Ice Fishing Gaff

[CHRIS*]

Well now that i have lost three Salmon already this year i have decided to get a gaff. Any one know of some good ones out there.. What size "hook" should i use for salmon and trout..

TIA for your help

Chris

[Bottom bouncer]

We just build them , took an old piece of shovel handle , shape it the way you like for a good grip,I used bench grinder and made section a little smaller than the rest for a grip , round off both ends . I drilled a hole a little smaller than the piece of rod which I think was 1/4" so 3/16" hole, the rod was about 7"- 8" Lg. hammered into hole before sharpening,sharpened and then bent a nice curve, touched up point with good file. It was 18" long at 1st but I shortened it up to fit in tackle box  about 10" long now works great . Only problem now is that it's always too far away when I need it , have to remember to grab it when I jump up F/flag. Speaking of salmon , would like to target salmon on Lake Sakakawea here in ND. we have many, no one I know of fish f/ them here . Any tips would be helpful. can't use live smelt on lake but frozen smelt may be used or will large minnows work.

thanks

[FullTmeDad]

I made my gaff with a 5/8 wood dowel and the largest treble hook I could find. Drilled the end of the dowel slid in the shank of the hook and pinned it in place with a cotter pin. Looks good and works great.
FTD

[OTIS]

I've seen the same thing done with an old golf club.  Cut the head off and pin a large treble hook into the end.

[fishinnut]

I use a 1/2 inch dowel with a large single hook screwed and wrapped at the end. You only need one hook, the others will just get in the way, snagging any and everything. I've landed fish to 17lbs. using it.

[CHRIS*]

I LOVE THIIS SITE!! Great ideas!! thanks alot.. i am going to go make one now.. Those salmon wont get away now... HAHAHA

Chris

[buzzbomb]

You know those 'grass whips' that you swing like a golf club to cut weeds?  They get worn out and the blade keeps getting bent down?  You get you one of those at the flea market/yard sale for 50 cents (or use your own broken one out of the shed) and cut the blade right off, sharpen the rod on a grinder then heat it up with a torch and bend it around a piece of pipe.  It makes a great gaff and costs next to nothing.

[Lobes]

Made mine out of my metal skimmer - just sharpen the end of the hanlde to a point. Don't need to carry anything extra.

[Papascott]

I have used several different store bought and home made gaffs. Most had problems. The most common was the treble hook. I prefer to have one of the hooks cut off so there is not a hook to catch the ice hole as your pulling your fish through the hole. The biggest problem was knowing which way the hooks were pointing when you go to stick em. I finally made a homemade one that I am happy with. I took a broken bait cast rod and cut it off to about 30 inches. I hot glued the biggest treble (with one cut off) into the blank with the hooks pointing up so when I grab it by the trigger grip I know exactly which way the hooks are pointing and with the trigger it is allot easier to keep hold of with cold hands. I also carry a second gaff for BIG EYES. I have had a few instances where a fish gets gaffed in the side and could not be pulled through the hole sideways. If that happens I just pin them against the bottom of the hole and stick em in the chin with the second to fix the problem. I guess I am a little overboard about it but with some of the huge eyes we have pulled in the last couple of years, not to mention a couple of trophies that got away at the hole by either a bad gaff person or bad gaff, but I want to put the odds into my favor as far as possible.

Scott

[IceTroll]

I was always fighting my gaff and actually lost a true giant Northern because of a gaff. Last year I bought a pair of orange plastic lip grippers at Cabela's. They were less than 10 bucks. They work great, especially if you got a buddy that can grab the fish for you when it comes up the whole. Have not lost a fish yet. Best part is that I can let those really big Northern, walleyes and Lakers go. All I need is a picture. I am not interested in killing a trophy or brood stock fish. Dont need anything for the eater size fish to get them out.

[shrub]

I would recomend an H.T. enterprises Poler gaff It has a handy ruler on the handl and a lanyerd and hook guard.

[Fishinut]

I have the HT gaff. It's nice but I have never had to use it.

[Fishkeeper]

I made a gaff out of a screw together aluminum shot gun cleaning rod(3 sections ) with a huge single hook taped onto the side of the end of the bottom  section . The top section I wound with heavy twine and electrician's tape for a good grip .
I bought a collapsible golf club(putter) at a garage sale for 50 cents that would make a dandy gaff .Collapsed length  14 inches. Extends to 36 inches .

[JigAwhopper]

I made my gaff out of the old skiing pole.   I cut the lower half, 18" or so and reinstalled the rubber grip from the top portion.  Then I took a 8/0 bronze  hook, bend it out  to get more gap, filed out the barb and riveted it through the eye of the hook and then tightly wrapped it with the copper wire.  To make it permanent , it took the flux and sodered it with the propane torch and then sealed it up with the shrink electric tube. I'll post the picture later.  And it's true,  the only problem is that I don't have it at the hole when i land that really big one      J.

[Cargo]

If you make one with a large treble hook, do as Jigawhopper says file the barb down saves on the fish.

[adipose]

i made mine from a car areal(the solid newer style)for the actual hook.then sharpened it on the grinder.i attatched it to an old fishin rod.works great!!

[Fishkeeper]

I like papascott's idea of using an old baitcasting rod .Like he says. with your finger on the trigger you know exactly where your hooks are . I've had a few exciting moments trying to gaff a big trout . Sometimes you lose track of the hooks in the excitement .

[doogie494]

I welded one tonight out of a piece of 3/8 rebar and a large S-hook. Straightened one side and sharpened the other.

[Smeltecca]

I bought a cheap one a wal-mart last year that actually un screws in the middle so its easy to carry.  I just unscrew it and it fits in a belly bag.  I keep it in the bag with pliers a tape measure and a mouth spreader and take it to every flag. If it's a big fish and I think I might need it I just screw it together and wait for the fish to come to the hole. 

[macker13]

I got the HT.  So far I have no complaints.  Reasonably priced too.  I'd love to make my own, but then I'd have to give up prime fishing time to do it!

[Haywood]

I have the treble hook style, but I cut off one of the hooks, cause it kept catching on the ice.  I prefer to go with the smallest hook I can get away with and I always try for the lip, just incase it isn't a keeper, I can usually release it with minimal injury.  

[CHRIS*]

I took a broken rod.. stripped the guides off it... cut it down to about 3 2.5 feet... left the handle in place.. wrapped yellow thread on the whole thing... to make it stand out.. then i took a 5/0 hook and cut off the eye... put the end into the tip of the rod and epoxied it on....

perfrect for gaffing anythign that comes my way....


CHris

[huntersconstruction]

I've seen the same thing done with an old golf club.  Cut the head off and pin a large treble hook into the end.

That makes golf clubs usefull, good idea

[Bailbuster]

I have the HT gaff. It's nice but I have never had to use it.

Leave home someday see what happens!! .BB

[Buck762]

Got a thick dowel Rod, drilled a small hole in one end. 
Get a fancy coat hanger (like ones from big-name mall, designed to hold fancy little suits, hangar made of wood with metal hook)
Broke the wood part away, and the metal hook part was threaded on one end.
Threaded hangar deep into dowel, then put some gorilla glue.
Took a dremel rotary tool, and machined hanger to nice sharp point.
Put athletic tape for grip on opposite end, and put para-cord loop for wrist strap

[mako003]

3 foot pice of 1/4 inch all thread took a dowel 3/4 inches wide by 7 long drilled the center out nuted the handle heated and bent other end and sharpen it works awesome with the nut on the end even added a wristed strap

[Buck762]

The coolest gaff I saw was my buddies who used an old pocket fisherman style rod.  It is a retractable rod, broke the eyelets off and epoxyed/ duct taped a big 'ol reble to the end

[hillmann]

I have had one drop down the hole in the excitment ever since mine have had wood handles and I made sure they float for the hook i use a shark hook .  size 0-40 i think it has a 2inch gap and is about 3 inches long.

[SLED_NECK]

take a pipe fill it full of that "great stuff" the yellow foum in a can to make it flout the duct tape a big @ss hook at the end that will work fine and look good at the same time lol

[waldojigger]

If you make one with a large treble hook, do as Jigawhopper says file the barb down saves on the fish.

why would you gaff a fish you aren't going to keep?