I have heard a little (very little) about the boga grip, and it sounds neat and easy. Are they more/less fish friendly than a net or cradle? How easy are they to get on the fish?







-Zach Schuler

I have one and I like it. They work great. They hold onto the fish no problem. Had ahold of a 27lber this year thrashing and no problem. It's compact and it makes releasing and unhooking pretty easy. The drawbacks are you have to play the fish more and it is short. I wish it was a foot longer.

It is a good tool. A little short in the handle for my liking (where gloves!!!!) A little pricey versus the cost of a big Beckman net in my opinion. They attach quickly and require less handling than some other options; however, despite what you will read, fish can and do pop off of them from time to time, which can cause you some grief.

There are rumours circulating AGAIN that Eastaboga is talking about re-launching the 60 pound model. This model has bigger jaws, and a handle that is roughly 4 inches longer. I'm betting the price of one of these will be scary, because the demand is there, and they will be available in limited numbers.

Make sure you attach a lanyard to your Boga, and attach it to the boat. They don't float, and losing one of these will do more than bring a tear to your eye. (The wrist strap that comes with the tool is NOT dependable!)

Steve Wickens

A friend of mine boated a 51" fish a few weeks ago.
This fish was sporting a 14" girth! But look healthy. My guess would
be the fish was caught and released before. And was most likly gaffed
or "Bogaed". These things "will" brake the lower jaw of the fish without you knowing. So the fish may be released fine but will stop feeding due to the jaw being broken. The fish can live for some time but will first waist away to nothing. (like my friend's 51")
And it "will" go belly up!
If you spend lots of money on lures, rods, reels and a nice
new boat. You should take the same care in buying a good releasing tool. Like a good "musky" net or cradle!
I've said this before and I'll say it again.

In the 60s we shot them, in the 70s we clubed them, in the 80s we gaffed them, and in the 90s we "Bogaed" them! When will we all learn how to handle these fish the right way?!?!?!

Jim Grove

I'm with you Jim,No Bogo for me!

Sounds like mixed reviews on it to me. I think I'll have to see some evidence that its good or bad before I decide weather or not to buy one. I just had a problem netting a musky all by myself. Maybe I should get just a bigger net.




-Zach Schuler

If the fish stops eating after being "boga gripped", then how did the "boga gripped" fish get attached to your lure???

MJB
P.S. Don't mind me, I just like to cause trouble and I have no idea as to if the boga grip is safe or not.

Jim and I differ on our opinions on the gaff and boga. Gord Pyzer has similar sentiments about gaffs. I respect Jim and Gord's opinion and why they have it. Jim and Gord are correct in that a gaff or boga in unskilled hands is a weapon. YET, I have released hundreds of fish on both a gaff and boga (and still carry both in my boat as well as my Beckman) safe and healthy. Both Marc Thorpe and Mike Lazarus use a gaff almost exclusively, and these guys have jointly released hundreds of huge muskies successfully. We must not assume that because someone doesn't know how to use a tool properly, that the tool is no good. We have to educate anglers on the correct (and incorrect) way of using these tools so that muskies can be released effectively to fight another day.

I will say very specifically, that a gaff or boga is best used when fishing from a low-sided boat. The fish should be kept in the water so that it's weight is not placed on the jaw or the situation that Jim mentions IS very likely to occur.

That being said, if you are fishing from a boat with higher gunwhales, please consider the use of a large net. The Beckman Finsaver Pen that I and others use, and the Frabill Quick Cradle that Jim Grove, Pete Maina and others use are both awesome. They allow fish to be landed and released with a minimum of handling and damage to fins. Perhaps most importantly, they keep the fish in the water - minimizing stress on the fish and making for a better release.

Steve Wickens

Good point stated above,So Mr.Groove which is it?
Was there a 51" not feeding because of a broken jaw?
Or
Was there a 51" that was feeding on your friends lure?

The Boga Grip is the same as a net, gaff,etc., it is a tool and how the tool is used is what is important. I have a grip and do not lift the fish out of the water but use it to keep the head stationary while removing the hooks. It is much safer for fisherman and fish if it is used in this method. I have seen fish lifted out of the water and then do the turn/roll and be dropped either in the bottom of the boat or in the water sometimes hitting the side of the boat because the the hand grip was not tight enough. Fish sometimes get the lure caught in the top of the net and thrash around, I would think that this must be harmful to the fish also. So maybe its just how you use the release tools that is important.

Perhaps I've got it all wrong, but I don't think so. Have a good one!!!.

BJ:)

I am strongly in favor of Boga Gripping fish. I wish everyone would do it, because then there would be more fish. There is no broken jaws. If you are concerned about this, quit jamming hooks in there. With big fish, you should slip one hand under the belly when lifting it from the water, just like you do when lifting fish that are not attached to Boga Grips, right?

Every release should be less than 30 seconds with pictures. Keep that schedule with lures and fish tangled in nets or cradles.

I take exception to the stories about unsubstantiated broken jaws and taking guesses at the causes. That's a poor basis to reason on.

A bigger Boga would be nice.

I would point out that I have personally caught several fish that had a broken jaw... in fact I caught one last fall that had a broken and dislocated jaw. The jaw was an ugly mess. YET, the fish hit a small 6" Muskie Stalker, and fought hard. As it turns out, the fish was tagged, so I was able to go back and confirm when that fish had been previously caught. It had been quite some time previous, and the damage to the fish looked fairly recent. In fact, this fish had lost about 1 1/2 inches in girth. No fish that sustains that kind of damage can feed properly. Did it survive the winter? Unknown. Hopefully, but I doubt it. The fact that the major point of the damage was at the tip of the jaw is indicative of damage caused by a fish being lifted vertically using a gaff or boga. Both are just as lethal. I had to lip this fish to land it using my kevlar gloves. At 43", there were some sizable teeth there to contend with. YET, it hit a bait, albeit a small one.

Don't get down on Jim because he made a statement that is true. It is entirely possible that this big fish was injured due to mishandling. And that injured fish could be feeding sporadically. The fact is that a gaff or boga ARE lethal if they aren't used properly. If you aren't sure how to use one of these, and don't know their limitations, then ask someone who does know before you go out and injure or kill a fish accidentally.

Steve Wickens

Just got in. And I must first thank my friend Steve Wickens for commenting for me before I had seen what was being said.
Next I must say that muskie fishing is 50% fact and 50% opinion.
I gave you mine!
This does happen, I've seen it. Steve Wickens has seen it. Gord Pyzer has seen it. And so have many other top guides. So this was "NOT"
unsubstantiated. This is a fact!!! I made this guess, about this fish
because of me experiences with other fish like it.
Of course this fish was feeding if it hit a lure! But like Steve said;
these fish will feed very sporadically. But how much is a 51" muskie
feeding if it has a girth of only 14"? We all know what it feels like when a big muskie kicks when we hold on to them. They can be a real handfull! They kick just as hard when they are at the and of a Boga or a gaff. (In or out of the water!) But you can't feel it because you have more leverage against the fish when you use these tools. And the Boga or a gaff have a very small fulcrum (point of contact) with the fish. Increased leverage with a decreased fulcrum makes more power.
More power against the small, very brakable bones in a muskies jaw.
Simple physics are also a fact!!!
Years ago it was concidered normal and OK to club big muskies. But our
handling has progressed over the years. Let us progress another 10 years. And then let's see where you stand!

Jim Grove (pro guide)
Georgian Bay

The points of a Bogagrip tool can poke through the soft skin on the underside of a muskie or pikes jaw. I drilled out 2 large brass beads (type used in making bucktails) and epoxied them to the tips of the Boga grips jaws. This gives a nice rounded end to the jaws and does not affect the tools operation.

As stated in earlier posts, it is not agood idea to lift a heavy fish out using on of these. Use it to make safe the fish, steady its head while you examine the hook placement, get a grip on its gill cover with one hand, release the Boga, then lift the fish out while supporting its body with your other hand. Either that or unhook in the water.

Keef

Keef,

Brass beads sounds like a good way to modify a boga. I've been using a plastic fish grip that works amazingly well for controlling toothy critters. The plastic jaws are hooked like a boga but about 3/8" wide and won't poke holes in the skin. The vice-grip style mechanism holds firmly until you're ready to release it. Only $8.99 at Cabela's and it floats.

Cabelas also has a version of the boga grip too. I seen it in their catalog and it looks longer. I don't lift the fish out with mine either unless I am supporting it with my hand.