Thought I would share why I like fish grippers

http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/nature/post/russian-diver-gets-hand-caught-in-fishs-mouth/ 

That thing is just all mouth! 

wow it looks like a cabezon with ling teeth

So that's what noodling is like in Russia...  At the end, I was waiting for the fish to latch on to the second guy's face.  That thing was just itching for another taste.

hahahaha fuuuucking russians!!  why not club the damn thing already, jeez!  and what's with spraying it with water? 

monkfish are delicious.

Lip grips are great for fish you intend to retain. Not so great for fish you are releasing, per research:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165783608001781

If you think lings or cabs are all head, they are nothing compared to  monkfish/goosefish/anglerfish/devilfish (All the common names for the genus "Lophius").  I just to sometimes trawl these up while collecting juvenile fish for my graduate degree.   

They lie on the bottom almost completely flat.  The first dorsal fin spine acts as a fishing rod with a fleshy tab at the very end.  They dangle this lure in front of their mouth and wait. They also walk along the bottom on their pectoral fins.

Here's a good clip of one eating in slow motion...

Amazing all the cool stuff you learn from one post....... I like the plastic lip grippers....no holes in the fish after release.