[Mike P]

Originally Posted by slow eddie

i do love catching big blues. there actually meaner than both of my x mother in laws combined. my bluefish bag has 6 pencils or reg. poppers. plugs are a min. of 6" long. never been bit in over 50 yrs. catching. there is no trebel hook in the middle. take it off. i put a 4x, 5/0 j hook, short shanked, on the end. crush the barb. now you can grab the plug, give it a shake or two, and your ready to go. there is really no need to stand on a fish. see it all the time. a 200lb. guy standing on a 5 lb. blue. give them a fighting chance.

I agree. If one has to handle the fish, all it takes is a firm grip behind the head to safely unhook a blue---oh year---pliers too.