Best thing to do when you catch one from shore with no landing net or gaf is just 'play it' until it is exhausted and then beach it by pulling or sliding it on shore. But make sure it is belly up before pulling it ashore cause they can have more ample fight remaining than you think and then they snap your line as they unexpectedly trash. Some will stick their finger in under a gill and lift it, but I don't like that method. For the smaller ones you can grasp it tightly and lift it where the head meets the body. My dad always lifted them by putting the thumb and forefinger in the eye sockets which still seems cruel to me, although the fish did a lot less thrashing when we held them that way. They are quite toothy so jaw lifting like a bass is not a wise option. Dwight and 'crew' use a gaf to bring them up out of an ice fishing hole, because they are using 4 lb test line and lifting a 5-16 lb pike with light line does not work for very long. The gaf when used correctly imparts no blood, little damage and the fish does not have to touch the ground which removes lots of body slime from the fish. Body slime protects the fish from fungus, parasites and other stressors.
Last edited by Bill Cody; 02/22/13 11:29 AM.
