Does anybody use...

Those mechanical fish grabber things ?

I'm really conflicted. It looks both reasonable and ridiculous at the same time. It's like a fishing implement advertised in the Onion. They are plausibly designed for function, questionably influenced by Rube Goldberg in form.

If I were to admit to buying buy one, would everyone think "hey, there's the noob" whilst laughing up their neoprene-gasketed sleeves at me ?

Post a link to the ad or a picture of the device.  Anything advertised in the Onion is more likely to be a comedy item than an actual fishing device.

I didn't say I saw it in the Onion, only that they look like something the Onion would come up with.

Here's one such.

http://www.amazon.com/Fishing-Stainless-Steel-Grabber-Gripper/dp/B008RISAE0

Boga grip knockoff. Don't use on soft lipped fish. Nice for toothy ones but sometimes hard to get the angle.

I've been using the same pair of these lip grippers since '06. They have grabbed many, many fish.  I highly recommend them. Just make sure you don't leave your finger on the trigger. If you're holding a fish with them and it freaks out on you your instinctual reaction to clench your fingers will set that fish free.

Well, ok. But if I get one and you guys start busting my chops for believing you, I'll...I'll just be very hurt, is all.

These are almost a necessity for releasing a lingcod that has swallowed a hook.  They fight and twist so much otherwise that with conventional lip grippers they will rip themselves up.

These are great tools. Just make sure you attach a float to it because they don't float by themselves. 

I use them all the time in the salt on lings and cabs.  I don't bother with the rock fish I just hoist them in.  When I'm fresh water fishing I use a net of appropriate size for the species I'm targeting.
Dana

I am a financially conscious fisherman ( tight bastard).
 I am also ghetto....I just use a pair of locking clamps by Irwin I picked up for about 6 bucks at my local hardware store.
 They ain't fancy, but they hold the fish for you quite well.

I have some similar to Rawkfish's that I got at Dicks. They were pretty cheap. Against the advice of folks here, I have used them on salmon from the kayak successfully three times with no problems yet. They are also good for immobilizing fish you need to release without taking them out of the water and I have done that too. I carry them bank fishing now.

I have a set of Boga Grips and love them! One of the best tools on the kayak.

I'm curious - what do you lip gripper experts think about the plastic lip grippers, as compared the Boga Grip style of lip grippers?  The plastic grippers are way cheaper than Boga Grips, but which do you think is easier to use?  Which do you think works better?

I'm curious - what do you lip gripper experts think about the plastic lip grippers, as compared the Boga Grip style of lip grippers?  The plastic grippers are way cheaper than Boga Grips, but which do you think is easier to use?  Which do you think works better?

OK, so what I actually bought - in two different sizes, apparently on two different occasions, having forgotten the first purchase after it ended up in the bottom of my fishing locker - is the same plastic one.

I'm curious - what do you lip gripper experts think about the plastic lip grippers, as compared the Boga Grip style of lip grippers?  The plastic grippers are way cheaper than Boga Grips, but which do you think is easier to use?  Which do you think works better?

Not nearly as robust. Sure, they work just fine for rockfish, bass, and other smaller fish. A big mamma ling can bust those things, no problem.

Definitely not a gimmick! I love them, but I definitely like the metal ones better.

1. Because you can slip them in their mouth better (slimmer)
2. They will poke through the jaw flesh and lock in
3. They swivel- not just at the lanyard. When they freak out you don't have to let go.

Mine are leashed. No float. I will bleed my fish for a couple of minutes on the grips so they don't make such a mess on the yak