anyone tried fishsticker retractable gig?

Saltwater Inshore Discussion
1

First a little background: For flounder gigging I’m usually solo and have a 3 pronged barbed gig and end up using one of two techniques from my boat.

  1. Gig then net… where I slide net under my gig while attempting to keep my boat from moving.
  2. if I can’t reach net, curse loudly and slide my hand down gig and grab flounder by gills with right hand while left hand stays on gig… usually involves getting out of boat

I’ve had a lot of practice and usually don’t have any problems. With that said the second technique can result in a)falling/jumping out of boat and or stepping on oyster bed or other unpleasant sharp things after losing a shoe during rapid dismount b)miscalculating proximity of mouth resulting in fish removing portion of flesh from fingers c) miscalculating water depth and or consistency of bottom and doing a split on side of boat d) boat begins floating away while I try to grab it while holding gig and flounder.
*all variations come with bonus points for difficulty if pluff mud is present

…So I saw fishsticker http://www.sandybottomsports.com/fishsticker-flounder-gig/ flounder gigs which have a retractable barb. It looks like a great idea but I wanted to see if anyone has one and actually tried it. I’m curious if it holds larger 20’’+ flounder

  • yes I could get a gig with much better barbs but then getting flounder off gig presents a problem.
2
quote:
1) Gig then net... where I slide net under my gig while attempting to keep my boat from moving. 2) if I can't reach net, curse loudly and slide my hand down gig and grab flounder by gills with right hand while left hand stays on gig... usually involves getting out of boat

There is a trick to it. Don’t try to lift the fish, that seldom works. Instead try to swoop the fish in the direction it is pointing, swing it up and overhead and into the boat.

Capt. Larry Teuton
Cracker Built Custom Boats

“Ships are the nearest things to dreams that hands have ever made.” -Robert N. Rose

3

I made mine using an old spear gun shaft. The point has a barb that can be folded down and locked after I get him in the boat. If you poke it through him, he will NOT get off.

ZX

4

thanks for the responses.

Using spear gun shaft sounds like the way to go… I’ve been looking for something like this and the fishsticker gig is the best I’ve found. Looks like I could buy one and tap a galvanized cap or something and just screw it in.

5

Capt Eds gigs hold fish. I use the three prong model and the fish stay on. And they don’t cost $150.00

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PROUD YANKEE

Oyster Baron

NMFS = No More Fishing Season

“Back home we got a taxidermy man. He gonna have a heart attack when he see what I brung him”