Holding fish by the gills!!

[Chris]

I catfish sometimes under the Kentucky dam and have caught several blues and flatheads that where BIG. I have found that if I don't have a net the best way to get them in the boat is to grab the gill plate and I stick my thumb in the corner of the mouth. I have grabbed the bottom lip of a large catfish before and it works fine as long as the fish don't clamp down on your hand. If the fish is large enough you will let out a yelp. ;D After you get control of the fish and you want to hold it up for pictures yes you should support the fish by the belly.   Small catfish can be picked up by the belly with one fin between your index finger and middle finger and the other fin in the web at the base of your thumb. Smaller toothy critters can be grabbed behind the head. The only reason to pick up a large fish that has teeth by the gill is because you need to control the head for safety to get it in the boat.

[LilBassMan]

We catch a lot of toothy fish up here in northern MN (walleye, northern pike, muskie) and I have never seen a fish injured by grabbing the gill plate. Of course, if you just jam your fingers underneath and tear up the gill tissue, the fish is going to die. As has been said, supporting the fish's weight under the belly with the other hand is preferred, but sometimes that isn't possible.

It's darn hard to boat a 42" muskie without a net, but it can be and is done on a regular basis.

Gill plate, fine. Gills, not good. Hand in muskie or northern mouth, even worse!  

[JiggaMan512]

Any thing with teeth and under 30 lbs. , kill 2 birds with this :

of course, youde want to support the fish by the under belly too, if possible.

[Bluecraw]

....come to think of it, I wouldn't want anybody lifting me off of the ground by my bottom lip either.....ouch.....lol

[Redlinerobert]

I alwaya use a Boga Grip.  The less you handle a fish the better.