getting the fish out of the water - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

beachin3 · 07-29-2002, 11:37 AM

this morning when fishing on the rocks .i hooked a very large striper. i fought him for a good 15 min when i got him close to where i was fishing .i realized the tide went down a lot and could not reach the fish . all the rocks down below are too slippery to stand on. which i found out this morning the hard way ooch".any way i had his head out of the water before the line snapped this was a once and a season fish .that i lost is there a tool any one sells that will grab a fish by the lip to heave it up . the person at the bait store was explaining something like this but had none in stock any one know what it is called and where i could get one thanks again, Ron s.

Slipknot · 07-29-2002, 12:39 PM

You may be talking about a Boga-Grip. They make some longer ones now about 24"

Also a long handled gaff would come in handy or net. Ever try Korkers on your feet?

The Iceman 6 · 07-29-2002, 02:34 PM

Sounds familiar to me where you were fishing. Slipknot tells it like it is - hopefully you were wearing "korkers." Also, when you go down on rocks to retrieve the fish, have a long rope and tie it to you if you gonna keep it, this way you don't have to worry about your pole if fishin' by yourself. Beachin3 you paid your dues, you're next fish will be "bigger"

Ice

Homerun04 · 07-29-2002, 03:19 PM

They are right.....I usually try to walk back to the beach where I came from without losing the fish if I can. ALWAYS wear Korkers.....no excuse.....imagine the coroner telling your family, "if only he had on his Korkers".

Boga Grip works okay, but can sometimes be too short. Long handled net okay. Expect to pay big dollars ($125+) for the Boga Grip, but I think there are some other off-brand lip-grippers also available for less money. Good luck.

Carl · 07-29-2002, 03:41 PM

iceman,

Can you explain about the rope thing. I usually fish alone at night and I wear korkers, but if there is another way to be safer, I would appreciate it (my wife would too)!

Thanks

beachin3 · 07-29-2002, 05:09 PM

THANKS GUYS WHAT ARE CORKERS I DEFINITLY NEED A PAIR I FISH EVERY MORNING BEFORE WORK I LIVE ABOUT 5 HOUSES AWAY FROM THE OPEN OCEAN ALL ROCKS DURING HIGH TIDE YOU CAN EASLY REACH DOWN AND GRAB YOURE CATCH AND THERE IS A FLAT STONE ABOUT 14 SQUARE FT I FISH ON STAYS DRY BUT WHEN THE TIDE GOES DOWN THE OCEAN FLOOR IS ABOUT 15 FT DOWN IVE HAD VERY GOOD LUCK EVERY TIME I GO IN THE MORNING I CATCH FISH ON CLAMS ALL SCHOOLIES THOUGH BUT THIS MORNING I GOT THE SUPRISE OF MY LIFE THIS FISH HAD TO HAVE BEEN 40" PLUS AT LEAST THERE WAS NO WAY TO LAND HIM SAFELY FOR ME AND THE FISH THANKS AGAIN GUYS I WILL LOOK INT THE CORKERS AND THE FISH GRABBER THANKS RON S. PS ANY ONE IN THE HULL AREA E MAIL ME AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHERE THIS HOT SPOT IS

Scotch Bonnet · 07-29-2002, 05:53 PM

Carl, take a 6' peice of rope with a loop on the end. When you get a nice fish and climb down the rocks to retreive it, put the rope thru the mouth and out the gills and thru the loop and now you can climb back up with out the fish. Once back on top safely, you can haul the fish up. Works great in the Breachways.

Saltheart · 07-30-2002, 08:03 AM

You hav to plan how to land the fish before you start fishing a spot. Its too late and very dangerous to try to figure out what to do after you hook up.

The korkers help you from slipping on the rocks but they don't prevent you from falling in. Some spots are just good at high tide and not good at low. Not because they don't have fish at low but because they are too difficult at low.

Just remember , no fish is worth risking falling in over. Once that water grabs you , you don't know what the outcome will be. Best to find a new low tide spot that's easier.

BTW , Berkley makes a Boga Grip style tool. Its a lot less money. Still short handled though so if they are way down do to the tied , you will still be scrambling down rocks to land the fish.

JeffH · 07-30-2002, 08:15 AM

Saltheart has the answer. You need look and see how you will land a fish BEFORE you hook the fish, not much good hooking a fish 20' above the water line. Buy the Korkers and look for nice flat rocks.

Saltheart, glad to see your feeling better. My father went through the same July 4, 2000 while we were on vacation in Harwich. The guy is 71 and now walks a hard 1-1/2 hours every day. He just took another stress test and was told he is as fit can be. I wouldn't have believed it after seeing him in the hospital. Shows what lettuce, chicken, fish and walking can do.

Fisherwoman · 07-30-2002, 08:43 AM

Beachin3, one other thing you may want to consider is a personal flotaion devise (PFD), have heard too many scary stories from friends and ourselves that with those on thing might have been way less dangerous. The new ones are actually pretty confortable, we bought some for our boat and shore fishing this year and I have to say I feel alot better when I am wearing it. You just never know what adreniline will do when you are fishing to take over your senses about right and wrong!!!. My advise, invest in one, they have 2 different sizes, one short on the chest the other long. They have a self inflatable one where you have to pull the cord (how can you do that if you get knocked out on a rock). The other one will inflate as soon as you hit the water. Prices rage so check around. We bought ours from Cabela's after doing some looking around at prices. Just might save you some money if you go that rought.

The Iceman 6 · 07-30-2002, 09:14 AM

Scotch Bonet thank you for answering Carl's question, could not of said it any better myself! Fisherwoman, luckily my friend works for a boating manufacturer and I also got a PFD from him! with a 6 month old baby girl I wear it when fishing rocks or serious rip currents, worth the investment and it really is not cumbersome @ all.

ICE

JohnR · 07-30-2002, 10:28 AM

Berkely has a small handled lip lok for about 30 bucks - hard to come by but certainly worth it. But most important - as what's said above, don't put yourself in a postition that you won't be able to get a caught fish out - best practice...

Saltheart · 07-30-2002, 10:47 AM

Hi JeffH. thanks for the encouraging story about your father. It sounds corny but hearing about other peoples success stories in recovering is really encouraging. We have a guy at work who had a heart attack 18 years ago. he's 63 and walks every day. Its funny when the 25 year old techs get on a health kick and walk with him at lunch. None of them can keep up with the 63 year old for more than ten minutes!

Good Luck with your boat venture. Got the email and link and it sounds exciting.

beachin3 · 07-30-2002, 12:20 PM

thanks again guys i will scope this area out again at low tide when i hooked this fish i was reeling in my outher rod ready to pack it up and head off for work cause the tide was getting low when my 2nd pole went off totally took me off guard well i bought a pair of corkers and a rope so if it happens again ill be more ready thanks for the help again im still looking for the fish grabber im going out again later to mvp see if i can get one ther the bait stores really jack the prices up know what i mean thanks again beachin3

Mr. Sandman · 08-01-2002, 10:35 AM

I have a boga-grip but they don't reach that far. They are good (and expensive) but I use from a boat and in the surf for fish that are arms-length away.
You could use (or make) a nice jetty gaff from a surf rod blank for fishing from high places. Use a small gaff hook when you make it. Bass have some soft thin tissue under their lower jaw that you can easily and gently hook thru. Once attached, you have strong position to lift her up out of the water. The nice thing is you don't hurt the fish except for a small hole in the skin under the jaw. You can even release them without too much harm. Keep in mind you have to be carfull with a gaff, you poke it in the gut or gill and the fish will probably die.

saltydog · 08-01-2002, 03:17 PM

John, Berkley lip Grips , Ive got 2 left if your LOOKIN.
"GOOD LUCK GOOD FISHIN"