Ripping Lips?

[Haulin Bass]

I like to think I am a Walleye fisherman too, but I would NEVER rip the mouth of any fish (even a Drum) and throw it back. Heck, I think if a fish gets it's gills hooked, that they fish should be kept and NOT thrown back in! (because it would most certainly die.)

But The Dept of Con. says it is to back into the eco system. (?) OKAY

As for the bass, could it be A-Rigs? you know, someone might catch a bass on an A_Rig, and get hung up on stump. And yank the crap out of the lure (with 65LB braided) and rip the mouth of the bass getting the A-Rig off of a stump?

dunno,,,, but please don't blame Walleye fisherman,,,, this is cruel and inhuman treatment of animals. No matter who is doing it~!

Hopefully, it is an isolated incident.

[jlm7070]

I haven't caught any bass that were that bad

But what I have noticed is that their bottom inside

Of there lip is very weak if you lip them after you catch one

your thumb will go threw their lip

Anyone else seeing this?

[dprice]

Fish main lake from y highway to 245. Fish slow maybe you can pull these from the lake. Not coves not creeks Seems to me if someone went out and caught 20 bass and caused this in the course of a weekend over a few months there would be several.

I'm not that lucky of fisherman. Just extremely thorough .

I've thot of this for several days. I keep going back to intentional . I honestly feel it would be a serrated knife to cut lip bone or dikes of some sort.

if it is trot lines .....which it is not. Sharpen the hooks

As for who's doing it ? You need your butt kicked over your shoulders ...I ask you to reconsider

Dprice

[powerdive]

That 2nd pic does look like a snip job. Just disgusting. The only positive thought I can offer is that if you're catching them, at least they're able to feed some. Hope the fisheries people can gain some insight on this.

[conorsixtakc]

Whether you fish for bass or walleye, can we all be adults for a moment and quit trying to blame A-Rigs and trot lines? The MDC biologist acknowledged that this looks like the work of a knife. Enough said.

[ten_scoach]

Obviously an intentional cut.

In my humble opinion when they do catch this guy, and they will because someone always talks, they should cut his bottom lip in the same fashion. An eye for an eye.

I guess I would settle for an alternative consequence of confiscating all equipment used to commit the crime including boat, poles, etc.. Then fishing privileges should be revoked for life.

[Bigfishscott]

I read the fourm a lot but I never have posted before. But before everyone gets in a uproar. Let's think about it with common sense. Have you ever watched a bass make a bed? He doesn't just use his tail, he will use his mouth also. He scoops out any kind of debris he deems unfit for his nesting site. Ever watched one chase down a crawdad? He will rub his jaw on the bottom on the chase up to the point of sucking him in. When you see the most broken jaws is just after they start making beds and when the bigger females start chasing crawdads to get the protein they need to recoup from laying eggs. But what is in the water that makes it that way? Bacteria! I'm sure with very little rain the last few years and less water movement in the lake to flush the lake, With the turbine down so long. One little cut or scrape could turn into a big sore, and start eating away at the flesh and bone. You wouldn't stick your cut finger into some thing that might infect it. Bass really don't have that choice. Sorry I'm rambling, but that's my two cents worth. So if you catch a six pound bass in March with a bloody tail does that mean their starting to nest? I'm sure you have all hear that one. The answer is, NO. Females full of eggs have to lay on the bottom or cover and and move their tail back and forth to stay up right. They rub their tail raw because of it.

[dprice]

I dunno but I have seen them suck worms and craw dads from under a rock 2 feet away. They accomplish this with there mouth closed and popping Gil plates open as mouth opens to create the water movement . Remember there lower lips extend farther than upper . Down feeding is very difficult and there eyes are on top of the head . Chasing craw dads is a rather short venture in my opinion.

When I fish crawdads they pick it up crush it then swim I understand there are different scenarios . I wondered about culling rings but this' doesn't fit puzzle either

Dprice

[Boobie]

Its not the walleye anglers,meathead. Its the bass anglers who rip these fish off the lake bottom and launch them through the air and hammer them on the deck of their boat only to rip the lure out of their face. Get it!!! I think they are called "tournament anglers".

[Quillback]

I would not point fingers at any group of fishermen, if this is intentional, which I believe it is, then it the work of an extremely sick individual.

I've caught thousands of bass over my lifetime, I've never caught one with a lip that has been split like that.