Proof Positive (Beyond Any Doubt)

...of a good bass fishing day

...of a banner bass fishing day.






In case there are a few who don't recognize what we're looking at here, it's called "bass thumb." You get it after catching, landing and gripping numerous largemouth bass. When bass are "lipped," their raspy "teeth" dig into the flesh of the inner thumb, as they squirm and shake, trying to gain their freedom.

The angler sporting his "badge of honor" in the top right photo had lipped 50+ bass. It's anyone's guess, though, how many fish the angler in the above left photo had lipped.

A lady bass angler I read about while researching this topic took note of the fact she had suffered for years with what she described as "the dreaded 'bass thumb.' Sometimes I even would quit fishing for the day, with plenty of light left because my thumb was so sore and bleeding,..," she said. "I fretted about what to do to solve the problem."

This lady angler went on to explain that gloves were too restrictive for the delicate finesse fishing she does with ultralight tackle. As a result, she turned to the Internet, where she eventually found a forum in which someone recommended Finger Gloves (see Fingergloves.com). "I read all the excellent reviews," she said, "and ordered a set. Now I come home with thumbs as soft as they were when I was a baby."

Another solution to the "bass thumb" problem is Pro Flex 5, which world-class fisherman Randy Howell uses. Pro Flex 5 sharkskin neoprene covers slip over your finger and thumb, protecting against line cuts, lipping cuts, and rub abrasions (see photo directly above). Meanwhile, your fingertips stay exposed, so you don't lose any feel. Check out the online shop at http://www.fishermansthumb.com/online-shop.html for the different colors of Pro Flex 5 that are available.

Before I wrap this up, let me share a portion of a story I happened across during my research for this piece. It first appeared as part of the 2007 Angler's Guide, which was published in the March/April 2007 issue of Outdoor Oklahoma. The author, Andy Whitcomb, makes mention of the fact that his philosophy while growing up fishing Oklahoma farm ponds was to "lip everything." That mostly included only bass and bluegill, though. Then he started traveling and experiencing new, toothy species--like pike, walleye and bowfin, to name only a few--and learned the hard way that "lipping" these fish was not without its hazards.

"It was like extreme, full-contact fishing," he said. "I used to believe that a successful fishing trip meant that I returned bleeding. I'd grin and bare it, then bandage it.

"Now many years later, I have reached a point where I do not have to have an open wound after a fishing trip for it to be successful. However, a slight disfigurement not requiring surgery isn't all bad. I have come to appreciate some of the finer things, like those tiny, pointy teeth on a bass's lower lip.

"I know some say to leave the bass in the water while removing the hook. However, it is vastly more satisfying when, just for a minute, you reach down and pick that big ol' bass out of the water. Immediately, there is a slight pain in the thumb that lets you know, if you did not already, that you pulled it off.

"Then you feel its heft and see it's dripping wet, glorious green and black. Nothing else is lifted for the sheer pleasure of feeling heavy. While momentarily distracted by girth calculations, your thumb is a palette being sculpted, chiseled in a few uneasy seconds by many perforating little teeth.

"The result is not unlike your thumb having a close encounter with an extremely fine cheese grater. You are left with a bristle of hundreds of partially detached skin pieces. For the next few days, each time you use that opposable appendage, each tiny flap of skin creates a tingly reminder of time much better spent. Simple, routine activities, such as brushing teeth, lifting a cup of coffee, or signing your name may trigger the sweet pang of bass thumb.

"For the most part, this transitory scar usually goes unnoticed. Most people just don't go around examining other people's thumbs. However, if, during the course of a successful fishing trip, my thumb becomes a shredded mess, for the next couple of days I become like the 'Fonz.'

"'Ayyy,' I say with the classic 'thumbs up' gesture to no one in particular.

"My souvenir keeps me grinning while I am back in the office. Suddenly an abrasive character, I put my thumb out there for the world to see. This is when I want to be fingerprinted. This is the thumb I want to be remembered by.

"I get no greater satisfaction from an injury from any other outdoor activity. There is nothing pleasant about ringing ears from skeet shooting, blisters from hiking, sunburn from swimming, scraped elbows from biking, or rolled ankles from basketball. But bass thumb is different. It allows a type of 'closure' in a brief, turbulent relationship.

"A day of fishing will be over all too quickly. If I catch a bass, that 'Man vs. Nature' battle may only last a couple of minutes. When it is over, I will slip the bass back in the water and watch the ripples subside, leaving me, hopefully, with one lasting impression."

"People should shake your hand and know that you're a bass fisherman, not a wisherman," as one angler put it.

The piece of art above is a reprint of what appeared with the original article.