Under $100 lip gripper opinions - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Pete F. · 03-09-2008, 10:33 AM

Has anyone used the Berkelys or Lipper grippers. i have done a few searches and found a few opinions. Opinions ranged from spend the money buy a boga to the cheap ones work for me, reminiscent of the VS, Penn and others opinions
Mainly want one for bluefish and Northern Pike. Both of them always want to attack me when I have provided them with additional armnament of a faceful of trebles.
I know, I'm a wimp when it comes to getting hooked. Of course then again it's probably a thing I'll never use, like gloves or tape on my fingers.

piemma · 03-09-2008, 11:26 AM

I own the Berkley. I used it ONCE. IT SUCKS!!!

You want it, it's your for a good wooden plug. Just drive to Burrillville or Warwick RI and I'll trade with you.

emgred · 03-09-2008, 11:42 AM

You get what you pay for. Go for a Boga.

SirWinston · 03-09-2008, 11:52 AM

Sorry Paul: I have had a different experience with mine. I have a berkley and it has done me well for three - four seasons.
That said, the pin does slip out slightly (never actually fell out), and I had to glue the grip after it slipped, but I haven't had a fish get out of it once gripped. Reasonably rust resistant, too.

I know that the newer ones have better grip and lanyard.

Personal use - bass to 26 lb, seriously pissed off blues to 12 lb, no problems either time. Plenty of saltwater exposure over the seasons.

Against the Boga, the Scotsman in me cannot justify $100 against $30 for the same use (granted it hasn't go the scale on it, but I have a decent small 50 lb one for $10 vs the extra $70 on the Boga) - and if I do lose it, the replacement cost is a hell of a lot less...

my 2c.

HOCKEYCOACH · 03-09-2008, 12:16 PM

I agree with SW I bought the Berkley last summer for bluefish on the boat. Mech it's work ok(keapt the hooks out of my fingers) The landyard did come loose but it was an easy fix. For me as long as it holds the lips I would rather save the extra money for something else.

Pete_G · 03-09-2008, 12:30 PM

If not new then maybe a used Boga?

I've never shopped the used market and maybe there isn't one, but the Boga's construction is more then slightly ahead of some of the copies and a used one, even if it's been beat will still be fully functional. Worth it in my opinion.

It's made of stainless steel that doesn't rust and has jaws that don't drop fish. Some copies are marginal when it comes to holding onto a fish, although many have tweaked their design over time and now hold as well as the boga.

Might be worth shopping around for one.

fishaholic18 · 03-09-2008, 12:31 PM

I have a Rapala with the wide jaws, like $80 or so. I don't use it much but it works fine when I do, always have it with me on the boat, good for Blues and a Bass with a mouth full of hooks...Saved my fingers more than a few times..LOL.. I've had it 4 or 5 years and used it in surf and boat. The scale is pretty accurate too, usually right on or within a #... I usually hose it off after each use and hit it with some oil a few times a season..

reebok · 03-09-2008, 01:09 PM

I don't like carrying a lot of weight so I'm trying the economy version of the lipper gripper. It's less than $30 and extremely light compared to the others. Of course it might not last but time will tell.

I really can't see how the shore guys lug around that 60lb boga.

ThrowingTimber · 03-09-2008, 02:11 PM

Ive got the berkley that will run you about 28-35 dollars. Use it mostly when Im deep wading or pigeon toed on rocks and I hook a bluefish. I cant personally justify spending more than that for something i mostly just use to deal with bluefish.

piemma · 03-09-2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirWinston

Sorry Paul: I have had a different experience with mine. I have a berkley and it has done me well for three - four seasons.
That said, the pin does slip out slightly (never actually fell out), and I had to glue the grip after it slipped, but I haven't had a fish get out of it once gripped. Reasonably rust resistant, too.

I know that the newer ones have better grip and lanyard.

Personal use - bass to 26 lb, seriously pissed off blues to 12 lb, no problems either time. Plenty of saltwater exposure over the seasons.

Against the Boga, the Scotsman in me cannot justify $100 against $30 for the same use (granted it hasn't go the scale on it, but I have a decent small 50 lb one for $10 vs the extra $70 on the Boga) - and if I do lose it, the replacement cost is a hell of a lot less...

my 2c.

The one I have is quite old. probably the first year Berkley came out with it.

I would imaging they have made considerable progress in the design process.

Gunpowder · 03-09-2008, 04:01 PM

i have heard some good things about the rapala "locknweigh" grippers

jimmy z · 03-09-2008, 05:30 PM

What Vic said. I bought an inexpensive one last year, and don't know what happened to it. So I bought another inexpensive one this year.
It's good to have, I'll try not to lose the new one.
Why buy costly, when inexpensive will do. For me anyway.

eastendlu · 03-09-2008, 06:28 PM

I've been using the Rapala since they first came out a few years back its under water most of the time on my batmans utility belt and has served me well.Its still going strong.My .02

Pete F. · 03-09-2008, 11:47 PM

Thanks for the informed opinions. Now I just have to decide if I would really carry it.

Gunpowder · 03-09-2008, 11:51 PM

I say its def. worth carrying. nothing like having to "estimate" to your buddies that you caught a 30+ pounder when you can say I caught a 37 pounder. Also, if your in some tournaments, it makes it a lot easier to make a weigh in decision. I won't weigh in a fish if I know the weight of my fish will not help. That just my opinion though; some people weigh in everything they catch in tournys.

Mr. Sandman · 03-10-2008, 06:16 AM

If you need the scale get the bogo. The scale is pretty damn accurate and as mentioned above they last forever. Over the years I managed to pick up two of them (one for boat and one for surf) and they work very well. However, at the RISSA show a few years back (maybe 5 or so) I bought an AVET reel and they guy gave me a cheapo clone of a bogo. I have used it on the boat and it works fine for holding a fish. The scale on that one sucks and is way off. I mainly give it to the kids so they can hold a toothy fish for a photo. For the price (nothing) it was a great deal and still works fine today.
So my rec would be to get a cheap one just to hold fish, if you want a good scale as well with you get the bogo.

RIROCKHOUND · 03-10-2008, 06:28 AM

JoeP carries one of the Rapalas (I think)
He tests it with a set of gym weights and the scale seems dead on...

thortum · 03-10-2008, 06:36 AM

I own a $28 Berkley. No problems, except for getting the blues to open their mouths.

plankton · 03-10-2008, 08:39 AM

I have used both the berkely and the rapala and didn't like either. The end of the berkley that surrounds the jaws is made of plastic and pinned together, a little sideways torque and a fish slips out of the jaws, no good. I found the business end of the rapala to be too wide to get in most fish's mouths, especially if they're pinned shut a bit, also mine started to fall apart rather quickly. I picked up this no name gripper and I must say that it worked great all last season, no design issues and the scale is spot on, don't remember where I got mine, but basspro has the same ones now, calls them the econoscale.

moosh · 03-10-2008, 09:36 AM

Be careful with the rapala lock weigh gripper .I bought one and there are teeth on the inside ,so when you open it up to lip the fish you cant release it ,not with out tearing his lip off. Maybe I bought one that you only can weigh with ,But I dont like it , And it wasnt cheap about $60.00.

SirWinston · 03-10-2008, 11:25 AM

Plankton - the smaller Berkleys do not have the plastic coating on them.
I have never had a fish manage to torque mine open (metal grips) - not for the lack of trying from a number of blues.....
Cabelas has an image (link below) - the 12" is the one I have used in the surf.

As for me - I don't go out without it (hooked onto the strap of the pfd it is totally out of the way but accessible).

Cheers.

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0011558014820a.shtml

plankton · 03-10-2008, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SirWinston

Plankton - the smaller Berkleys do not have the plastic coating on them.
I have never had a fish manage to torque mine open (metal grips) - not for the lack of trying from a number of blues.....
Cabelas has an image (link below) - the 12" is the one I have used in the surf.

As for me - I don't go out without it (hooked onto the strap of the pfd it is totally out of the way but accessible).

Cheers.

http://www.cabelas.com/prod-1/0011558014820a.shtml

It wasn't the rubber coating on the jaws themselves, but the spot where the jaws come together I was mentioning. The two jaw pieces are sandwiched between two pieces of plastic (that slide into the metal sleeve behind them when the jaws open) and the whole thing is pinned together. Enough sideways pressure on the jaws (fish thrashing about) will cause the pin to come lose allowing the plastic parts to spread and the jaws move past each other and create an open space. Found this out during a day of catching blues in the 8-10# range.

Pete F. · 05-03-2008, 09:46 AM

Well I bought an econoscale, so far it's weighed a ten # pike. It does'nt have a lanyard yet but I need one almost lost it on the pike when I slipped in the mud and it was attached to the fish and no longer attached to me.