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Posts: 133
| How many of you use a set of spreaders? I am fairly new to fishing muskies and have contemplated taking mine with. I know everyone talks about them, but how much damage do they do to the fish. There are so many debates about which net to use to protect fins and such, but I have seen spreaders really tear apart the mouths of pike I have caught during icefishing. Just a thought. Maybe SAFETY first in this regaurds. Thanks. |
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| Use them |
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Posts: 2024
| In eight years I have never used them... until the other day on a fish that swallowed a Curly Sue. You don't need to use them everytime, but when a fish is hooked really poorly... Use them, for the fish's sake. |
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | I agree with Sean. It's definitely something you should have in the boat. I have both the 8" and 10" size in my boat. I use the smaller one several times a year on pike. But I don't know that I have used one on a musky more than once or twice. Dealing with a bigger fish like that (and obviously a bigger mouth) you seldom need one. But it's good to have in combination with your other release tools...Knipex, needlenose pliers, hook pick, etc. For a couple bucks, it's best to be prepared for all situations.
Aaron |
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Posts: 2017
| A MUST have!...how else do you get a big fish to open its mouth when it has inhaled the bait? |
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Posts: 2687
Location: Hayward, WI | I use them quite a bit. I hear lot of guys that say they have them, but don't usually need them. In my experience, I have a hard time getting hooks out that are inside the mouth without them. Seems like they clamp their jaws shut, and there's no other way to get them out. I don't usually grab the fish by the gill plate as I unhook them. With my luck I'd get the hooks that are in their mouth in my hand at the same time.
I've had a couple deeply hooked fish that I'm pretty confident would have died had I not had spreaders, Knipex, and long pliers.
Either way, I think most would agree that you need to have them in the boat.
curleytail |
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Posts: 283
| Yes a must have and along with hookcutters like Knipex. Without tools like these mortality of the fish will go up a great deal in your boat. |
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Posts: 529
Location: Not Where I Want To Be | For what they cost it might be a cheap insurance plan for the survival of the fish. I say have a pair in the boat. |
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Posts: 46
| my 5 year old son caught his first musky last week on a small kickin minnow that the musky had it deep in its mouth good thing i had my spreaders must have tool |
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Location: Twin Cities | curleytail - 8/17/2009 8:34 PM
I don't usually grab the fish by the gill plate as I unhook them. With my luck I'd get the hooks that are in their mouth in my hand at the same time.
Happened to me last night, nasty cut on my finger and we wouldn't have gotten the hooks out without them, hooks deep and this fish would NOT open it's mouth any other way, feisty bastard! |
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Posts: 344
Location: Musky Country | muskydeceiver - 8/17/2009 7:46 PM
Use them
Very helpful right Matt |
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Posts: 103
| I would definitely use them. I caught 2 fish this year that completely inhaled baits and if I didn't have a mouth spreaders and hook pick the fish would probably not have made it.
Edited by Muskyhunter247 8/17/2009 9:38 PM
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Posts: 199
Location: Nebraska | Just remember to remove them! Sounds stupid, but I was dealing with a little dink pike that inhaled my bucktail. Popped in the spreader, it came out easily enough because I have all of my barbs smashed down, tossed in the pike and while I saw he was going in headfirst I saw a flash of steel. One surely dead little pike, another couple bucks at the tackle store. |
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Posts: 4266
| A must have for deeply hooked fish, especially when you are alone.
Beav |
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Posts: 147
Location: Milwaukee, WI | They're one of those items like jumper cables that; when you need 'em, you REALLY need 'em. Both for the fishs' sake & your own safety!
I'm not a dentist but; sometimes I get to play one while fishing.
"OK.....Please open wide, this might sting a little. There.....all done." |
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Posts: 138
Location: Utah | curleytail - 8/17/2009 7:34 PM I've had a couple deeply hooked fish that I'm pretty confident would have died had I not had spreaders, Knipex, and long pliers. Either way, I think most would agree that you need to have them in the boat.
curleytail
Ditto...without quality sturdy 10" jaw spreaders we for sure would've lost a couple of fish. A must tool for the boat when a fish get's really greedily hungry and inhales the lure.
...and as the ole saying goes; I'd rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it....
Edited by k2muskie 8/18/2009 11:28 AM
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Posts: 968
Location: N.FIB | I`ve had the fish bite on the net and not let go,have had to use the spreaders for that,don`t try to open the mouth with your fingers,I made that mistake once.I had to get the first aid kit out and tape myself up before I even touched the fish I was bleeding so bad. |
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Posts: 145
| Cheap and worth it! I had a little 14" musky that had 5" of a 9" suick down it's throat, it kept the mouth open and the fish alive because othewise I would have never been able to release him!
Jah |
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Posts: 238
| An absolute must have,i keep at least two pairs in the boat at all times. |
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Posts: 1039
Location: North St. Paul, MN | I tied a small lenght of thin rope to mine and then tie that off to the side of the boat. I cut the rope long enough so I can use it on either side of the boat (if the nets and fish are on the other side). Then, when I'm done I just wrap the rope around the spreader and it's out of the way...Plus, you don't throw any of those pike back in with the spreader.
Steve |
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| I use a spreader only occasionally, but I have it with me at all times. I only use it when necessary to reach the hooks.
I have a string that I tie onto the spreader like the other post. However, I make a loop in one end and slip it over the landing net handle. So, the spreader is attached to the landing net--so it won't fall in the lake.
Brian
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Posts: 2024
| Take a piece of rope or something and tie one end to the spreader (any tool actually) and the other to a key chain clip. Attach the clip to your net. Voila. Can't take credit for it, but it's saved a few tools from being donated to the lake/river gods. |
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Posts: 284
Location: Fishing the weeds | By all means use them. FISHTEK markets jaw spreaders that are less damaging to the fish's mouth then the traditional ones.
One note: Make sure you remove them before you release your fish. Don't laugh my Bass fishing partner has sent 2 large Pickeral back this year with the spreaders still in their mouths. Not Good! |
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Posts: 4080
Location: Elko - Lake Vermilion | Gota have a couple of these in EVERY boat.
Jerome |
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Posts: 619
| its worth a try, if you have a partner they can hold the spreader when the fish tries to thrash.
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Posts: 283
| Here is a 40 I got tonight, hit on the 8. The fish swallowed the bait and the jaw spreaders really helped out and made an easy release out of a deep bait.
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Posts: 512
| Another alternative i found out a few weeks ago with a big fish is using a boga grip type of tool. you can hold their mouth open and control the fish some. i couldnt keep the spreaders in its mouth because the fish was too green..
food for thought
Dave |
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| Dave T. - 8/23/2009 10:38 AM
Another alternative i found out a few weeks ago with a big fish is using a boga grip type of tool. you can hold their mouth open and control the fish some. i couldnt keep the spreaders in its mouth because the fish was too green..
food for thought
Dave
Dave I agree that each tool has it's time and place for the most part...I give you props for posting about the boga and how you use it....I have no doubt the Muskie Police will be flaming you for it in no time...they seem to smell the boga blood and start to circle.....BR |
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