possible if your going to get a photo - Grippers make this really easy. I’ll often attach the wrist rope to a clip on the side of my kayak so the fish can rest in a horizontal position in the water as I get my camera prepped and ready for the shot.

Grippers you might want to check out:
Boga
Bass Pro Shops Grip Master
Berkely Lip Grip