I was viewing the latest LBG'r video where he played a Kingie for an hour. (Good video Scott. I 'liked' it.)

I noticed that even with the fish near the boat he chose to 'gaff' the fish where I thought a landing net would have been used. Especially as he'd commented that he wasn't keen to poke a hole in the inflatable boat.

Why/When do people choose the Gaff or the Net? Is it depending on the fish or the angler, depth, size or what? 

MB: I understand the space limitation on your jetski. Do you gaff bigger snapper since you can't net them?

Smudge: Is it the length/weight or strength of the Kingie which dictates the choice of gaff over net or what?

I was thinking if a fish might have to be released due to being undersized then it had more chance of survival with a bit of net-rash than a gaff-hole in its side.

Of course, I've never even seen a Kingfish up close - I'm just curious and it's stormy outside so I'm thinking out-loud.

yes and no. i generally try to release them, but they often come up hapuka-style if fishing deep water, i.e. totally blown and floating up to the surface. if they are blown, i gaff them. if not, then i grab them by the tail. big snapper are remarkably well behaved at the surface compared to smaller specimens. i would never gaff a fish i was going to release. 

I suppose a metre long fish would be hard to hold in a 'normal-sized' net. What do you mean by they "often come to the boat pretty green" ?

Understood. Thanks MB.

Like minds! Thanks for reply FA. Nice to know I'm not thinking sideways.

Tackle Fiddlers, Idiot Stickers, LOL. Great stuff! (I presume the Idiot Stick is a 'rod'?)

The aspect I'm interested in is that a hooked fish which is boated via a landing net has a reasonable chance of being returned to the sea, alive, if it is either undersized or an unwanted 'biggie' perhaps.

Whereas a fish that has been gaffed or speared has a poor prognosis for a longer life.

This leads me to ask:

How do spearo's determine legal length before pulling the trigger? What if you spear something that's a bit short when you get it onto the boat?

Or do you only shoot at 'long' fish? 

Good info JAS. your 'sizing system' makes good sense. Cheers.

Cheers Craig and Happy New Year mate.

Why gaff the keeper Kingies rather than net them? That's kinda what I'm trying to understand. Thanks for input.

Thanks Boosh. That's a very positive post. Cheers! 

Thanks Potty. 

"Grab them by the Mouth?"  Don't they bite? (I know not to stick a finger in the mouth of a Snapper.)

I watch the Yakkers videos and the net seems to suit the low height above sea-level style of operation. Reaching down from a boat makes some people seem awkward with a net.

On the 'grab them in the mouth' concept. - I just watched the video in the DB Fishing Comp Winners thread. I see Tony Orton pull the Kingies up by the mouth,  wearing just a glove so perhaps they don't have big teeth?

He's also chewing something. Always seems to be eating when you see him on vid. LOL.

Well JAS, I think you get those on top of the water as well. Grrrr...

Bad luck on the one that got away. Bet he was this big > 

Cheers! 

It's a bit situational. Depending on the depth you've caught the fish from it may come to the boat completely pooped and docile as, in which case you can probably grab it by the tail and jig/trace and lift it in, giving you the option to release. If you horse them out of very shallow water they tend to come up still full of beans, and you may only get one shot at them before they take off under the boat and break you off on the chines or outboard.

This of course assumes you're planning to eat it. I wouldn't ever put a gaff into a fish I remotely planned to release.

Some of the nets around are pretty cheap and nasty and will fly to bits. Otherwise grab them by the mouth as you might have seen Tony do in the DB Export NZ Fishing comp vid or a gaff will obviously do the job if you're definitely going to keep it. 

Ok, Depth is a factor - I hadn't figured that one Rozboon. The ones I see on vids all seem like the Python's Parrot (pretty shagged-out after a long squawk.)

So:

 Shallow/Full of beans > Keeper > Gaff (Quick).

Tired > Releaser? > Mouth/Tail grab or maybe Net.

Thanks for input.

Weight - I had no idea they were so heavy so yes, a net may be a risky job.

I did see Mr O. in the video as I mentioned earlier. Found that mouth grab quite surprising.

One day I might meet one of these fish. 

Appreciate your stopping by my little thread sir. 

Another mouth-grab. Seems pretty effective.

Beautiful size for eating I reckon  nice one! Out of the BOI?

Thanks Potty. Newbie naivety. I thought all fish had sharp teeth.  (Except the John(Hoover)Dory).

Cheers! 

Agreed. Well done! Pics are great. I'd be chuffed.

(Actually I'd be chuffed with anything too big for a net!)

Edit: Muchalls you appear to be 'anchored' pretty close to the shore! 

Any kingfish we typically wrap the leader and grab the tail however since losing a carpenter stick bait when the leader broke and we were left watching it swim away with a new piercing I have brought a "Meat hook" or a hand gaff, if the fish is of a decent size we lip gaff it and then make a call as to keep or release. 

I think it depends on a lot of things, what people are fishing for (Motive) Sports fishing or wanting to put a feed on the table, experience with each tool etc. 

Snapper by their very biology are covered in scales ....tend to have smaller mouthes than kingies.........so if i had to chose between net and gaff for them......100% a Net.......Snapper also have lots of spikes and razor sharp cutting edges that will rip you to bits if your not careful.....

Kings 100% a gaff and lip gaff them if intended for release......Big mouth......But a solid set of lip grippers would be first choice on the boat.......an extendable gaff or net for the rocks but needs to be very strong......rocks can be slippery....so the extendable gaff or net is very good for safety with the flow of the tide.when lifting fish from the bricks with a net (particularly) or a gaff........both need to be vertical on the lift with big fish or you could have an L shaped pole pretty soon !

P.s some of those lip gripers come with scales in built......so you could weigh at the same time.