I just lip 'em too... but my boat is smaller, so my gunwales aren't too high over the water. The nice thing about fishing jerkbaits is that I'm using a single 5/0 wide gap hook and I often just grab the hook and twist w/o even lifting the fish from the water. That's tough with a plug with a couple trebles
Unless, you want a set in your finger.
Speakin' of tearing up fingers, I'll tell what I've done about a dozen times this year, grabbin' the leader and the line just slicing into the crease in my index finger. There's a nice groove there now, so the line usually gets right in there... youuuch. Luckily, the one I did saturday was not in the same place.
Yes, I have a fish glove... I'm just too dumb and lazy to grab it. That'll change now with the arrival of the bluefish.
I wouldn't use it as a rule, but I'm sure that fish gaffed in the lower jaw will make it OK... not much worse than a mouthful of trebles, but the boga is less destructive.
Anyway, without this getting into a "pick on Anthony" session, nice fish Anthony and Van.