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A fish at the side of the boat is at its most dangerous, to itself and to you. It thrashes just as you reach for the hook, and that is where fingers meet teeth, gill rakers and loose treble points, and where a hard-won fish shakes free at the worst possible moment. A fish grip takes the fight out of that moment. Clamp the lower jaw and the fish hangs still and controlled while you unhook it, weigh it, lift it for a photo, or slip it back unharmed.
The five grippers below range from a precision stainless tool with a built-in scale to a light floating composite you can leave clipped to a kayak. What follows is how they differ and how to pick the right one for your fishing.
Quick Picks
- Best overall: Boga Grip — IGFA-certified, bombproof stainless, with a legendarily accurate scale.
- Best for kayaks: The Fish Grip — floating, lightweight, and brightly coloured if dropped.
- Best value with scale: Piscifun Fish Lip Gripper — corrosion-resistant with a built-in scale at a low price.
- Best floating budget: Rapala Floating Fish Gripper — tough plastic, floats, and grips fish to surprising size.
- Best for big fish: Berkley Big Game Lip Grip — no-nonsense stainless built for serious power.
How to Pick a Fish Gripper
One thing decides most of this choice: the size and the teeth of what you catch, and whether you fish salt or fresh. A light composite grip is perfect for modest freshwater fish and shrugs off neglect; serious saltwater fish want a stainless tool with a strong jaw and a smooth lock that will not corrode shut. Work out the biggest and toothiest fish you handle regularly, then buy the grip that manages it comfortably rather than the one that only just copes.
Material is the dividing line. Marine-grade stainless steel resists the rust that seizes cheaper metals, which is why it dominates the saltwater end of the market, though it costs more and sinks if you drop it. Composite and reinforced-plastic grips are lighter, they float, and they cost a fraction, but the jaws wear and can flex under a big, powerful fish. If you fish salt at all, stainless is worth the outlay; for light freshwater work a good composite is plenty.
The lock is what you actually rely on. A trigger or squeeze mechanism that opens and closes smoothly in one hand lets you secure a fish fast, before it kicks loose, while a stiff or fiddly latch costs you fish and patience. Check that it holds firmly once clamped, releases cleanly under load, and that any moving parts are sealed or simple enough to rinse and keep working after a season in salt.
Some grips include a spring scale, which is handy for a quick weight without reaching for a second tool. Treat those readings as a guide rather than gospel, because built-in scales drift over time and are rarely certified for anything official. If an accurate weight matters to you, a grip with a decent scale saves carrying a separate one, but weigh anything that really counts on a set of scales you have checked.
Small details decide whether a grip lasts. A lanyard or a floating body saves the tool from the bottom the first time it slips from a wet hand, and a corrosion-proof split ring beats a cheap one that rust-stains everything near it. Spend on jaw material and a smooth, sealed lock, and save on built-in scales and colour options. The mistake that harms fish most is hanging a heavy one vertically by the jaw alone, which strains its spine and jaw. Support the body with your other hand and keep the lift brief, and the grip protects the fish instead of injuring it.
Corrosion resistance. Salt destroys cheap metal. Quality stainless steel resists corrosion and keeps working season after season; cheaper grips seize, rust, or have pins that work loose. If you fish salt regularly, spend on corrosion resistance — it is the difference between a tool that lasts years and one that fails by next season. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the fish grips.
The Grips, Reviewed
Boga Grip
The undisputed benchmark, and the tool record-hunters and guides rely on. Made from heavy-duty stainless steel, it is exceptionally tough, highly corrosion-resistant, and the integrated spring scale is legendarily accurate — accurate enough to be IGFA-certified for world records. The jaws rotate a full 360 degrees so a rolling fish cannot tear its own jaw, and the locking mechanism holds fish securely no matter how wet your hands. It is a buy-once tool that lasts a lifetime. For the serious angler, nothing else matches it. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the Boga Grip.
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The Fish Grip
The smart choice for kayak and wade anglers. Made from lightweight, durable high-impact plastic, its standout feature is simple: it floats. Drop it overboard with slimy hands after a trophy and it stays on the surface, often in a bright colour that is easy to spot. It locks in place to hold a fish securely or to stay shut in your pocket, and it comes in several sizes for different fish. Tough, affordable, and forgiving of the inevitable overboard moment. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the Fish Grip.
Piscifun Fish Lip Gripper
The value pick for anglers who want a grip and a scale in one. It features a corrosion-resistant body, a non-slip handle, and a built-in scale that handles a high maximum weight, all at a price well below the premium tools. The scale is a convenient guide rather than tournament-accurate, but for the everyday angler who wants to handle fish safely and get a rough weight without buying two tools, it delivers strong value. A lot of function for the money. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the Piscifun Fish Lip Gripper.
Rapala Floating Fish Gripper
A tough, no-nonsense floating option that punches above its plastic build. Shaped a little like channel-lock pliers, it has good ergonomics with a ridged handle and stops at the back to keep your grip, and plenty of anglers report lipping fish well over the weight you would expect from a plastic tool. It is very light, easy to pocket on a PFD, and it floats. A reliable, affordable grip for kayak and shore anglers who want something simple that will not sink. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the Rapala Floating Fish Gripper.
Berkley Big Game Lip Grip
Built for big fish and no fuss. Berkley re-thought the shaft-style gripper with a pliable, textured rubber handle that grips better than foam and a wider actuating ring for easier opening. Made from stainless steel inside and out, it skips the scale in favour of bombproof durability — it will hold onto any fish you can lift with two arms. For anglers chasing genuinely big, powerful fish who want raw holding strength over gadgets, it is a great choice. Have a quick look at the current and most recent options on Amazon for the Berkley Big Game Lip Grip.
Comparison
| Gripper | Best For | Material | Why It Stands Out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boga Grip | Serious anglers | Stainless steel | IGFA scale, rotating head, bombproof |
| The Fish Grip | Kayak and wade | Plastic | Floats, bright, affordable |
| Piscifun | Value with scale | Aluminium | Built-in scale, low price |
| Rapala Floating | Floating budget | Plastic | Light, floats, grips big |
| Berkley Big Game | Big fish | Stainless steel | Raw holding strength |
The Bottom Line
A fish grip is a small tool that quietly improves every part of landing a fish, giving you control for a clean unhooking, an easy weigh and a safe release. Match it to your fishing: a floating composite for light freshwater sessions, and a stainless grip with a strong, smooth jaw for salt and bigger fish. Support heavy fish with a hand under the body rather than hanging them by the jaw, rinse the tool after salt, and it will look after your fish and your fingers for years.
Pair it with the rest of a responsible catch-handling kit: our guides to the best fishing landing nets, best fishing scales and measuring mats, and the beginner fishing gear checklist complete the setup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do lip grippers hurt or harm fish?
Used properly, a grip is gentler than wrestling a fish with dry hands, because it controls the head without squeezing the body or stripping the protective slime. The harm comes from misuse, mainly hanging a heavy fish vertically by the jaw, which can strain the jaw and spine. Keep the fish horizontal, support its weight with your other hand, and limit its time out of the water, and a grip is a fish-friendly tool.
Are the built-in scales accurate?
They are good enough for a rough field weight but not for anything official. Spring scales built into a grip drift as the spring ages and are seldom certified, so a reading can be out by a fair margin. Use them for a quick idea on the water, and weigh any fish that genuinely matters on a separate set of scales you trust.
Stainless or plastic: which should I buy?
It comes down to where and what you fish. Stainless steel handles big, strong, toothy saltwater fish and resists corrosion, at a higher price and with no buoyancy if dropped. Composite grips are cheaper, lighter and float, which suits light freshwater fishing and kayaks, but they are not built for heavy fish. Buy stainless if you fish salt or chase larger species, and save with a composite for smaller freshwater work.