Talk about a newbie question
 

The fish clips/game keeper, whatever you want to call them, that I see in a lot of the pics. Do you use them on live fish and just have the fish tethered to the yak so you can keep fishing? Is it like a giant stringer? Does it get in the way if the fish is free swimming like that?

And where da heck do you find them locally in LA? Preferably somewhere near the SG Valley. Thanks.

Whatever you do, don't leave the game clip and fish in the water.:D

I WOULD NOT LEAVE ANY FISH HANGING OVER THE YAK! UNLESS YOU WOULD LIKE TO CATCH SOMETHING BIGGER.LOL

So what's the purpose of the clip if not to leave it hanging over the side? Can't you just shove a fish in the hold or buy one of those game bags?

So you don't drop a fish overboard. Fish like to flop around on deck, it's best to secure them. It's the first thing I do when I bring a keeper aboard. Nothing would be worse than catching a fish of a lifetime and having it jump off the deck and sink out. After the fish is bled out I will often store them in the hatch.

Amen.

anyone use something like this?

http://kayakfishinggear.com/index.as...ROD&ProdID=167

throw some bottles of ice in there and your catch is good for a day i think.

Has anyone ever had a Dog try to grab your fish off of your Kayak? If you did was it attached to a game keeper, and what happened?

The other day I had one swim real close and I could of sworn he was looking inside for a fish.

42" is good for your average YT but for bigger fish like big YT and WSB you may find it a bit short. Just something to keep in mind. I could be wrong.

I've had my eye on some of these. You can custom order it for the sizes you can fit in you kayak and make it long enough for those big ghosts and winter yellows.

http://www.kingfishkoffin.com/kayak.html

The link takes you to a bag that is still to short but it is the right idea. Scroll down and click on the kustomkoffin.

I've stuffed large WSB into my surfboard travel bag (padded/insulated).
Makes my surfboard stink, but hey, my fish was cold when I got back from
a long drive through Baja.

Oh, and I have heard of YT being taken from off the deck of a yak by a sealion.
The guy had it strung up on the back of his yak with mono (I believe). A
sealion came right up and yanked it right off the back of his yak. He wasn't
too happy about that...

The game clips come in real handy. Have the clip in the open position, gaff the fish, and slide the clip thru his gill and mouth once he flares his gill. Close it, and put the gaff away, time to bleed the feesh.

I used tennis racket string (think it's near the 250# test range) and tie it to a snap swivel to one of the deck eyelets.

Not that I've ever caught a fish though....:hmmmm:

I use a spike (to slide through the gills) on a cord with carbiners but game clips work fine too. I have heard of them popping open with violent thrashing. The main thing is you want to get the fish secured quickly, as Tyler said. I try to keep 2 points of attachment until the fish is well under control. I don't remover the hook or gaff until it's stringered, and I have double stringered trophy fish just in case. It is particularly important with big halibut since they can flop off a gaff or out of a boat in a heartbeat.

Yo Brad
 

Brad
Do you buy your spike stringers or make them,
and if you buy them, where?
I think you could control a spike faster and easer
than a game clip.
Paul

I was demo-ing it for Jack Graham (the grip twist guy). Not sure if he ever went in production. It's basically a vinyl coated 300lb spectra (like the spearos use) with heavy ass swivels on either end through which the carbiners go. The spike is aluminum pipe cut in half lengthwise and trimmed to a dull point. Works great as a bottle opener/cat food can hole-puncher as well. I like it because I can put multiple fish on it if necessary and the clips make for quick and easy attachment and release. Todd had showed me a similar idea with rope and bamboo for halibut, also works great.

Thanks
 

Thanks Brad
I don't always trust the game clips.
You gave me some ideas on making one.