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View Full Version : Lip grips break fish jaws!


Stally77
07-23-2012, 12:39 PM
Recently when landing a decent sized Northern. I used my lip grip to handle the fish. With the hook in its mouth still, the fish decided to do the death roll. Winding the hook and line around the grip and absolutly making mince meat out of its lower jaw. I will never use this tool again on any type of fish. Any one else experience this?:(

Guitarplayingfish
07-23-2012, 12:51 PM
Recently when landing a decent sized Northern. I used my lip grip to handle the fish. With the hook in its mouth still, the fish decided to do the death roll. Winding the hook and line around the grip and absolutly making mince meat out of its lower jaw. I will never use this tool again on any type of fish. Any one else experience this?:(

... That sucks.. poor guy.

My suggestion would be to get yourself a big net...

Iceman4
07-23-2012, 12:52 PM
I have to agree with you. I was in the territories fishing big pike this year and we tried out one of these grippers. They might work alright on small fish, but for big 14-25 pound northerns, they mangle the jaw or tear large holes in the fishes mouth. All it takes is one good shake to do some good damage. We quit using it after the first day and I won't use one again. It makes landing them easy, but too dangerous for the fish.

DarkAisling
07-23-2012, 12:59 PM
Yup. I broke a pike's jaw with a pair of the lip grips.

Sad thing was, it was too small. I had to put it back with a busted up jaw. :(

Zuludog
07-23-2012, 02:32 PM
Don't the grips rotate? The ones we use (Boga 60# model) rotate so they shouldn't break a fish jaw? I however only use them for weighing the fish though and prefer to gill or net them.

Graffy91
07-23-2012, 02:39 PM
Never used them in my life, extremely unfair to a fish to use them in my opinion.

Just grab him underneath the belly, hold it close to a surface and pop the hook out...

If your scared to handle a fish, you shouldn't be fishing... :)

DarkAisling
07-23-2012, 03:30 PM
Don't the grips rotate? The ones we use (Boga 60# model) rotate so they shouldn't break a fish jaw? I however only use them for weighing the fish though and prefer to gill or net them.

Mine were cheap ones that didn't rotate.

If your scared to handle a fish, you shouldn't be fishing... :)

That's an awfully presumptuous statement, don't you think?

Stally77
07-23-2012, 05:22 PM
Don't the grips rotate? The ones we use (Boga 60# model) rotate so they shouldn't break a fish jaw? I however only use them for weighing the fish though and prefer to gill or net them.
Yes the grips did rotate, but unfortunately tangled in the leader/line causing the jaw to break.

gl2
07-23-2012, 08:30 PM
thats crappy. i have never used this kind of tool as i always cradle bigger fish to reduce stress. x2 on buying a good net.

Stally77
07-23-2012, 09:58 PM
thats crappy. i have never used this kind of tool as i always cradle bigger fish to reduce stress. x2 on buying a good net.

Yes..... I do usually use a good net as well. But for this one unfortunatley i did not. Just a good heads up for those who are thinking about using a lip grip. Be carefull. This fish was about 5 pounds and I ended up keeping it. There was no way i was gonna put it back.