Holding fish by the gills!! 2024

guest reply :

I watch several fishing shows on TV and have noticed that lots of the anglers hold the fish by the gills. Is this safe for the fish? It doesn't seem so and in fact it looks like it would be really damaging to the fishes survival. Can different fish withstand this treatment? I know some fish have teeth which causes them to not be able to be lipped.

Any thoughts?

TravisLovett reply :

Well I never like to basically because the gills are vital to the fishes oxygen intake. Plus with them being so full of blood I'd hate to grab them really hard because if they burst then the fish well bleed to death usually. Not to really say it will kill the fish if you grab it by the gills, its just that they got a perfectly good mouth with sand paper teeth for grips

guest reply :

Quote
Well I never like to basically because the gills are vital to the fishes oxygen intake. Plus with them being so full of blood I'd hate to grab them really hard because if they burst then the fish well bleed to death usually. Not to really say it will kill the fish if you grab it by the gills, its just that they got a perfectly good mouth with sand paper teeth for grips

This isn't just for bass. What about catfish, pike, etc....

Chris reply :

If you grab the fish on the outside of the gill along the gill plate your not going to hurt the fish but if you grab all gill you could really damage the fish.

guest reply :

Thats what I was wondering. I was just curious.

Other. reply :

Grabbing the fish by the gills will hurt the fish. In any case were the fish has teeth hold them by the belly (2 hands if they are a big fish)

liquidsoap reply :

Amagine someone sticking there dirty hands in your lungs??

Hows it feel??

guest reply :

Quote
Amagine someone sticking there dirty hands in your lungs??
Hows it feel??

It would hurt considering I had half of my right lung taken out when it collapsed about a year ago. It was one of the worst surgeries you can have. I still hurt till this day. Between the chest tubes, chest pains, and panic attacks I guess I do okay. LOL

If that is how a fish feels then WOW!!!! I feel sorry for them.

bass2187 reply :

I am pretty sure it is not actually by the gills. More so by the fishes bottom jaw.

Chris reply :

What I am talking about are handling fish that have enough teeth to loose a finger over. Other fish like bass should be handled like the picture you got there. Bass like the one in my picture are better held by the belly because of the mouth full of hooks. If I catch a large Musky, Pike, Gator Gar, I am not about to attempt to hold it by the belly or mouth not with hooks and teeth flying everywhere. Large catfish in the 50 pound class I would like to see someone lift it by the belly. I couldn't do it without dumping my butt in the river.

TravisLovett reply :

Lol I think a net would go a long way in some of those occasions....personally with a large catfish I just sort of wrestle them haha. With large fish as in pikes and stuff I'm not of seein as though I have no real expereince. A pair of mesh gloves and a bucket of confidence maybe ?

MALTESE FALCON reply :

Liquidsoap hit the nail on the head. a long time ago I was talking to a DNR fisheries biologist and he told me "how would like it if i stuck my hands in your lungs?" it's the same for the fish. Just my opinion.

Falcon

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

Grabbing a fish by the gill plate properly will not hurt the fish.

You equate sticking your hand into their gills to sticking a hand in your lungs. I would agree if in fact you were grabbing the gill itself. When using this technique for toothy critters, you grab the bony plate, not the actual gill...

So I guess it would be like someone picking you up by the chest, no sticking your hand in someone's lung....JMO

Wayne

squid reply :

I HAVE NEVER (ON PURPOSE) GRABED A FISH BY THE GILLS....EVEN WITH CATFISH, MY HAND IS BEHIND THE STICKERS...LOL

guest reply :

Quote
Grabbing a fish by the gill plate properly will not hurt the fish.
You equate sticking your hand into their gills to sticking a hand in your lungs. I would agree if in fact you were grabbing the gill itself. When using this technique for toothy critters, you grab the bony plate, not the actual gill...

So I guess it would be like someone picking you up by the chest, no sticking your hand in someone's lung....JMO

Wayne

I see what you are saying. Now for another question, wouldn't you be touching the gills even if you grabbed "the bony plate?" If so, that wouldn't hurt the fish as much would it??

Rattlinrogue reply :

I agree with speedbead.Grabbing a toothy fish by the gill plates doesn't seem like it would do any damage imo,but to grab the gills would most likely mean death for the fish.Travis gave a very good answer...use a net on big,toothy fish that go wild in the boat.

SPEEDBEAD. reply :

On fish that are big enough to necessitate grabbing the gill plate, there is a considerable amount of room between where your hand hold is and where their lungs (gills) are.

I am not saying that every fish requires that you grab the gill plate, but there are some that this technique is designed for. There is really no safer way (for fish or fisherman) to handle a big musky. This gives the fisherman a safe way to control the fish, which actually protects it from injuring itself during the release. Big fish like that HATE to be in the boat and will usually go nuts on the floor.

Ideally, handling a fish as little as possible is the best policy. If you do handle a toothy critter for pics and getting the hook out, the gill plate grab is effective.

Wayne

guest reply :

Speedbead----Thanks for all of your help along with everybody else that responded. I have never fished for those types of fish and was wondering how anglers could handle them that way without seriously hurting them.

guest reply :

As usualy when Chris speaks, the wise listen.

What you see on TV etc. where RESPONSIBLE anglers are holding a fish by what appears to be the gill, it is the gill plate or that hard shell of cartiledge (I guess) that protects the delicate gills.

The best human example I can think of that might be similar is in pro wrestling where they appear to be choking the opponent with a forearm, but it is actually wrapped around the jaw with no pressure on the windpipe.

As opposed to Extreme fighting where they REALLY choke each other.

bassnleo reply :

I was running a weigh in for a local tournament last Oct, watched a competitor grabbing his fish in the gill area as he put them into the weigh basket. With the fish flopping around he got one of his fish by the gills causing damage and the fish bleeding severly. He got dinged for a dead fish penalty as a result, there was no way the fish could survive when released.

Can they be harmed if grabbed directly in the gills? Absolutely........

Doghouse. reply :

Just remember to support the rest of the fishes weight with your other hand when holding a big fish by his gill plate i have seen the gill plate on a big carp tear from being held this way

Bud reply :

Quote
Large catfish in the 50 pound class I would like to see someone lift it by the belly. I couldn't do it without dumping my butt in the river.

Just come to any King Kat Tournament. Their you will see cat fish in excess of 100 lbs lifted it by the belly.

Chris reply :

From a boat in water over your head?

Bud reply :

From the live well of the boat. They will hold them up for pix

guest reply :

Quote
From the live well of the boat. They will hold them up for pix

sorta begs the question 'how did they get in the livewell"

But this about gills. I think that DH's reminder that it's ok to lift by the gill plate but give the critter a break and support the bulk of his weight with your other hand.

Chris reply :

I catfish sometimes under the Kentucky dam and have caught several blues and flatheads that where BIG. I have found that if I don't have a net the best way to get them in the boat is to grab the gill plate and I stick my thumb in the corner of the mouth. I have grabbed the bottom lip of a large catfish before and it works fine as long as the fish don't clamp down on your hand. If the fish is large enough you will let out a yelp. ;D After you get control of the fish and you want to hold it up for pictures yes you should support the fish by the belly. Small catfish can be picked up by the belly with one fin between your index finger and middle finger and the other fin in the web at the base of your thumb. Smaller toothy critters can be grabbed behind the head. The only reason to pick up a large fish that has teeth by the gill is because you need to control the head for safety to get it in the boat.

LilBassMan reply :

We catch a lot of toothy fish up here in northern MN (walleye, northern pike, muskie) and I have never seen a fish injured by grabbing the gill plate. Of course, if you just jam your fingers underneath and tear up the gill tissue, the fish is going to die. As has been said, supporting the fish's weight under the belly with the other hand is preferred, but sometimes that isn't possible.

It's darn hard to boat a 42" muskie without a net, but it can be and is done on a regular basis.

Gill plate, fine. Gills, not good. Hand in muskie or northern mouth, even worse!

ScroGG ToGG reply :

Any thing with teeth and under 30 lbs. , kill 2 birds with this :

of course, youde want to support the fish by the under belly too, if possible.

Bluecraw reply :

....come to think of it, I wouldn't want anybody lifting me off of the ground by my bottom lip either.....ouch.....lol

Redlinerobert reply :

I alwaya use a Boga Grip. The less you handle a fish the better.

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Holding fish by the gills!! 2024

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