Bass Thumb--Proof That You're Not Lyin'

It's truly a "badge of honor," or so I used to say when I had a case of bass thumb (see photo at right). Today, I never have to deal with it because I wear half-finger gloves on both hands whenever I'm on the water for a day's fishing.

For anyone not familiar with "bass thumb," it feels like a rug burn. It's caused by the tiny needle-like teeth bass have for crushing their prey. The damage comes from placing your thumb in the fish's mouth to release him/her back into the water. In most cases, you won't feel the teeth right away, unless you happen to have hold of a trophy-sized fish, and he/she gets to thrashing around before you let go.

As pro bass fisherman Zell Rowland will say, when asked to describe bass thumb, "Ask an angler to turn his hand over and look in the "V" of his hand (between the thumb and pointer finger). It it looks like it has been rubbed down with sandpaper, he's got a bass thumb."

You also can get "bass hand" (see photo at left). That's when your entire hand gets chewed up from handling big ones all day.

It took Michigan bass-fishing enthusiast Brian McCarter sitting at work one day, staring at his thumb, and wondering if anyone ever had started a company based on an aching bass thumb to come up with a solution to the problem. He began a company named "Bass Thumb Apparel" (https://www.facebook.com/BassThumb/). They have merchandise for all bass-fishing enthusiasts.

I just wonder if they have anything that will alleviate the problem I developed yesterday while spooling up a couple of new baitcaster reels with braid. I was grasping the line between my thumb and forefinger for extra pressure to ensure it was wound tightly. And by the time I had finished spooling the second reel, my thumb felt like it was hot enough to light a cigarette. I did a quick glance just to make sure my thumb wasn't smoking.

Have felt a little additional pain at times yet today, depending on what I happened to be doing. Reckon I'll have to apply some more hand cream tonight before I go to bed to aid the healing process and to give me a good night's rest.

As I checked my thumb earlier today, I was reminded of my Navy days in Washington, D.C., when it came time for renewing my security clearance. For as long as I can remember, I've had problems with the skin on both of my hands peeling, especially during winter months. Some officials used to swear I intentionally was trying to disguise my fingerprints. And more than one of them threatened to withhold my clearance accordingly, but that never happened.

Photos by Michele Eichstead.