Fish Lip Grippers

[Brighamfish]

Anyone have experience with some different brands of fish lip grippers? I really don't want to pay for Boga's but would love to hear about any experiences you guys have with cheaper brands. I have severe allergic reaction to contact with catfish skin but love catching & eating them. Less hands on would really help & I'm hoping some lip grabbers might help with this.
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[wiperhunter2]

These are the ones I prefer:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/ABS-Fishing-C.../977522475
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]I have tried just about every kind of lip gripper made at one time or another. The ones with metal jaws seem to be the standard, but increasingly there are more of us using the floating plastic ones...like in the attached pics.

They are light and they float. They lock when you grip them together, making it possible to just hang them off an article of clothing...like a vest...and you can open them with one hand and put them to use.

I find them plenty strong for even the largest cats. And if you drop them in the water...unlike the metal ones...they do not disappear into the depths. That can get costly with Bogas.
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[Brighamfish]

I had noticed most seemed to be of the metal variety. Leaving a metal grabber on the bottom of the lake/river in a month or two seems highly likely knowing me. Hearing you guys prefer the plastic ones makes me a lot more confident to try them.

I really like the idea of the glow in the dark plastic too. I had debated wanting a scale in the grabber but I already have a digital scale so it really isn't a must. I think a lot of times when you put more into something you actually get less anyways.

Have you had any problems controlling the fish with the plastic grabbers since the handles don't rotate when fish thrash?
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Never a problem with holding fish during their "death roll". But I am a pretty big guy with strong wrists.

Still, the grippers are only one part of "fish control". I usually net the fish first and then use the grippers to pull larger fish out of the net while removing the hook, etc. I never hold the fish vertically, but usually use my other hand to cradle the fish sideways...or at least to pin them to my rigid apron or some other flat surface.

The grippers also make releasing fish easier. The light plastic ones can be opened and closed with one hand operation. And if you drop them during the release process, they do float.

Another argument for the plastic grippers is that they are a lot easier on the fish. I have had some fish on the metal grippers that thrashed around and tore up their jaws. Not good if you plan to release them. The gripper jaws on the plastic models are wider and less likely to damage the fish...as long as you hold them right and get them back in the water as quickly as possible.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Hey I have a set of those glow in the dark plastics, they do work fine and I've never had a fish pull out of them after I get them locked... I got the larger size and it's a little awkward when trying to get on the lips, but I tried a set Matt had up to Strawberry and they were smaller and worked really well on that 27" bow so I kind of think I want the smaller size ones... Another note is they have a great hooking spot for your scales to attach and most scales have a tare feature that you can set so they weigh your fish as accurately as your scale is... I'd say good item, a little clumsy to start with but in time you get good with using them.... I really like them on wiper, they save lots of sticks and tangled nets... Later J
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[Brighamfish]

Sounds like it's time I get with the program and join the gripper club. Lol!

You ever worry about the glow ones blending in and leaving them on the ice Jeff? What size you think is best? Having a hard time telling size on different models I'm looking at.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Honestly I mostly use mine for cats and wiper only, so I typically don't take them on the ice with me... Let me go grab my pair and see what size they are... Doesn't say a size it's called the fish grip, I'll put a picture in the next post since I'm on the computer I'll reply from my phone so I can put a photo in... Sorry I don't know sizes.. J
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[SkunkedAgain]

See photo

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[SkunkedAgain]

Sorry shameless add for the new BFT flags I'm about to push out this week... Maybe tonight if all goes well... I think they look really good, but I'm partial to the mfg... my wife is putting them together for us.. Later J
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[Aquaticbotulism]

Have you tried these kind on a 40+ inch tiger musky?
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[TubeDude]

[#0000FF]Nothing over 40. One a bit over 36 inches. Worked fine, with no injuries to fish or angler. But I never removed the fish from the water...just held it steady with the grippers while I removed the hook. But I have seen pictures and TV programs in which anglers did use the plastic grippers to help hold the bigger fish...and to help avoid thrashing and injury.

My personal recommendation if you are targeting tigers is to subdue them with a cradle and not use a gripper unless absolutely necessary. But I don't usually fish for them. The only ones I have caught have been on lures meant for other species. Silly tigers can't read the directions. So I usually do not have more than a regular landing net...which is usually too small for a tiger of any size.
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[Tin-Can]

As you can see from my profile photo, I got good use out of the grippers I got 2 years ago at the Cat awards dinner. I got one set there, then bought a set for my son that Christmas. Then last summer when he and I were down at UL, I put his and mine to good work with a two-fer I got. TD described them perfectly. Get them in just past the front lower jaw bone of a Cat, even a good size one, snap them down and they really hang on. The loop on the handle lets me put it over my wrist. And even though they do float, I've used them over water with a fair wind blowing and didn't want to have to chase them on a wild wave if I dropped them. The wife used them to great advantage also. And I've had a couple Cats clamp down on them so hard, that even when I released the snap, the cat wouldn't let go.
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[Aquaticbotulism]

I don't use them either although I have and its been a little easier/maybe safer around those teeth but I always feared hurting the fish so I typically use the cradle method I was just curious if those plastic grips were really that tough? Good to know! Thank you sir!!
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[Kent]

I have used both the metal and the plastic ones and I prefer the plastic ones (I also find the smaller size works best for most fish). I have also ly discovered that the metal ones don't float very well.[frown]
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[RockyRaab]

I'll make it bananamous. Get the plastic grippers.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Hey Forest I forgot who got those grippers, but I remember I wanted to draw them as the prize... Glad you are enjoying them... That price Curt posted up top is a good price, I know I've paid double for both sets I've purchased in the past... Hope we both get to use our grippers soon.. Later J
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[Brighamfish]

Thanks for posting that pic. Looks like as Rocky says it's bananamous. New plastic glow in the dark grippers are on the way.

Tell the wife it looks like she did a great job on new the flag there Jeff. You hang that out while you're fishing?

Absolutely love this forum. Would have thought for sure there would be more guys who prefered metal grippers before I posted this thread. Nothing like being able to tap into the real world experience and knowledge of fellow fisherman and not learning everything the hard route.
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[SkunkedAgain]

Thanks for the flag comment, she does do nice work. And I completely agree with the comment about the forum. I've had my mind changed more than once by those with better experience than I. Totally love the four stroke trolling motor and I wasn't going to buy one of those heavy motors. Sure glad I got talked into trying one. Later J
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[1Cast1Fish]

I cast my vote with the plastic floating grippers...I lost an expensive metal gripper over the side of the Yak a few years ago and never went that route again...I dropped the plastic one over too...but I got it back since it floats.
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