Fish grippers on bass?

[JustJames]

@toni63your point is very well put, I like yours better than mine?.

Any way I have total of 3 grippers. One is metal one like boca grip which I use mainly for catfish. Second is 9" plastic gripper which I bought when I plan for strippers and big bass trip at diamond valley where I can sefely grip and release it without risking my finger with those treble hook. And Last my 6" plastic grip where i use mainly to just weight fish and will be used in kayak. 

I even have one of those grip with small nail poke into fish mouth to hold it more firmly but I don't use that anymore since I found it too cruel.

[A-Jay]

For me this comes down to priorities.  And mine start with my own safety first and then for the safe handling of the fish. 

That said, I feel confident that I'm taking reasonable care to handle & release the fish responsibly. 

 

When landing a fish caught on a bait with treble hooks, after netting it in a Frabill Conservation series net, it's placed on a clean, food grade non-toxic silicone mat, I then use a Boga grip to hold / maintain control of the fish.

 

I choose to use a 'hemostat' type pliers to remove the hooks.  This is a light wire tool that does not possess much in the way of grip, so care & finesse are required to back out the hooks.  This ends up being a little easier on the fish, (and the hooks) as well as being safer for me. 

 

  This process keeps me away from the trebles mostly, and allows for minimal handling of the bass.  

 Beyond whatever damage the treble hooks inflicted, I have not ever noted additional injury or hardship to the fish as a result of this process.  If there is any at all, I have to believe that it's fairly minimal and I'm perfectly willing to accept that. 

YMMV

A-Jay

[Steveo-1969]

I only use fish grippers to weigh fish and that's not often as I find my "hand scale" gives me much more pleasing results!  Electronic scale says *** pounds but "hand scale" says 3 pounder!!!!  YAY!!!!!!

 

To the OP @Hooligan - are you saying that MLF is damaging/killing bass every time they weigh one?  Hmmmmmm.......

Edited May 17, 2017 by Steveo-1969
My "one point three" got ***

[NYWayfarer]

2 hours ago, A-Jay said:

 

When landing a fish caught on a bait with treble hooks, after netting it in a Frabill Conservation series net, it's placed on a clean, food grade non-toxic silicone mat, I then use a Boga grip to hold / maintain control of the fish.

 

 

That's the first thing I noticed when watching your videos. I started carrying one of these when fishing with my father-in law after that. Landing a fish on that mat has to be better than boat flipping them into a hot aluminum boat or boat carpet.

 

First time my Father in law saw the mat he thought I brought it to filet the fish on the boat.

[NCbassraider]

12 hours ago, Hooligan said:

The issue that I see more than any other is people use grippers on the lower jaw, and the gripper then comes back under the fish, almost guarantees a dislocation.  

 

I can't even begin to debate nonsense like this.  

 

And I would love to see proof of all the dead fish you say are a "direct result" of fish grippers.  And who performed the autopsies on all these fish that lead you to arrive at this conclusion?  What a joke.

2 hours ago, Steveo-1969 said:

 

 

To the OP @Hooligan - are you saying that MLF is damaging/killing bass every time they weigh one?  Hmmmmmm.......

 

Yes, that's what he's saying.  

[Hooligan]

14 hours ago, Choporoz said:

If your true intent was to educate on the proper use, perhaps that would have been a better way to begin.  I'm afraid that your OP comes off as a scolding, if not an insult, to all who do use them.  I won't hesitate to land treble caught fish in my kayak with fish grips.  In fact, the smaller the fish, the greater risk to me, IMO.  I'm more likely to use them on a 14 incher caught on a DT6 than I am on a 5 pounder.  The larger the mouth, the more room there is for error in lipping them.

Pardon my error, it isn't scolding, I just don't get landing fish with them, and using them on fish that are clearly not treble hook fish.  I don't get it.  Seems like an unnecessary extra step, as well as seeing improper use.  

[Hooligan]

13 hours ago, Steveo-1969 said:

 

 

To the OP @Hooligan - are you saying that MLF is damaging/killing bass every time they weigh one?  Hmmmmmm.......

 

You can infer what you like, however that is not what I said, nor what was intended.  It's very well documented that vertical holds harm fish.  It's very well documented that grippers have higher rates of injuries to fish, as well.  Thats what I'm saying, nothing else implied.

Ajay- Thanks for your post.  An example of great handling, and a tip I've used from you for as long as you'd told me about using the mat.  Again, however, not an instance of what I was talking about with their use.  Like I said, I under stand that aspect of it: I'll never understand landing a fish with them, horizontal holds with the grip placing pressure on the lower jaw, no using them on exceptionally small specimens...

[QUAKEnSHAKE]

On 5/17/2017 at 4:59 AM, JustJames said:

So what different holding a fish with thumb and plastic gripper in vertical position?

why don't you show us a proper way of using gripper for bass instead of bashing everyone.

May be because you catch too many giants so you don't care anymore, but to some of us it is an excitement and to weight and taking picture to be a memorable not tourney wanna be. Every once awhile I will open album and I can tell story of every fish I caught.

Thats just what he likes to do and does it often. His way is the best way PERIOD notice he likes do use that word. His way of thinking is the only way to think. He will tell you you are wrong but never shows proof to back up his claims, hasnt shown proof yet on this topic. He is very egotistical in his postings even before his hiatus he was like this so same ole same ole from him. The way he portrays himself in his posting speaks volumes over and above his denials. Thats a fact PERIOD.

[toni63]

7 hours ago, Hooligan said:

Pardon my error, it isn't scolding, I just don't get landing fish with them, and using them on fish that are clearly not treble hook fish.  I don't get it.  Seems like an unnecessary extra step, as well as seeing improper use.  

 

The fish that buried that Trokar trailing hook through my finger wasn't a treble hooked fish. Single shaft steel hooks penetrate just as well as trebles, and a treble wouldn't have gone all the way through that digit like that. By the way, I play guitar, a lot, and an injury like that has the potential to do enough damage to end my guitar playing how I do it now for good. Now, I don't really want to lose one passion over an injury from another hobby.

 

7 hours ago, Hooligan said:

 

It's very well documented that vertical holds harm fish.  It's very well documented that grippers have higher rates of injuries to fish, as well.  Thats what I'm saying, nothing else implied. 

 

..............I'll never understand landing a fish with them, horizontal holds with the grip placing pressure on the lower jaw, no using them on exceptionally small specimens...

 

I'd be interested to read the studies that documented this. Please share.

 

And the fish that put that hook straight through my finger? That was no more than 10 inches, I doubt I could have even got my finger in its mouth and I was holding it with my hands to remove the spinner bait main hook that it ate. So, in these cases, size really doesn't matter.....

 

As far as what we are doing to the fish when we catch them at all, I did find this research, and it discusses mortality rates of caught and released bass. Apparently, if we are all going to get really serious about being mindful of the outcome for the LMB we catch, we oughta, at a minimum, stop using artfificial plastics on Carolina Rigs. Mortality rate within 72 hours? 28% dead.

 

So if this is really such a huge concern, maybe we all oughta just find another hobby, because we are killing a significant amount of the fish we are catching just by catching them at all.

 

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-02-23/sports/9702230224_1_largemouth-lake-fork-bait

[Darren.]

For interest of the conversation, the scientific study I know of was 

done on bonefish.

 

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165783608001781

 

If you read my earlier post, I use and will not stop using my Boga grips

when bass fishing. I often net the bass, then I use my grips to aid in

hook removal and weighing the bass, measure, take a pic, release.

 

And there's also this rebuttal to this very issue. The author disclaimer

is of note, he's a pro-staffer of Lucid Fishing which makes grips. But many

points he makes are good - the rebuttals start below the video on the page.

 

[Fishes in trees]

I have a 30" long fish gripper that I got a number of years ago from BPS.  Sadly that tool is discontinued/ no longer available/ . . . .whatever ..

Anyway, when I'm fishing by myself I find that it is easier to use the fish gripper than it is to take the time to deploy the net on any fish that I'm not going to just lift into the boat with my rod.

[Hawkeye21]

I find this debate to be as ridiculous as whether it's ok to keep bass for eating.  Why do some feel the need to tell others how they have to fish or even do anything in life?  Unless you are just making a polite recommendation and have facts to back up your claims then just keep it to yourself.

[J Francho]

3 hours ago, toni63 said:

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-02-23/sports/9702230224_1_largemouth-lake-fork-bait

 

This statement alone discredits everything in the article.  Never mind it's 20 years old.

 

"Durocher explained that many deeply hooked fish were saved merely by clipping the line at the fish's mouth without trying to remove the hook. Strong body acids soon dissolved the hook, the wound healed and the fish got along fine. Of 17 fish hooked this way, nine survived."

 

That just isn't true, and the advice is wrong.

[WRB]

I agree with the OP, learn how to handle bass properly and safely. MLF has popularized the use of fish grips to weigh bass and instant release, they are also trying to promote landing bass without bouncing off the boat carpet or use of landing nets. 

I believe the fish grips should be replaced with a catch & release weigh bag designed to instant drain any water and not to cause any skin/slime coat damage. 

Don't own a fish grip or a Boga grip type scale. I do own a knotless net to land bass with multiple treble hooks occasionally.

Tom

[kickerfish1]

I gaff all my bass!

[NCbassraider]

5 hours ago, toni63 said:

 

 

 

 

I'd be interested to read the studies that documented this. Please share.

 

 

I would love to see these studies as well.  

 

Also would love to see documentation of the countless dead fish he has encountered and the proof that they were all killed by fish grippers.

 

Not holding my breath.

[J Francho]

His rant was about the idiots that leave the gripper hanging from their jaw, or torque the jaw with it.  No different than jaw-jacking that you see on TV all the time too.  My other favorite is when guys shake the fish out of excitement.  These goofs on YouTube are setting an example for their fans.  They should step up.

[jr231]

Ok... So what I've gathered from this thread is that 

 

1. Holding fish vertically unsupported is bad for the bass. 

 

2. Supporting the fish with both hands removes their protective slime coat , leaving the bass exposed to harmful bacteria and other things. 

 

3. Hoisting the bass with the rod is harmful to the bass. 

 

4. Using fish grippers is no better (and somehow worse?) Than holding the bass vertically unsupported

 

 

I've had my Cheech and Chong moments but I think some of you guys are a step above tree huggers . Sounds like some of ya shouldn't fish for bass at all. You should join PETA. That'll really stick it to those ungrateful ignorant bass fisherman. 

 

 

 

[J Francho]

1. No.  Just don't torque the jaw.

 

2. Wet you hands and any surface the bass touches.  Keep off the carpet.  The slime coat isn't that delicate.

 

3. Not a little one.

 

4.  Properly use, they are fine.

 

It's not that anyone is a tree hugger, it's that it shows a lack of respect, and sets a bad example for others - anglers and non anglers.  Remember, what someone sees you do is being judged.  All anyone can do is at least try to do their best.

[WRB]

We are discussing fish lip grippers, not grippers that hold the fish by it's body.

Lip grippers that have a built in swivel gimbal allow the fish to flip around and twist, grippers that hold the bass by the lower jaw like those used by MLF have a swivel attached to the scale. When you grip a bass with a grippers by hand the fish tries to flop and twist, however the lower lip grippers is ridged can  tear the thin lower jaw tissues and dislocate the jaw. You can't hold a bass tight enough by your fingers to tear through the jaw tissue, you can hold the bass incorrectly and dislocate the jaw. The vertical hold position is good, the gripper jaw damaging the basses mouth isn't good.

A lip grippers used to control the bass without damaging the bass like A-Jay clearly demonstrated is ideal use.

If your goal is to eat the bass you catch it doesn't matter how you handle it, put the fish on ice immediately.

Tom

[Choporoz]

I like to think that I exercise considerable care when handling bass.  I do, on occasion use Fish Grips when I believe I have a reasonable risk of getting trebled. 

 

   I sheepishly admit, however, that I do not exercise the same care when it comes to other species.  I use Boga-type grips and jaw spreaders on catfish, snakeheads, pickerel and pike.  And, I've been known to be much less patient when removing hooks from perch, shad and bluegill.   I don't know where my two-facedness comes from....but, while slightly ashamed...I don't expect I'll change my behavior any time soon. 

[JustJames]

Soon enough this site will become Troutresource.com ? just saying.

[J Francho]

Lol, please no @JustJames

[Darren.]

4 hours ago, JustJames said:

Soon enough this site will become Troutresource.com ? just saying.

 

Or even panfishresource.com!  

[NCbassraider]

In conclusion, fish grippers are safer for the fish and the angler and this thread is absurd.