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I just read that next year contestants in B.A.S.S. tournaments will have to net their own fish. Is that so? It's about time. What a turnaround from no nets to nets to net your own.

Pro Staff: Let's hear your take on this important new wrinkle.

Also, I was told B.A.S.S. is doubling the penalty on each dead bass. Want to tell us what you think, guys? JoeMo

Joe,
I think this “net your own fish” rule is a good thing. A guest on my radio show stated the
perfect reason as to why this is a good idea. He was in a very important
Boater/Non-Boater event, which would make the difference in qualifying for the year-end
Championship. Both men in the boat were in the running for their individual catergories.
The boater hooked a good keeper, and let my guest try to net the fish. He was not
inexperienced, but for some reason got a little too excited and knock off the angler's bass.
It was very quiet in the boat for a long time, when finally the two men laid down their
rods and talking things over. The agreement was made that when a fish was hook the
other angler would hold the net in the water, and the angler with the fish would work it to
the net. This saved the day, but after the two days of competition, my guest qualified for
the year-end event in his non-boater catergory (for the 4th year straight), and his partner
did not qualify in his by about the weight of the fish lost.

Now here is one of my own stories for needing a partner to net the fish. While fishing a
tournament in the Mississippi River, I was flipping a very thick brush pile under a low
hanging tree in a backwater cut. When setting the hook on a 15 inch keeper I hung the
fish in the tree. I couldn't pull it through without knocking it off, and it was wiggling
around enough to drop off. This is where my partner came into play. I had Rich reach as
far as possible under the tree, with the net, while I held on to his belt with one hand, and
shook the line down with the other. The fish cooperated, and was eased into the net. I
then pulled Rich back, and he pulled the net in with my fish. There is no way I could have
done this by myself. If I remember correctly I think the fish helped take second place.
One of our competitors actually stopped fishing, and set outside the opening of the cut
(we were only a few yards into the bottom area), and watched the whole event. Glad we
could provide some entertainment.

Even with my example in the tree, it still seems like a good idea for the “net your own
fish” rule.
Dan

As for netting your own fish, I wouldn't have it any other way, for the simple fact that Dan mentioned. My co-angler knocks off a fish that cost me a check, there is going to be some ill feelings, but if I do it its my fault.
There is no excuse for a dead fish, I know we all probable have done it one time or the other, for the last couple of years I leave my livewells on manual when the first fish is caught until I weigh them and I haven't weighed a dead fish since, knock on wood!
I'm not sure about B.A.S.S., but some tourneys allow you to weigh a dead fish with a small penalty, I believe the fish should not be weighed at all. Just my opinion.

I see you fellas support the net your own fish rule that B.A.S.S. is going to use. I like the idea, although this is about you and not me.

As an individual with long years of fishing behind me, I've seen so many things done with a net (a lot of which I wouldn't consider proper or productive) And I've lost some really nice fish because of slow reactions or stabbing (which is the best way I could describe the action).

If the angler wants to improve his net ability, it will now be in his own best interest to do the very best he can.

Thanks for posting. JoeMo