Fish Grip or Glove?

[Kev-mo]

Decided to stop on my back from up north to try my hand at a different locale. I managed to be decently successful however also buried a hook in my knuckle. Actually a punk northern was the culprit. Thankfully it was it was only in the skin and I was able to push it through, cut the barb and back it out. Had some awesomely kind help with the cutting and first aid but that's a story for another time.

 

So I would rather not hook myself again. Aside from pinching down the barbs does anyone have a recommendation for a fish grip or glove. I'm wading so want to keep it lite; not looking to get a boca grip or anything like that. Thanks!

[Ben K.]

I've always liked the knockoff cheapo boga grips for smaller pike, control the lower jaw to remove the hook and easy to hold onto if they thrash (we're talking pike) the big boys need a glove, I use a mechanix style.

[ericg]

I like "The Fish Grip"

plastic, lightweight, works well. I also keep it tied to my kayak while kayaking and clip it to a tree branch to hold position sometimes. Leaving it tied to the kayak anchor trolley rope I can clip a large pike by the lower lip and let go of it, the plastic grip holds it for me.

Haven't tried this device for wading, just for in kayak.

eric

[Terry Dodge]

I noodle the bigger ones.

Flutter your fingers in front of their noses, when they open their mouth to strike, in one quick motion punch them

in their tonsils. My biceps are so huge that it spreads their mouths wide apart and they can't bite down.

Not sure how big your biceps are so you might want to start out with the smaller pike like PaulT does.

Or just buy a Boga Grip.

Seems to me that some sort of glove would be a pain in the butt.

 

[ericg]

I like "The Fish Grip"

plastic, lightweight, works well. I also keep it tied to my kayak while kayaking and clip it to a tree branch to hold position sometimes. Leaving it tied to the kayak anchor trolley rope I can clip a large pike by the lower lip and let go of it, the plastic grip holds it for me.

Haven't tried this device for wading, just for in kayak.

eric

[Kev-mo]

Terry I'm trying to keep my fingers not lose them

 

Fish grip it is! thanks!

[Scott Ferguson]

Years ago, I used to do a lot of fly-in trips to Canada where I was always targeting northerns. Early on, I bought a cut proof glove to handle pike (I don't think fish grips existed then). The glove, did work, but it was a always a pain to use. You have to find it, then put it on while trying to fight the pike. I gave up on it quickly. Since then, even if I had a net, I grab them by the back of the head, over or just behind the gills. I recommend using this grip to hold them still while grabbing the fish with a fish grip.

[Eric]

I got the Lucid Grips and they have been a life saver on rogue northern and musky. After getting my thumb sliced open by a Fox northern, I'm way too gun-shy to ever bare hand 'em again. I always carry the grips in my backpack.

 

http://www.lucidfishing.com/store/p1/Lucid_Fishing_Grip-30lb_with_Built-In_Scale.html

 

Scott, I also went the glove route when I first started musky fishing LOTW. It was a pain and got super smelly and had to be thrown away before the ride home. Switched to the grips up there too. Don't leave home without 'em!

[Jake B]

I personally don't like either because I believe the grips can be tough on pike and muskie when they have no place to go as they give a strong head shake. The glove seems like an ok option but I can see where that would get really stinky. I try to handle them directly over the water and that way if they shake I can let them fall back into the water until they calm back down. I probably handle 500-800 pike a year so maybe it's just luck or maybe being well practiced in handling pike but the first and only time to date the only time I've got a tooth in me was a couple weeks ago while not paying attention while reaching for my phone to take a pic in the yak. I've never had a hook stuck in me from a pike. I just try to make sure they're done fighting before grabbing them by the gill plate. To be sure of this I'll use the rod tip to hold their head out of the water and watch their mouth. If they still have a fair amount of thrashing yet to come, they will open up farther just before they shake their head. Once they don't shake their head they're generally good to grab. Just pay attention and at the first indication of a shake drop them into the water. One other thing I've been really trying to do the last year or 2 is get my hands wet before handling any fish in an effort to try to not take the slime off when I grab them.

[Eric]

The head on the Lucid Grips rotates 360-degrees, so there is "give" to accommodate a thrashing fish. IMHO, these are a better option than some of the other grips referenced -- and by "better" I mean safer for the fish.

 

Lucid has a very similar design to BogaGrips.

 

As with big fish of all species, it's important to secure the head and support the body when removing them from the water for a hero shot. It should be a two-handed effort.