Grabbing Bass Outta the Livewell

BassQualifier · 08-17-06, 11:45 AM

I've been fishing some small local tournaments lately and luckily have had a good number of fish in my livewells between me and my partner. However, though I am good at putting the fish in the livewells lol, I have one helluva time getting them out. It can take me a couple minutes just to try to get a hand on one of them, either by lipping or just man handling it out, but for the life of me I can't do it in a timely fashion like the pro's do. I dont know how they do it.

I thought I would ask to see if you guys have any tips for getting bass out of the livewells quickly and easily. Thanks.

Deacon · 08-17-06, 11:50 AM

use a culling system with culling tags. Its easier to grab onto a culling tag than it is to lip them. Look at bass pro shops or cabelas they should have a set for fairly inexpensive. Hope that helps ya!

bassintom · 08-17-06, 12:01 PM

or you can make your own with styrofoam floats,steel leaders(slip a length of plastic tubing over the leader) and get one of those stringers that are made with chain and the hooks.remove the hooks,put them on one end of the steel leader,put the float on the other end..viola!easy in,easy out.

Hef · 08-17-06, 12:29 PM

Culling tags brother

lizardsrule · 08-17-06, 02:00 PM

You can do what was already reccommended or go train with Miagi, fish in, fish out, fish in, fish out LOL.

Lizards

BassQualifier · 08-17-06, 03:28 PM

Those culling tags completely slipped my mind, and I even have some! That sure will make things easier. I have never used them but man, that will definitely solve my problem. But really, is it just me or is it hard as crap to get a bass out of the livewell without using them cullin tags??? They are so slippery in there and wont ever open their mouth for me. I see the pro's at the Classic on TV just reach down in their livewell and grab their lunkers to hold up to the fans. And they only take a couple seconds. And they don't have the cullin tags on those fish. Good idea though, those tags will be on those fish for sure from now on.

WTL · 08-17-06, 03:46 PM

Its not just you. Sometimes it can be difficult, especially smallies.

onlyculprits · 08-17-06, 06:08 PM

I've heard some bright guys pump much of the water from their livewells just before its time to remove their fish. My little livewell only holds about 12 gallons and is made from an old plastic olive barrel. The proverbial "fish in a barrel".

nixie1 · 08-17-06, 10:54 PM

If you are not clipping them with one of the numerous culling clips available I would suggest that you fill your weigh in bag from the live-wells and then dump the well you need to get the fish out of. When the water gets low enough it is easy to get a lip-grip on the fish without damaging the slime coat. Chasing a fish around the well does nothing but reduce it's chance of surviving the experience. If you have no choice but to go in after the fish in a well full of water I have found that if you go straight down on the top of it and then clamp down on the area right above the head and just behind the eyes it usually stops them long enough to put a solid lip lock on them. Bottom line is this: you should do what you can to avoid manhandling the fish and damaging it's slime coat. Culling clips are, by far the best way to go.

ROBZILLA · 08-18-06, 06:08 PM

Just name the fish when you put him in there, when you call his name look for the one who acts the weirdest. lol

Fish On · 08-19-06, 10:22 PM

LOL we have had some guys have there fish jump out of there livewell when they open it to get fish or put a fish in.

JB · 08-20-06, 07:22 AM

we always used to just give the bass a plus of redman, and when they come up to 'spit', ya club em!

bassnman30 · 08-20-06, 10:41 AM

I use the culling tags, With several fish in my livewell, it's easy to just pull one of the floating tags to get your fish outa the live well. Even with just one fish a culling tag can be usefull.

WIbassfisherman · 08-21-06, 04:28 AM

I usually pump livewell water into the bag and then the reduced water level makes the fish easier to handle. Less stress, quicker exchange right into the water they were just in.

mugbass · 09-24-06, 03:31 AM

what? to couple to bass one of those gabci. . scandalous!! there are other ways in order to signal a bass in livewells

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deacon

use a culling system with culling tags. Its easier to grab onto a culling tag than it is to lip them. Look at bass pro shops or cabelas they should have a set for fairly inexpensive. Hope that helps ya!

eyes · 09-24-06, 06:39 AM

They do have livewell nets to Frabil makes a nice one.

zooker · 09-24-06, 10:12 AM

mug
i take it ya never tried getting a livly fish out of a live well.. the clips are easy on easy out of the holes. quickly place the fish in a live bag and go for the next one.. we have to remove the fish and weigh them individually..not "signal" weather we have a fish or not..the whole point is removing them for either cullin or weigh in..during culling we are only allowed 5 fish per person in most tourny's we keep the 5 largest releasing any thing smaller.. which fish weighs the least easy to see and release using this method.

zooker

garry_3000 · 09-25-06, 05:24 PM

Well what i do is drain youre livewell until there is just enough water to cover the back of the bass should make grabbing them alot easyer

zooker · 09-25-06, 06:39 PM

actually garry itis a win lose thing yes you can grab the fish faster no you going to get wet doing it.. try this when the water temp in the live well is in the 30's ... trust me getting wet with 30 degree water sucks...

zooker

garry_3000 · 10-04-06, 05:55 PM

mabe zook but if you put in enough water to cover the fishes back and dont want to get wet try an med fly fishing net and gather them up one by one

08-17-06, 11:45 AM	#1
BassQualifier BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 55	Grabbing Bass Outta the Livewell I've been fishing some small local tournaments lately and luckily have had a good number of fish in my livewells between me and my partner. However, though I am good at putting the fish in the livewells lol, I have one helluva time getting them out. It can take me a couple minutes just to try to get a hand on one of them, either by lipping or just man handling it out, but for the life of me I can't do it in a timely fashion like the pro's do. I dont know how they do it. I thought I would ask to see if you guys have any tips for getting bass out of the livewells quickly and easily. Thanks.

08-17-06, 12:01 PM	#3
bassintom BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: washington(northwest) N.J. Posts: 3,958	or you can make your own with styrofoam floats,steel leaders(slip a length of plastic tubing over the leader) and get one of those stringers that are made with chain and the hooks.remove the hooks,put them on one end of the steel leader,put the float on the other end..viola!easy in,easy out. __________________ A man's gotta believe in something...I believe I'll go fishing. Last edited by bassintom; 08-17-06 at 03:22 PM.

08-17-06, 12:29 PM	#4
Hef BassFishin.Com Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Pasadena, MD Posts: 565	Culling tags brother __________________ U.S. Navy "The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his" - Gen Patton

08-17-06, 02:00 PM	#5
lizardsrule BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Saint Augustine, FL Posts: 7,374	You can do what was already reccommended or go train with Miagi, fish in, fish out, fish in, fish out LOL. Lizards __________________ There are three types of Snakes I hate 1. Live Snakes 2. Dead Snakes 3. Sticks that look like Snakes. And Gators too!

08-17-06, 03:46 PM	#7
WTL BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,466	Its not just you. Sometimes it can be difficult, especially smallies. __________________ Selling live waterdogs for less since 2005.

08-17-06, 11:50 AM	#2
Deacon BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 314	use a culling system with culling tags. Its easier to grab onto a culling tag than it is to lip them. Look at bass pro shops or cabelas they should have a set for fairly inexpensive. Hope that helps ya!

08-17-06, 03:28 PM	#6
BassQualifier BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Virginia Posts: 55	Those culling tags completely slipped my mind, and I even have some! That sure will make things easier. I have never used them but man, that will definitely solve my problem. But really, is it just me or is it hard as crap to get a bass out of the livewell without using them cullin tags??? They are so slippery in there and wont ever open their mouth for me. I see the pro's at the Classic on TV just reach down in their livewell and grab their lunkers to hold up to the fans. And they only take a couple seconds. And they don't have the cullin tags on those fish. Good idea though, those tags will be on those fish for sure from now on.

08-17-06, 06:08 PM	#8
onlyculprits BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: vero beach, florida Posts: 28	I've heard some bright guys pump much of the water from their livewells just before its time to remove their fish. My little livewell only holds about 12 gallons and is made from an old plastic olive barrel. The proverbial "fish in a barrel". __________________ senior definition of manatee - tree huggers' darling, also an effective speed bump in crowded waters.

08-17-06, 10:54 PM	#9
nixie1 BassFishin.Com Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Iberia, LA Posts: 9	If you are not clipping them with one of the numerous culling clips available I would suggest that you fill your weigh in bag from the live-wells and then dump the well you need to get the fish out of. When the water gets low enough it is easy to get a lip-grip on the fish without damaging the slime coat. Chasing a fish around the well does nothing but reduce it's chance of surviving the experience. If you have no choice but to go in after the fish in a well full of water I have found that if you go straight down on the top of it and then clamp down on the area right above the head and just behind the eyes it usually stops them long enough to put a solid lip lock on them. Bottom line is this: you should do what you can to avoid manhandling the fish and damaging it's slime coat. Culling clips are, by far the best way to go.

08-18-06, 06:08 PM	#10
ROBZILLA BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Markham, Ontario, CANADA Posts: 1,901	Just name the fish when you put him in there, when you call his name look for the one who acts the weirdest. lol __________________ Hang E'm High Till The Gills Go DRY! BARRIE,ONTARIO,CANADA

08-19-06, 10:22 PM	#11
Fish On BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hauppauge, NY Posts: 368	LOL we have had some guys have there fish jump out of there livewell when they open it to get fish or put a fish in. __________________ David Scott

08-20-06, 07:22 AM	#12
JB BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 8,655	we always used to just give the bass a plus of redman, and when they come up to 'spit', ya club em!

08-20-06, 10:41 AM	#13
bassnman30 BassFishin.Com Super Veteran Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Lexington,NC-Worlds best BBQ. Posts: 1,945	I use the culling tags, With several fish in my livewell, it's easy to just pull one of the floating tags to get your fish outa the live well. Even with just one fish a culling tag can be usefull. __________________ Lexington,NC.

08-21-06, 04:28 AM	#14
WIbassfisherman BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Hartland, Wisconsin Posts: 151	I usually pump livewell water into the bag and then the reduced water level makes the fish easier to handle. Less stress, quicker exchange right into the water they were just in. __________________ T-Rexx Lure Co. Prostaff

09-24-06, 06:39 AM	#16
eyes BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Leroy, Michigan Posts: 187	They do have livewell nets to Frabil makes a nice one.

09-24-06, 10:12 AM	#17
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	mug i take it ya never tried getting a livly fish out of a live well.. the clips are easy on easy out of the holes. quickly place the fish in a live bag and go for the next one.. we have to remove the fish and weigh them individually..not "signal" weather we have a fish or not..the whole point is removing them for either cullin or weigh in..during culling we are only allowed 5 fish per person in most tourny's we keep the 5 largest releasing any thing smaller.. which fish weighs the least easy to see and release using this method. zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09 Last edited by zooker; 09-24-06 at 10:17 AM.

09-25-06, 05:24 PM	#18
garry_3000 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: indianapolis, in Posts: 267	Well what i do is drain youre livewell until there is just enough water to cover the back of the bass should make grabbing them alot easyer

09-25-06, 06:39 PM	#19
zooker BassFishin.Com Premier Elite Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: denton nc Posts: 13,441	actually garry itis a win lose thing yes you can grab the fish faster no you going to get wet doing it.. try this when the water temp in the live well is in the 30's ... trust me getting wet with 30 degree water sucks... zooker __________________ the godfather.. aml in remission since 7-20-09

10-04-06, 05:55 PM	#20
garry_3000 BassFishin.Com Active Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: indianapolis, in Posts: 267	mabe zook but if you put in enough water to cover the fishes back and dont want to get wet try an med fly fishing net and gather them up one by one

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