broken jaws

[mikeak]

Son and I went to outlet 2 yesterday,had a great day. We noticed on several fish we caught the jaws were busted up or cut. Son caught one that the lower jaw was cut in two,giving it a right and left jaw.I doubt it hit but was hooked in the upper lip.Also saw several in the water with what looked like cut lower jaws. I don't know whats causing this but I'm wondering if it might be those boga landing devices,I don't know if that's what they are called,but any ways they have two curved jaws and you squeeze down to close them.I've never used one but thought that could maybe cause damage to the fish like what we were seeing.Any body know what could be causing this?

[Phil Lilley]

Broken lower jaw - classic boga fail, especially if it's a larger trout.

You put the boga in the lower jaw to hold it up and the fish flails causing the jaw to break and split.  Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way on big Alaska rainbows.  I'll never use a boga on a trout ever again.  Other big fish with tougher jaws.... may be.

How big were the trout with the split jaws?

[Johnsfolly]

I seem to recall  a giant fisherman caught blue catfish (100 +lbs) in a Texas aquarium died due to an infection in its jaw. Can't help but wonder if a boga was responsible for the initial injury. The way fish trash around when they are landed with those devices always made me wonder about injury. 

[mikeak]

 I'd guess most of the fish were in 18-20 inch range,some bigger some smaller.When I first saw those things ,I thought how nice,better that carrying a net.Then I saw some guys using them and thought that can't be good for a fish you're going to release.I hate regulations but what I saw yesterday was pretty disturbing,maybe an effort to educate people about them?

 

[Daryk Campbell Sr]

I have been considering a set.  Priceand lack of time fishing has kept me away.   Thank you for posting this.  

[aarchdale@coresleep.com]

I guess i dont understand the point of a boga for most fresh water instances, just seems like another piece of equipment to carry around, My hands do the job just fine

[rps]

Don't know about bogas and rainbows. I have used one for bass and walleye for years and have never broken a fish jaw.

Some information:

1. You do not squeeze anything to hold the fish. A spring closes the device jaws to a distance smaller than the fish jaw.

2. On a rel boga, the jaws are mounted on a spring so that flopping fish cannot gain leverage against the jaws. This softens any force on the fish jaw.

3. On a real boga, the jaws ride on a 360 ball bearing ring. Again, flopping fish get no leverage.

4. If you hold the grip so the fish hang straight down, the only force on their jaw is their own weight.

The real ones are vastly superior to the numerous imitations and knock offs. Sadly, you pay for that difference.

https://www.amazon.com/Boga-Grip-130-30lb-Scale/dp/B003NRNQSK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503784516&sr=8-1&keywords=bogagrip

 

[rps]

6 minutes ago, aarchdale@coresleep.com said:

I guess i dont understand the point of a boga for most fresh water instances, just seems like another piece of equipment to carry around, My hands do the job just fine

I have put hooks into me several times. All save one came when a fish flopped as I was working to free them. Since I bought the boga, I am hook free.

[Quillback]

I have never broken a basses jaw using a Boga either.  I use it occasionally to weigh a fish, not as a landing device.  Very accurate at weighing.  If you are reasonably careful you won't injure a fish using a Boga.   I doubt I would ever use one on a trout, being IMO a fragile species when it comes to handling.  I use genuine Bogas, I can't speak for the knock-offs. 

 

[Travis Swift]

11 hours ago, Phil Lilley said:

Broken lower jaw - classic boga fail, especially if it's a larger trout.

You put the boga in the lower jaw to hold it up and the fish flails causing the jaw to break and split.  Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way on big Alaska rainbows.  I'll never use a boga on a trout ever again.  Other big fish with tougher jaws.... may be.

How big were the trout with the split jaws?

Sure a ton of guide pictures holding fish up with a boga or other similar style grip daily on facebook these days, alot in the upper end