Looking for a Smallmouth Bass with fish grips

I went fishing after work tonight.  I caught a really nice smallmouth bass.  It was in the 18" range.  I netted it, locked my fish grips down on his lips and put him back in the water over the side of the Hobie while I was getting my camera and hog trough ready.  I got my phone out and then my bass did the head shake  Bass thing, popped the grips out of my hand, and off he swam with my fish grips.

I've heard quite a few stories from others about fish swimming off with their fish grips.  I'm a believer now.  I've had lots of fish jump out of the kayak, but they never took my grips with them.  I think I'll tether my next set to the kayak with a bungie.

I did get go pro footage of this, but I'm embarrassed to share as there is a lot of F**k, Mother F**ker type of words.

Sorry to hear you lost your grips. I do have to say your story made me smile, and for that I thank you.


p.s. Please post the video

That's a bummer.....I know what you mean about a strong head shake.
Fortunately, my Berkley fish grip has a wrist lanyard to prevent loss......my biggest fear is dropping it overboard since they are stainless steel and quite heavy.

You're not alone. I have had a similar incident happen... Fortunately for the fish after flopping off the kayak I could see he was able to shake the grips free somehow, unfortunately for me I could see the grips slowly sinking to the bottom in ~20ft of water. My most recent set of grippers is now leashed to the kayak to hopefully prevent these sorts of things.

A couple things. Not trying to be critical, just my thoughts.

1. Fish Grips have a lanyard. It helps when a lingcod goes in a "death roll", for example, although some people are uncomfortable with the lanyard wrapping up on their wrist a bit. This is definitely an area where the Boga-style grips have an advantage. But anyway if you're using the plastic fish grips just slip it onto your wrist before you engage the fish.

2. I've never understood the point of using fish grips on a non-toothy fish. With smallmouth I leave them in the net partially submerged (enough to keep water over their gills) until I have the camera and measuring board out. It seems like this is quite a bit less stressful on the fish. When properly used lip grips don't necessarily damage a fish's jaw structure, but the danger is certainly there.

I love fish grips and I love smallmouth. I just don't love 'em together.

I love fish grips and I love smallmouth. I just don't love 'em together.

You just aren't catching enough of them!  Kidding of course... The Bass thumb is a surefire way of knowing you've had a good day of fishing.

Hahahahaha send me the footage. Actually, I may stop by tomorrow. Will let you know.

Polepole said to me once when I complained about an issue with using lip grippers on a bass: "I've got thumbs son".  Haven't used lip grippers on a bass since.

Full disclosure....  Since then, I've had multiple incidents where I've had to pull as many as 4 barbed hook tines out of my hand, had both hands hooked together by a plug, had to squeeze a smally to death to stop the oscillation of multiple hooks buried to the bends in my hand.

Hmmmm, I might have to go back to using fish grippers on bass.

Magic Mike - Now that I've exposed my failings....It's time to post your video.   

-Mark-

I think whoever started this catch / photo/ release idea had a really sick since of humor. Heck, I can hardly hang onto the fish, let alone try to do it with one hand while taking a photo. I like the whack em and eat em method.

Bad enough to lose a plastic gripper, With my luck I'd lose the phone trying to get the pic.

I do try to keep a gripper around because I still don't know which are the toothy fish and which aren't. And when you need the pliers to get them unhooked, the gripper does a good job of immobilizing them without squeezing 'em to death.

Don't take my word for it. Get your grippers and put it on your own lip and you'll see !


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Don't take my word for it. Get your grippers and put it on your own lip and you'll see!

Love it, we need to start the Lip Grip Challenge!

Bass are so darned tough it's hard to imagine a little time out of water is an issue. Got this little fella a couple of weeks ago in CA, got me itchin' to get out on Lacamas and find some.


H

I only use Berkley lippers on bass when they have a plug in their mouth, to many times a bass has hooked me as a act of revenge with a treble hook.

I attached a short piece of para cord  with a 8" piece of pool noodle to the gripper, has saved it a couple times.


A good sized pike will try to break your wrist when you have a gripper on him, tough fish. As I don't release pike I put a lump on their head with a club, that stops the twisty twisty thing real fast.....warf

I have these very fancy grippers......OK, they are a set of Irwin C-clamp lockable pliers, mostly plastic except for the locking mechanism. They are cheap and easy to replace, however I have always had them leashed to the boat and with a float on the tether.
 I use them to secure the ling until I retrieve my hook, usually letting them hang off the Yak until I get me gunny sack ready and slip them in tail first while still kickin' as I try to keep them alive as long as possible.
 Yet another ghetto method from the cheap bastard I call mice elf.