Net 'em or lip 'em

[brushhog]

When you are just out fishin, not tourneys, do you net 'em or lip 'em? I feel like a bit of a wimp admitting that I most often net...

In fact, I only really lip 'em when I forget the net. I guess as a beginner I wasn't to good at lippin' em and lost a few at the boat. Went to the net and never looked back.

What do you do?

[WTL]

If the fish is bigger than a pound, and is not hooked on a single hook, (IE treble or spinnerbait with trailer) I always net.

I have a few reasons, and its not concern over losing the fish. First, just lifting any fish of any weight over the side of the boat can bring about the possibility of the line breaking and the fish taking your lure with it. Second, when lipping a fish with a crankbait or other hooks floating around that mouth, you are asking for a Bamabassman moment. And I have been very lucky, in the past, to hook myself but never get to the barb and I dont intend to change that.

[Bender]

In the past the I lipped them all of the time other than tournament fishing unless they were really big. Recently I've started using a lip grip on baits with treble hooks just for the reasons that WTL stated. I bought an econo one with a scale from BPS with the intent of using it only for pike but I'll admit that it works really well so I use it a lot.

[WatterBoy]

Almost always net 'em, although I do just hoist some of the really small ones into the boat or up onto the dock. My fishing buddy took a hook (past the barb) into his hand a couple years ago and I want no part of that.

[66KingFisher]

Never used a net on anything but a big catfish.....all bass get lipped, but i've been thinkin about onna of those grabber deals with built in scales I see everyone using....The crankbait hooks in the hand does cross my mind....lol

[keithdog]

I always either lip'em, grab them on the backside behind the gills, or simply swing them into the boat if they are small enough. Since I fish for pleasure and not for cash, I don't really concern myself with one getting off at the boat that much, since it's going to be released most of the time. Plus my small jonboat is really pressed for space as it is and hauling a net around would only add to that mess, lol.

[Bassboss]

When I fish out of my friends boat, I'll do both! If it small enough, I'll just lift it in. If it's a decent 3, 4lber, I'll lip 'em. Any bigger, and the net gets called!!

[BigBassin144]

Most of my fish, I flip into the boat or on shore. If it's bigger and got a mouth full of trebles, I pull out the lip grips (with scale), if it's a worm hook, jig, etc. I just lip em.

BB

[walkeraviator]

If its is small I lift it in...then if it is treble hooked, i hold it by the back like a bluegill and get the hooks out (always with plier or a hook remover... never with my hand). If it is treble hooked and too big to lift in, it gets the net. If it is single hooked i lip it unless it feels like a trophy and then i call for teh net from my fishing buddy...

side story...2 years ago we were spending a week at Kentucky lake during the spring prespawn. It was raining all week and teh water was 2-3ft above summer pool in March. We spent teh whole week catching30-40 short fish a day, and maybe 3-5 keepers that barely squeezed by. Then fishing on a point, my Dad hooked a fish and yelled... "get the net"... so i laughed a little thinking he was being a smartass.... then the fish jumped... i tripped over everything in teh boat trying to get to that net... and for my effort, Dad was able to land a nice 8 pounder...

[rodnreel]

If the fish is small enough I will swing them in the boat. Any other time I usually act like I'm a professional and lip them . If it's a biggun hooked on a crankbait I'll slide my hand under it's belly and bring them to the boat that way. I don't do any tournament fishing and like some others have said, the fish is getting released anyway so it's not a big deal if I lose it at the boat. Unless it's a new state record bass or something, then you better believe I'm breakin out the net!!!

[zooker]

net? whats a net? i don't own such a thing..i REFUSE to have one in the boat even..

i either lip them or use the lip gripper..

zooker

[cassidyta]

I use a net each time that I remember to bring one. (So about 50%).

[bassboogieman]

I'll lip fish with a single hook in it's mouth, try to avoid it with treble hook baits. I also use a gripper but usually use that for toothy fish like pike or muskie that are really too big for my net. I use a rubber net, and if tourny fishing any fish that is keeper size and destined for the livewell gets netted.

[nofearengineer]

I keep a net in the boat for big, barely-hooked bass, dangerous looking treble hook situations, or emergencies (hooking something unexpected, like a huge catfish or toothy fish).

I don't consider lipping fish a matter of pride.

[AUFred]

i do not own a net.

[Jim80]

Don't own a net . But would use one If I had it .We fish off the bank most the time so carrying a net around would be a little silly in my eyes and the transportable smaller ones would be useless for a larger fish that would be net worthy


jim

[CamG]

Originally Posted by AUFred

i do not own a net.

+1....Nets are for cheaters.

[WaffleJaw]

Becauce I tried to lip one and not use a net...We lost a 6lb bass last night...Half way out of the water and he snap the line at the last second...I will always use a net now on fish over 2.5lbs if Im in a boat...I never want to feel that pain again...And I wasnt even the one who caught him.

[BassinNC]

I only use a net when tourny fishing.
I always lip them when fun fishing unless I have someone else with me to net the bigger fish.

I'd say 90% lip, 10% net when fun fishing.

[JigNgrub1997]

Lip them. I keep the net away for a big Carp or Catfish. I only use a net on a 15" or bigger Channel Cat or Carp. Anything smaller I just flip in unless I accidentally catch it on Ultralight.

I've not caught a Bass yet that I couldn't just flip in (except a 1-1/2lbe'r I caught on Ultralight gear), but if the time comes where I get a 4lb or larger Bass, I'll just lip it.

[BassFeverJohn]

I think I own a net. We bought one last year for pullin' fish up steep walls. Never used it. I''m a lipper.

However, I am looking at those econoscale doohickies.

[shawn]

I always lip em. Don't even own a net, but I'm thinking about getting one since I accidentally caught a huge catfish the other day and he was too big to pull into the boat without breaking the line and loosing my lure.

Next time I'll have a net ready.

[bamabassman]

HAHAHA, THANKS BILLY! well i guess oyu know what i do, lip em mostly. main reason is mine are so small i don't see the need for a net. but now that i have spent a night at the hospital er i may need to re-think my choice huh? i have 2 nets in my boat, but i haven't brought em out as of yet. the reason i have the nets is IF, and i stress IF i ever get that wall hanger i want a net so's i don't lose it.

[MallenManson]

I always lip. Just don't have enough room for a net haha

[carolina-rig-01]

If I am fishing for fun, I swing everything in the boat unless it's a big fish (4lbs or bigger) then I net it. If I am ever in the situation where I don't want to swing a fish and can't get to the net then I will lay on my back and lift the fish in the boat by getting my hand under it's belly. I never want to put my hands in a fishes mouth while it is still in the water with a hook in it. Plus if you get your hand under it's belly right it sort of paralizes the fish so it won't flop around (of course the fish isn't really paralized and once the pressure is taken off of the belly it will flop around like normal again).

In a tourney we net anything that looks like it could be a keeper unless it hits close to the boat, we are flipping, or anyother situation where we can't get to the net in time and then we swing it.