Boga Grip

Does anyone use one of these (15lb. or 30lb. model)? I was wondering if they are worth the money? Do they harm the fish in any way? Are they that much better than the $30 - $50 competitors versions? Merry Christmas to all.

Why do you feel it is necessary to use a boga to release a steelhead? I simply grab the leader and kneel down in a foot of water or so. I do not believe in bringing the fish to shore. Use a forceps to twist the hook out and she is gone. You can still pose with the fish for a pic. Bogas for steelhead? Thumbs down from me.

I use the 30 pound model. Love it I have used another brand and it was cheap the boga is quality made in the usa worth the money.

There will come a time in every steelheaders life that the weight of any particular fish will mean nothing. I have released 2 20+ pound steelheads and never gave a thought to weighing the fish. ( Situk River )Maybe he only went 18, so what? You can figure a 40 inch fish will be close to 20 or better. I personally witnessed 2 of my friends release 42 and 43 1/2 inch steelheads that were certainly in the 30lb class. They never considering weighing such a fish. Hanging a steelhead from the jaws to KNOW how much he weighs? Ridiculous.

ORIGINAL: dano



Also, I probably loose more flies trying to get my fly out when the fish decides it want to thrash and fight some more.

me too...more often than not

Now i drag 'em upon the bank and pin them down on the rocks with my knee and yank the fly out with my roach clips...
umm..I mean my forceps.
Most of the time they swim away after i kick 'em back in.

side benefit of knee lock down, is sometimes I'll get some fresh  loose eggs to sell to the bait slingers....


..L.T.A.

seriously though...

what's the difference in weight between the 15 pnd and 30?

PLEASE don't say 15 pounds...

I mean physical weight difference  between the two?
I'd of had some years ago, but I carry too much stuff now, and another 1-2  pound chunk of gear doesn't exactly excite me


..L.T.A.

I am sure no matter what product you check out there is always some risk factor involved. If you are weighing fish above 20lbs  I would guess how it grips it would tear up the lip from looking at it. I guess just picture a paper bag with barely any weight and now place 20lbs in there and try to lift. Not saying skin is comparable to a bag but theres a much greater chance since the gripper is very tiny and places all the weight on an area about a half in wide. I guess the only way to truly know would be are people seeing repeat catches with this product. At least its not by the gills.
 
Not saying you want to carry more gear along fishing but I mainly fish for carp now and we use a weigh mat. Basically its a padded mat that can fold together and there are two handles at the top to weigh the fish. Basically you wet the mat so no slime is removed and once placed on the mat the fish calms down much quicker and the release you just take it down to the water and open it up and swim it back out. 
 

I have been using a 30# boga for 5-6 years.  I love it.  I tried the 15# version but was too small and didn't handle steelhead very well.  I use my boga but when it gets below 30 degrees, I keep it in my jacket pocket as it will freeze.  The boga weights the fish and is geat to release a fish without getting your hand wet.  It is also good for holding a fish for a photo.  I am trying out a new toy..a lippa4life release tool.  It is the new plasic model.  I will see how it works in this cold weather period but when the temp is better than 35 degrees, the boga is the best.

ORIGINAL: ScrambledEgger

 I am trying out a new toy..a lippa4life release tool.  It is the new plasic model. 

do let us know, S-egger.
as mentioned, the only reason I don't have one now is because of weight

does the plastic one have a scale too?

side note, I've seen some cheap Bogo knock offs that looked obviously inferior and chincy compared to the genuine article .
I've also seen  Rapala's version that's looks better than the cheap $25 Chinese version.

has anyone used Rapala's  lip grabber? It's few bukz less than a Bogo
How does it compare to a genuine Bogo?


..L.T.A.

I have both.  The cheaper version that I use for steelhead since it is lighter in weight and easy to transport on the streams and the original that I keep on my boat for muskies.  The original, was modified with an 18" extension handle to keep our hands away from those toothy critters and hooks.  They both serve their purpose and are nice to have IMO.  Take care all and Happy Holidays!!
 
p.s. a friend of mine had the plastic model and it froze up in the winter when it got wet. 

Had the Rapala Lip-Gripper and was very disappointed with it's ability to hold fish.
Got me a Boga 15 last year and it is a quality tool, that is made in the U.S A.
It's worth every penny. Saves flies, tippet and your fingers.
I keep it on a Gear-Keeper, in a slide pocket I sewed inside my vest.
Never knows it's there, till you need it.

The boga was really designed for saltwater. It is built to last a lifetime with stainless steel parts, you'll not have to really worry about corrosion...
 
But here is what I have read over and over again from biologist regarding whether or not it will harm fish. I hope this doesn't get into a debate on that, as this was not the original poster's question.
 
First things first...I LOVE the Boga! It is the easiest way to handle ANY fish.
 
But it can, if used as intended, harm a fish. First off, This really only implies to larger fish.
By holding a large fish by it's lower jaw has been known, in differant studies, to dislocate the bottom jaw. There are also a bunch of muscles that can become damaged from holding a fish this way. But they say internal injury is the main causes of death from it.
 A fish is not built to be able to support the weight of it's own organs. They rely on bouyancy in the water to support thier insides. Just taking a fish out of water the "ol fashion" way even does some harm, to some degree.
 
But when you lift a fish by it's lower jaw you can cause internal injury which will lead to the fish's death. Granted, this isn't the case 100% of the time, but the studys that have been done proved the survival of released fish drastically decreased from holding them this way.
 
 But this doesn't mean Boga Grips or any lip gripping tool is bad, it just means you have to take a few precautions when using them.
 
 Don't ever weigh your fish with the Boga. I know this is the real intention of having this expensive tool, but it's dangerous to the fish. Now if you plan on keeping your catch than have at it!! If you must weigh your fish before releasing it, than put the fish in a net and weigh the net with the Boga! Never hold the fish by it's lower jow without additional support.
 
 That brings me to my next thing. When you lip the fish, place your other hand underneath the belly and support it's internal organs. Never just allow it to suspend.
 
This is the correct way to hold a fish with a lip griping tool....
 

 
Here's a death sentence for this big snook....
 

 
 
Now you have to ask yourself if you really need to spend the extra money on a Boga Grip?
What I mean by this, is that if you have now decided you don't want to use it for weighing your fish (smart idea), but still want to use a lip gripping tool, than I will suggest you NOT to spend your money on a boga. Like I stated from the start, they were built for saltwater. They WILL NEVER rust on you, but are a bit "over kill" for here. I own one from my time spent down south, but have found the Berkley Lip Grip does the same thing just as well, but for a fraction of the price. If you use it in saltwater, it won't last but a season or two, but I have never had a problem with using it here.
 
 I own the small one that fits right into your pocket and found it works just as well. Infact, being that it's much lighter in weight and more compact, I find it's actually a better investments. THis one has lipped a few fish in it's day and still works like new!
 

 
 
SO you be the judge...If you have extra bucks to spend on the Boga, than go for it! You will NEVER have to replace it. BUt if you would like to save some cash than go with the cheaper models. They all function about the same!
 
If you decide to go with the boga than make sure you use a float. Expecially if used in a boat or just near deep water.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Heres another example of the proper way to hold the fish on a Boga demonstrated by my daughter...this one is my modified version with the 18" extended handle....a must for the muskies!

Another photo of the Boga in proper use mode...