Hey Spicelanebass...you're in a row boat next to a battleship.
People still think fish, pecans, and watermelons are free. They're not...when a bass makes it 5 years in a pond, it deserves your best. Proper handling of fish is important. Cody is right on, so is Scott. It only makes sense to handle fish with care. Will holding them by the jaw kill them? Probably not. But the bigger the fish, the heavier it is, the more stressful its weight becomes out of water. Look at it like an over-filled plastic grocery bag. Pick it up by the handle...likely to break. We support our groceries when the sacker over does it...we hold a big bass by the jaw, don't crack it back, support the belly with wet hands.
