Bass fans accustomed to seeing anglers “lipping” fish or gripping them over the gill plates while removing hooks might be wondering why redfish anglers hold their fish with this metal device clipped to their lower jaw.
It’s called a BogaGrip, and it’s designed to securely and humanely hold a fish, while simultaneously providing an accurate weight. A gripping sleeve slides over a handled metal tube with a spring system that locks and releases the smooth tipped jaws.
The built-in scale is calibrated with certified weights and anglers pursuing world records can send their BogaGrip to the International Gamefish Association in Dania Beach, Fla., for official certification.
Best part about the BogaGrip design — the more a fish thrashes, the more securely it grips (without injuring the fish). Redfish are cranky creatures that seem to take great offense at anglers interrupting their daily feed, but once you lock the BogaGrip shut, it’ll hold its ground until you manually open the jaws.
That security comes in handy for culling, as well as simply removing baits. Remember, unlike a bass’ forward facing mouth, a red’s mug faces downward. That awkward angle gives an ornery redfish the opportunity to transfer the hook from his mouth to your hand.
The Boga’s secure grip and linear design offer an easy prevention. No handles to squeeze — just lock the jaws and hold on tightly.
Experience has taught anglers to prevent the costly loss of a dropped BogaGrip — easy to do when negotiating with an irritated redfish — so most add large floats to their BogaGrip handle lanyards.
It’s not uncommon to see bass anglers weighing fish on the water with scales that clip to a fish’s jaw. The Boga Grip accomplishes the same task, but with a more secure grip that’ll outlast a little redfish temper tantrum.