Curious what you go with for landing fish. I find myself just landing most fish by hand, but that takes a toll on your hands after a while and all those cuts add up on a long trip! And if you get that fish of a lifetime, then, of course, you want a net, but nets are bulky and take up a lot of space in the canoe. Wondering if a fish lip gripper may be a good compromise?

I take a frabill folding net. It has a telescoping handle and folds down and straps to one of my bags on portage. It isn't very big and would struggle with a really big fish, but definitely helped me boat more fish than my buddies without a net. I haven't used a lip gripper before, so I don't know how that would compare.

Frabill net

Never in my life have I used a lip gripper.
We take nets on every trip. We use them very rarely, never on bass, really we just on walleye we need for dinner or a PB pike or walleye...although PB pike really dont fit will. Any pike over 32 or so we try to land. Might go to shore if it works.

If my Thumb isnt sore by the end of the trip I know it was a bad trip.

We just bungie the folding nets to the thwart of the canoe and it stays there for the whole trip except for the 4 or 5 times we need it. If we are going for a day trip we unbungie it and have it at the ready, if we are moving with packs, we just do the best we can without it.

ZaSquatch: "I take a frabill folding net. It has a telescoping handle and folds down and straps to one of my bags on portage. It isn't very big and would struggle with a really big fish, but definitely helped me boat more fish than my buddies without a net. I haven't used a lip gripper before, so I don't know how that would compare.

Frabill net "

Thanks for the info, I will check that net out!

I take a small wooden stream trout net with. Lake trout and brook trout are notorious for throwing the hook when they get to the surface.

Take a simple net when I fish with my kids. It's just easier and safer for us that way. I use one nite ize twisty to attach it to the canoe for portages.

When I trip solo I don't bring a net and I land fish without the net - my thumbprint login to my phone/camera doesn't work after a couple of days though! On the single occasion I had a big pike on, I was very close to shore and hopped out to land it. I've never used lip grabbers.

No landing net. No lip gripper. If it gets away, no problem... catch another. If it's your personal best... catch another. Remember, it's just a fish.

I always take a net when fishing. Easier on the fish, and easier on me. I've never used a lip gripper. My current one for canoe fishing is a short handled Frabill net. Can't remember the model or where got it at the moment.

I bring a frabill net with a short handle. Have had it for 15 years or so and always bring it. Fits nicely under the portage pack straps for portaging.

We use it for the first few walleyes to secure a fish fry or if we get something really big. Besides that we usually swing or hand land everything.

Zero experience with a lip gripper.

Lip gripper hands down for me.

Argo: "Lip gripper hands down for me."

+1

I use a lip gripper and a net. Sometimes I can land them with only the net, but there's no way I want a squirming pike in my net :) I've had to cut too many hammerhandles out of a few nets. I prefer that they (the pike) "self-release" before I have to reach for the grippers.

I bring a folding net and grippers. Slimy,stinky pike get the grippers and all other fish go in the net.

I do all three.

Pike, bigger laker trout, and most fish caught on lures with multiple trebles get the lip gripper generally. Having a fish with a multiple treble lure hanging out of its mouth flopping around in the net isn’t a good situation in the wilderness for angler or fish, imo.

Bass caught with a single hook setup get the thumb, unless it’s over 20” or so.

Walleye or smaller lake trout that I plan to keep to eat frequently get the net. The net is a small one with the rubberized webbing and I bungee it into the canoe while portaging.

i like to have a net with , but when it comes to pike , i do my best to not even reach for a net ;)

I use a rubberized net. I think cheap nylon nets should be outlawed…

It takes seconds to release a fish from my net and I don’t tire/fatigue them out too much.

I can land a 40 inch Pike or Laker 100 yard from shore…not drag them in and ultimately kill them by delayed hooking mortality.

I use a Stowmaster never had a fish tangle or be hard to release.

If you use the gripper…be careful…it’s really easy to torque their jaw and break it…they will swim off fine and then die later. Hold them straight up and down or keep them in the water. Don’t lift them out of the water and hold them sideways.

T

No net, generally no problems landing fish.

Short handled Frabill nets. One for each of the three canoes. Never have used a lip gripper.

Both

If you fish with crankbaits or anything with treble hooks, and you use that Frabill net, be prepared to spend lots of time painstakingly removing hooks from the net post-catch. And in some (worst) cases, you will be doing that while the fish is still hooked.

I hate those nylon nets and will never use one ANYWHERE ever again. I wound up cutting out so many hooks that it had holes all over and I threw it away in favor of a compact rubberized net. This one to be exact.

I use neither. However, like you, I want to minimize the cuts on the hands. I have found that a thin work glove works great for holding bigger fish. This gives me the confidence to grab a fish and not worry about anything sharp if it thrashes.

Tons of great input here. Thanks everyone for the replies!

timatkn: "I use a rubberized net. I think cheap nylon nets should be outlawed..."

Could not have said it better. Since my first trip to Quetico a number of years ago, I also only use lures/hooks with the barbs pinched flat.

timatkn: "I use a rubberized net. I think cheap nylon nets should be outlawed…


It takes seconds to release a fish from my net and I don’t tire/fatigue them out too much.


I can land a 40 inch Pike or Laker 100 yard from shore…not drag them in and ultimately kill them by delayed hooking mortality.


I use a Stowmaster never had a fish tangle or be hard to release.


If you use the gripper…be careful…it’s really easy to torque their jaw and break it…they will swim off fine and then die later. Hold them straight up and down or keep them in the water. Don’t lift them out of the water and hold them sideways.


T"

+1 i use to have a rubberized net until it found the bottom of the lake , but yes fish stay calm and very easy to release. but maybe a little bulky/heavier for the BW.

Frenchy19: "

timatkn: "I use a rubberized net. I think cheap nylon nets should be outlawed..."

Could not have said it better. Since my first trip to Quetico a number of years ago, I also only use lures/hooks with the barbs pinched flat. "

Pinching the barbs helps a lot too. But really I use a rubberized net everywhere I don’t remember ever having an issue. Maybe the difference is I am searching for big fish, and I want the best chance for safe release.

I switched to the stowmaster in 2010 after we used it big laker after big laker and the net broke. The metal part broke off from the constant weight.

I cringe when I see pics of nice fish from shore and read how they pulled the fish to shore to land it. Get it up quick, net it, release it while still strong and inn deep cool water. Tiring it out, dragging it to shore, releasing in warm shallow water…I bet it barely swims off or just hangs out for awhile…good chance it dies later. Might as well just kept it.

Net broke on this fish





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Neither. I can see the desire to have a lip gripper device, but I bring too many gadgets as it is.

Lip Gripper, no question.

timatkn: "

Frenchy19: "

timatkn: "I use a rubberized net. I think cheap nylon nets should be outlawed..."

Could not have said it better. Since my first trip to Quetico a number of years ago, I also only use lures/hooks with the barbs pinched flat. "

Pinching the barbs helps a lot too. But really I use a rubberized net everywhere I don’t remember ever having an issue. Maybe the difference is I am searching for big fish, and I want the best chance for safe release.


I switched to the stowmaster in 2010 after we used it big laker after big laker and the net broke. The metal part broke off from the constant weight.


I cringe when I see pics of nice fish from shore and read how they pulled the fish to shore to land it. Get it up quick, net it, release it while still strong and inn deep cool water. Tiring it out, dragging it to shore, releasing in warm shallow water…I bet it barely swims off or just hangs out for awhile…good chance it dies later. Might as well just kept it.


Net broke on this fish






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That's a giant shadow in the waters!!!

Fish Grip tool, blaze orange plastic one that floats. It fits in the zipper lid of my small tackle box so I know right where it is and it's not taking up any extra space than without it.

Main reasoning for it is large or excited fish where I'd rather not get hooks in my hands. It's FAR smaller than a net and you'd never know you were portaging it since it's in my little tackle bag anyway. It still keeps my hands away from flopping bass mouths if there are trebles in there or pike mouths etc. Big walleye with a jig down the throat? Grip on the bottom jaw to help keep it open to get hook out and let her go.

I have always hand land fish. You make a good point about your hands getting nicked up. I grab walleye with my hand under the belly to avoid the dorsal spikes and the razer sharp gill plate. Bass I lip with my thumb. Northerns pretty much suck. Hopefully they unhook themselves.

HayRiverDrifter: "I have always hand land fish. You make a good point about your hands getting nicked up. I grab walleye with my hand under the belly to avoid the dorsal spikes and the razer sharp gill plate. Bass I lip with my thumb. Northerns pretty much suck. Hopefully they unhook themselves. "

Fight out the northern pike until they will lay alongside the canoe, then grasp them over the top of the head and squeeze the gill covers. If the fish is tired out it will usually hold still to let you remove the hooks. This keeps your fingers away from the sharp teeth and since the pike don't have the sharp spines on the dorsal fin nor the hard gill covers like walleye have your hands will be protected. This works until you can't reach across the top of the head. Fish bigger than that can still be landed by waiting until they open their gill covers to breathe and you can slip your hand around the "neck". When the pike get too big for that.....

cyclones30: "Fish Grip tool, blaze orange plastic one that floats. It fits in the zipper lid of my small tackle box so I know right where it is and it's not taking up any extra space than without it.


Main reasoning for it is large or excited fish where I'd rather not get hooks in my hands. It's FAR smaller than a net and you'd never know you were portaging it since it's in my little tackle bag anyway. It still keeps my hands away from flopping bass mouths if there are trebles in there or pike mouths etc. Big walleye with a jig down the throat? Grip on the bottom jaw to help keep it open to get hook out and let her go. "

+1 I used to bring a folding net, but found it too cumbersome for me. Really only use the grip for Nortons

AdamX

When I’m solo or with my wife I bring the orange lip gripper that floats.

When I’m tripping with one of my kids I bring a folding net that fits in the side of my CCS pack during portaging.

Good point. I always have the lanyard around my wrist when using a lip gripper.

Cheap gripper...only for the Pike.

ZaSquatch: "I take a frabill folding net. It has a telescoping handle and folds down and straps to one of my bags on portage. It isn't very big and would struggle with a really big fish, but definitely helped me boat more fish than my buddies without a net. I haven't used a lip gripper before, so I don't know how that would compare.

Frabill net "same here

It just occurred to me, while reading some great responses, in my youth when I actively targeted musky, and prior to messing up my "casting" shoulder (since repaired), I would wear a welding glove and simply lipped the big fish in the water at the side of the canoe and used needle nosed plier to remove the hook. Perhaps I'll give this another try in a couple months. As I recall it was nice to aggressively placing my thumb into the fish's mouth and grab is jaw without fear of teeth or hook impalement.

I bring a lipper tool though don't often use it, usually just hand the fish maybe with a glove if it's a lively pike. I shy away from nets after a conversation with a fellow at a fly shop who provided me with some wisdom regarding the negative impact nets (especially non-silicone) have on fish.

Lip gripper for me. I had too many northerns get all twisted up in the net and by the time I get them out They are half dead and I have a hard time getting them revived. Also I've had too many time where I've had to cut the lure out of the net, burning fishing time!

If I can't boat flip 'em in... then it's the Frabill Floating Trout Net

...Just in case it gets out of the boat, it won't sink to the bottom. Plus, it has a rubberized conservation net - helps with hooks in the net as well...

Barbless hooks have made landing and releasing fish much easier for me than either using a net or lip-gripper has.

I use a rubber net, which isn't a rubberized net. The netting itself is all rubber. Lures can tangle rubberized nets, but not rubber ones. I also use a pretty big net. It's a hassle, but increases my odds of netting bigger bass.

My Quetico /BWCA net setup is a cheap aluminum trout stream net that I put a full size bag on. It allows me to land the largest fish( I've landed 42.5 " nort) with the least amount of stress. I fish solo. I hand land most fish but the trophies get netted and quickly measured.