Lip grips

[Subtropic]

Looking for recommendations for lip grips? I don’t want to spend more than $40 is that feasible?

cheers

Grant

[Little_Flatty]

I'm working with a set of $10 mini lip grips right now. I don't know about the longevity (it's been about a month) but they are fine for now. That said I'm sure it's a get-what-you-pay-for item.

[dirvin21]

plenty of cheap ones out there that do the job

the plastics ones tend to do less damage to the fish 

[Green Hornet]

I agree with @dirvin21. The plastic ones don't tear open the thin membrane of a flathead's lower jaw.

Something to think about if you plan on releasing the odd fish or two.

[Rebel]

Good advice above. Plastic is the go.

[Little_Flatty]

12 hours ago, dirvin21 said:

plenty of cheap ones out there that do the job

the plastics ones tend to do less damage to the fish 

4 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

I agree with @dirvin21. The plastic ones don't tear open the thin membrane of a flathead's lower jaw.

Something to think about if you plan on releasing the odd fish or two.

Thanks both, I didn't realise that. I release all of the fish I catch in the upper Parramatta river, and the majority are flathead. When I next get the chance, I'll get a set of plastic grips. For @Subtropic's benefit, from what I've seen, they aren't all that much more expensive...

Edited December 29, 2021 by Little_Flatty

[Green Hornet]

1 hour ago, Little_Flatty said:

Thanks both, I didn't realise that. I release all of the fish I catch in the upper Parramatta river, and the majority are flathead. When I next get the chance, I'll get a set of plastic grips. For @Subtropic's benefit, from what I've seen, they aren't all that much more expensive...

Personally, I gave up using any form of lip grips years ago and prefer to use either one of those gardening gloves with the black rubber dots on it or a piece of damp towel and just thumb grip the fish by the lower jaw.

Nothing I catch that needs a jaw grip has teeth bad enough to penetrate the glove or towel. Tailor just get held behind the head.

[kingie chaser]

5 hours ago, Green Hornet said:

Personally, I gave up using any form of lip grips years ago and prefer to use either one of those gardening gloves with the black rubber dots on it or a piece of damp towel and just thumb grip the fish by the lower jaw.

Nothing I catch that needs a jaw grip has teeth bad enough to penetrate the glove or towel. Tailor just get held behind the head.

Absolutely agree there GH.

I've had a set of lip grips in my bag for over 7 years & used them once & realized pretty quickly they do more harm than good imo.

If your catching up to 1mtr Barra, big GT's or decent kingfish then yeh maybe.

Otherwise the best thing for the fish is gloves, wet towel etc.

[Little_Flatty]

Fair enough. As an added benefit, a glove is certainly lighter and easier to carry than a set of lip grips. I’ll give it a go.

[Green Hornet]

2 hours ago, Little_Flatty said:

Fair enough. As an added benefit, a glove is certainly lighter and easier to carry than a set of lip grips. I’ll give it a go.

Just make sure you buy a size or two larger than what you'd normally wear if you can. It makes them simple and easy to slip on while still fighting the fish.

[noelm]

For Flathead I just use the thumb "finger bit" from a glove, that's the only thing that gets frazzled  is your thumb.

[Mike Sydney]

I use plastic el cheapo grips ($15 standard ones from boating camping fishing, I think they call them ‘minis’) and use them on flathead if I need to unhook a lure from deep in the mouth, or to turn a flathead on its back to chill it out some.  
Outside of those cases I’ve not needed them ever.

I am still too chicken to put my hand in any fishes mouth, teeth or no teeth. The cheap plastic job does perfect for helping to unhook flathead large and small.