# Pier gaffs......and how not to use them



## pogeymoe (May 5, 2009)

What is the deal with some of the pier gaffs ive seen lately??some of them are made with waaaay to thick steel.worst of all is the angle of the hooks!!!not to mention the point and no barbs.!!!!!some ive seen dont even curve up all of the way and are waaay to far "out" from the main part of gaff.



please!!!!!!! stop lowering the frippin gaffs in the water BEFORE the fish is ready!!!!!!!!!i wont name rthe pier but it seems they have no experince or common sense!!2 kings wrapped around gaff ropes because they just hung them in the water as if to wait for the fish to be guided to the gaff!!!!!!!s------t------u----p-----i---d!!!!!!! both cASES THE KING SWAM UNDER THE PIER AND WRAPPED IN THE ROPE.HOW THE HELL CAN YOU SWING A GAFF UNDER THE PIER WHEN ITS ALREADY HANGING???both times the fisherman would pull the king from under only to have it then swim around the rope!!!!


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## saltwaterrunner (Sep 5, 2004)

*pier gaffs....and how not to use them.*

Amen Moe. I've seen too many of these that are so rusted, hooks dull and people who have no idea how to use them properly. The worst part is the hook up in the center of the body tearing it to shreds and destroying the meat value. Please Use the drop baskets. If you know you're going to keep the fish wear it out. Don't bring it up green. Everyone benefits.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Pogeymoe,I beg to differ on the gaffs with no barbs... I have a stainless gaff that I used in the seventies,gaffed way more than a hundred fish with it,it NEVER MISSED A FISH!! Never had a problem with this gaff holding onto a fish after it was stuck.. With a king,you HAVE to wear it down before it gets to the pier,so the fish is more predictable.. Just as with a net,the angler is to point the rod down at the fish and lead it to the gaff.. If the fish is too green you don't lower it until the fish is under control,or you take the risk of what you just posted happening.... Many times a gaff is much more dependable than a net,but it also depends on who's behind the gaff as well.......


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## pogeymoe (May 5, 2009)

drumdum,

i agree that barbs are no big deal,however,if you saw the gaffs i saw you would feel they needed big barbs.these gaffs had points that didnt even point up....the popinted out with only a little upward bend and the were huge.there must have been a foot between the hooks.I watched a guy stick a little king 4 times and each time it bounced off until he pulled the hooks out.

for some reason this year the kings wont run....why i dont know!in june we got around 20 kings in a week and the furthust ran maybe 100 yds.i tried to let mine stay out there to wear out but in doing so he had company comming in(2 4 foot sharks)I didnt get bite by the sharks though.

maybe you all know the type gaffs im talking about but why someone would use them is beyond me.in the 80's i made a gaff with the largest hooks i could find.pvc pipe and a screw eye with a washer to hold it in when i poured the lead.it was fine and i never bounced it off a kind.

i wish someone could explain the outward bend in the gaffs im talking about.they point out not up.i watched one little king come up craddled between the shank and hooks one time.


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## whichway (Jun 6, 2007)

you guys ever seen this?

http://www.campbellsprotackle.com/store/product.asp?ID=1349


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## c0ch3s3 (Jul 10, 2009)

whichway said:


> you guys ever seen this?
> 
> http://www.campbellsprotackle.com/store/product.asp?ID=1349


that one looks like it would work really well.


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## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

saltwaterrunner said:


> Amen Moe. I've seen too many of these that are so rusted, hooks dull and people who have no idea how to use them properly. The worst part is the hook up in the center of the body tearing it to shreds and destroying the meat value. Please Use the drop baskets. If you know you're going to keep the fish wear it out. Don't bring it up green. Everyone benefits.



Using a net or "drop basket" as you say,can tear holes in it... Kings have ultra sharp teeth,all that has to be done is net it with his mouth open and he'll cut a hole in it like a rasor blade,promise....He may not fall out,but the next fish may...


pogey moe said:


> drumdum,
> 
> i agree that barbs are no big deal,however,if you saw the gaffs i saw you would feel they needed big barbs.these gaffs had points that didnt even point up....the popinted out with only a little upward bend and the were huge.there must have been a foot between the hooks.I watched a guy stick a little king 4 times and each time it bounced off until he pulled the hooks out.
> 
> ...



Moe,not sure what gaff you are refering to,will post a pic of mine if you like?? Far as bringing one in green,you're taking a shot in the dark,I have done it,but it can be risky sending the gaff out past the king's body then sticking him.. Like I said,never missed one with my gaff,but tried not to take those kinds of chances either... I can remember one though, 20lber (back in the 70's again  ) ,that fish sat there and ate my bait and never moved a muscle!! I bumped him a couple of times and he moved about 3ft and stopped.. I did this to him at least 2 or 3 times and he never ran,just moved about 3ft and sulled there.... I told my buds get the net,I'm gonna put the heat on this guy,we used two single hooks back then and could see the hook was out the beak in the roof of his mouth... Cranked that 10000 abu up to all she had and commenced to yankin that guy into the net.. When we finally got that rascal on the deck he was swimming across the planks... Most times they will run though,shame your fish did that to ya,cause you really can't put that kinda heat on a fish with trebles or a foul hooked one...


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## pogeymoe (May 5, 2009)

yes which way!!!!those are slick!field and stream had a how to section once that showed making them with pvc.im surprised ya dont see um in use.

as far as green kings whats the deal this year????ive seen around 25 caught and they are not running!!!is it the sharks or what!!!

years ago they would run 250-350 yds then it was as simple as crankem back!!they would come in half dead and gaffing was easy! ive tried pinging the line,slightly shaking the rod to get more "run" out of em to no avail.

what about all of you??are the kings doing this where you all are fishing or are they taking line?I'm serious,i bet i havent seen one run over 100.......150 at the max all year!!!!!even a 28lber and several in the low 20's


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## CarolinaNemo (Dec 11, 2008)

When we fished KB pier a few weeks ago, there were about a dozen runs by kings with 3 lost. All but one ran like they should. Weights ranged from about 8 lbs to 26 lbs on fish landed. One was lost at the pier when the hooks pulled. I lost a fish in the mid teens after my wire broke as he sat about 200 yards from the pier. My brother had the only fish to come in green and went under the pier and cut him off. Fish would have been in the 30 lb class.


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## Outcast1 (Sep 18, 2006)

Gaffing a fish has nothing to do with the pier, or the gaff for the most part. Experience of the guy holding holding the gaff in the MOST inportant!!


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## jobxe327 (Aug 7, 2007)

weve got right at 45 fish at bogue inlet pier and they are all running like they should. exept for the 7-8# fish but thats normal.


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## b3butner (Oct 1, 2003)

pogey moe said:


> yes which way!!!!those are slick!field and stream had a how to section once that showed making them with pvc.im surprised ya dont see um in use.
> 
> as far as green kings whats the deal this year????ive seen around 25 caught and they are not running!!!is it the sharks or what!!!
> 
> ...


I have seen several caught at Apache this year an yes they made unusally short runs. It is impossible to not bring one in green when they do that.


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## pogeymoe (May 5, 2009)

exactly my point b3 !!!!! to me its best to somewhat subdue themnthen gaff them.letting 3 gaffs just hang in the water is not smart to me.they always get wrapped in atleast one rope.plus if the king is a little under the pier and on its side you cant swing the gaff behind it if the gaff is already hanging in the water.

the short runs has my interest.way back in time they would streak off 300 yds and come in half dead.at times they would be dead.could it be sharks are causing it(an unusually high number of them)? or what?

I watched a kid catch an 18lber on a penn 209NOT 309....that was half full of 3olb line. 

i would love to hear some thoughts on what could possibly be the cause of it.


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## brandonmc (May 24, 2007)

A drop net is a terrible idea for any large toothy fish, especially a king. A drop gaf with no barbs is perfect. Barbs tear up meat.


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## demonfish (Mar 31, 2002)

i have to agree,gaff not net, and its the gaffer that is an important part of decking the fish. thoses who know me know my 3 prong stainless steel gaff that was built for me 12 years ago in fl. hasnt missed a fish yet. built heavy for the wind and long sharp prongs with no barbs. some of the gaffs ive seen look more like 4 giant fish hooks wired together. the fisherman working the fish, a guy working the rail and a good gaffer will deck any fish. two gaffs only if over 30 lbs. 
frank


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