11-26-2018, 03:37 PM
[#0000FF]Obviously there are some variables in how you want to get fish up out of the hole...and how you handle them. What species is the fish and how big? Will you be keeping or releasing it? Will you have help from someone else or are you solo? How nimble and flexible are you?[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]During my many years of ice fishing I have tried a lot of different ways to safely and efficiently get fish out of their element and up into mine. Smaller fish are no problem. You can just lift them out with your rod or by holding the line. Larger fish present two potential problems. First is if they are too big to lift on the line you are using...breaking off. Second is if they are too big to fit through a small hole. Some problems are better than others. A third consideration is how to best bring the fish onto the ice without damage to you or the fish...especially if you plan to release it.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]First of all, regulations prohibit using gaffs or hooks that will damage a fish...except on some mack ponds. So you are limited to using your hands, your buddy's hands or some mechanical gripping device.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]And, if you are fishing alone, trying to subdue and ice a large thrashing fish can be a real circus. This is especially true if...like myself...you are large in girth, overdressed, a bit inflexible and have a hinky back.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]I have tried several commercially sold "lip grippers" to help get fish up through the hole once you have their head showing. Most will work...if you can get the fish to yawn while fighting to get free. Sometimes you get lucky and can get a quick grip. Other times you get frustrated, try to haul the fish out by the line and SNAP. If you must use a lip gripper...and want to avoid damaging the fish...get one of the floating plastic grippers and practice using it with one hand...before you need to grab a fish through the ice.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Some fish we bring into the ice hole have teeth...like trout, walleyes, pike and muskies, etc. Don't try to bring them in by "lipping"...unless you want to lose some weight. Either grab them behind the head or use the lip gripper.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]As my range of "stoopability" has declined in my later years, I have experimented with using "reach tools" to help extract fishkind from ice holes. Some of these extended reach and grip tools have good strong clamps and can be used without modification to reach down and grab a fish and pull it out of the hole...without having to bend over. On one model I increased the "grab factor" by running a couple of short screws in from the outside. (see pic) It worked but it was hard on the fish I wanted to release so I didn't use it long.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]The tool I used the last couple of years I still ice fished was made from one of the cheapie 36 inch reach tools sold by Harbor Freight. The gripper end is plastic so I used a heat gun to soften and bend the tips of the grippers to come together...with one slightly overlapping the other in an "overbite". This tool worked well both for lipping and for grabbing around the head or body for a quick lift. It also worked great for going around and picking fish or other stuff up off the ice when getting ready to go.
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Another option I tried briefly, before getting out of the ice fishing business, was a pair of "crab tongs". I acquired a pair of these while on a 6 month work assignment in New Orleans. They grip well and can handle some good sized fish. Mine are metal, but you can also find them in plastic.[/#0000FF]
[signature]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]During my many years of ice fishing I have tried a lot of different ways to safely and efficiently get fish out of their element and up into mine. Smaller fish are no problem. You can just lift them out with your rod or by holding the line. Larger fish present two potential problems. First is if they are too big to lift on the line you are using...breaking off. Second is if they are too big to fit through a small hole. Some problems are better than others. A third consideration is how to best bring the fish onto the ice without damage to you or the fish...especially if you plan to release it.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]First of all, regulations prohibit using gaffs or hooks that will damage a fish...except on some mack ponds. So you are limited to using your hands, your buddy's hands or some mechanical gripping device.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]And, if you are fishing alone, trying to subdue and ice a large thrashing fish can be a real circus. This is especially true if...like myself...you are large in girth, overdressed, a bit inflexible and have a hinky back.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]I have tried several commercially sold "lip grippers" to help get fish up through the hole once you have their head showing. Most will work...if you can get the fish to yawn while fighting to get free. Sometimes you get lucky and can get a quick grip. Other times you get frustrated, try to haul the fish out by the line and SNAP. If you must use a lip gripper...and want to avoid damaging the fish...get one of the floating plastic grippers and practice using it with one hand...before you need to grab a fish through the ice.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Some fish we bring into the ice hole have teeth...like trout, walleyes, pike and muskies, etc. Don't try to bring them in by "lipping"...unless you want to lose some weight. Either grab them behind the head or use the lip gripper.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]As my range of "stoopability" has declined in my later years, I have experimented with using "reach tools" to help extract fishkind from ice holes. Some of these extended reach and grip tools have good strong clamps and can be used without modification to reach down and grab a fish and pull it out of the hole...without having to bend over. On one model I increased the "grab factor" by running a couple of short screws in from the outside. (see pic) It worked but it was hard on the fish I wanted to release so I didn't use it long.[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]The tool I used the last couple of years I still ice fished was made from one of the cheapie 36 inch reach tools sold by Harbor Freight. The gripper end is plastic so I used a heat gun to soften and bend the tips of the grippers to come together...with one slightly overlapping the other in an "overbite". This tool worked well both for lipping and for grabbing around the head or body for a quick lift. It also worked great for going around and picking fish or other stuff up off the ice when getting ready to go.
[/#0000FF]
[#0000FF]Another option I tried briefly, before getting out of the ice fishing business, was a pair of "crab tongs". I acquired a pair of these while on a 6 month work assignment in New Orleans. They grip well and can handle some good sized fish. Mine are metal, but you can also find them in plastic.[/#0000FF]
[signature]