SANTEC - FISH GRIPPER FISHING ACCESSORIES

Santec Fish Gripper 65204 Fishing Accessory

The Santec Fish Gripper is a simple hand-held holder for controlling wet, slippery fish while you unhook, measure, photograph or release them. Instead of a metal lip grip with a spring jaw, it uses a moulded mouth-shaped body that you open by spreading the two gripping surfaces and close by squeezing, with raised internal stripes for friction so the fish is less likely to slide out. The broad soft faces spread pressure over a wide area rather than pinching, which suits small and medium fish, and the body covers part of your hand so you touch less slime and fewer sharp fins. There are no springs or pivots to seize, it washes clean, and a hanging hole lets it live on a clip within reach.

Key Features

• Flexible mouth-style body that opens and closes by hand — no springs or moving parts
• Textured internal stripes for extra grip on wet fish
• Thick central hinge for repeated opening and closing
• Covers part of the hand to reduce contact with slime, scales and fins
• Hanging hole for clip-on storage or a lanyard
• High-visibility orange and green colour options

How To Use It

• Take the head, not the belly — Close the gripper across the lower jaw and head, the fish's strongest point. Avoid squeezing the flank or gill covers, where handling damage happens.
• Keep large fish horizontal — Do not hang a heavy fish vertically by the jaw. The body weight then loads the jaw joint and spine and can cause lasting internal injury even if the fish swims off. Support the belly with a wet hand.
• Unhook with a second tool — Hold the fish steady with the gripper and use long-nose pliers with the other hand. Working one-handed on a thrashing fish is how trebles end up in fingers.
• Releasing — Wet your hands first, keep air exposure short, unhook in the water where you can, and hold the fish upright facing the current until it kicks away by itself.
• After saltwater use — Rinse in fresh water and dry before storing; salt and grit left in the textured surfaces wear the grip down.

Target Species By Region

• Southeast Asia — Hampala barb (sebarau), tilapia, catfish (keli) and small snakehead from reservoir banks and canals; small grouper and rabbitfish off jetties, where spines are the hazard.
• North America — Bass, crappie, walleye and channel catfish from the bank or a small boat, plus panfish with spiny dorsals.
• Japan & East Asia — Rockfish (kasago, mebaru) and horse mackerel (aji) on light game tackle, where a soft grip suits small mouths better than a metal clamp.
• Australia, Middle East & Europe — Bream and flathead in Australian estuaries; perch, zander and small pike in European lakes and canals; small emperor and bream from Gulf breakwaters.

Specifications

Recommended Pairing

• Pair with long-nose pliers or a hook remover — the gripper holds, the pliers unhook
• Add a knotless rubber-mesh landing net for fish that are going back
• Clip it to a belt loop, tackle bag D-ring or kayak leash through the hanging hole