Hawaiibassfishing Forum

Belly Grabbing a Fish

One thing about peacock bass is they never stop fighting. Even after you've "thumbed" it. With your thumb and fore finger gripping the fishes lower lip... it still keep kicking and thrashing. The sand paper teeth of the fish soon has your thumb a skinned, bloody mess... It's also a good way to get a handful of hooks.



I usually net the fish and then grab it with a Bogga-grip. Then I use needle nose pliers to remove the lure.... all it takes is a fish hook through your finger to seek a better, safer way to handle a frisky peacock bass.




Today I saw something I've never seen before. "Belly Grabbing" a fish. Forrest just slipped his hand under the belly of the fish and lifted it out of the water. He didn't grab hold of the fish.... just cradled it in his hand. And it never even wiggled.
Amazing.

We do the same for walleye. Just cradle the fish the same way by the belly and they sit there without wiggling. You can avoid all the sharp dorsal spines and that razor sharp gill plate

Belly cradling trout or salmon doesn't really work...unless you flip them upside down and cradle their backs

Decided to try the belly grab today and wouldn't you know it....it worked like a champ. Never thought it would work as well as it did.