Thread: Who's Building Pier Gaffs?

Anyone making pier gaffs now? I checked with Ironman and he is not.
Any help appreciated.

I'd be interested as well, scouring the internet for a good one has left my eyes crossways

I noticed iron drags (like anchors) for coyote sets among trapping supplies (sometimes it pays to live in rural nowhere). With some adjustment they might serve, but no one is getting my Ironman original until they pry it from my . . . cart. It sits nicely in a hanging square-backed feed bucket with rope coiled.

Here's a thought...and I may be way out in left field here, so bear with me. Why couldn't you just buy a big 20/0 treble hook on line, weight it a bit, and tie on about 100 feet of parachute cord? Sees to me that would do the trick...

Making one (donating) for the Bryan Bennett Memorial tourney in June. ....try to win it is all I can say
Sorry guys for quiting the gaff thing.....there are quite a few out there

Thanks for the kind words on the gaff's......I am pleased with the way they turned out,and work pretty good sticking fish

J&M had the weighted treble hook kind the last time I was in there.....I have that style in 4 prong, with barbs that works good....I got it years ago at the Okaloosa pier house

Originally Posted by snakeeater

Here's a thought...and I may be way out in left field here, so bear with me. Why couldn't you just buy a big 20/0 treble hook on line, weight it a bit, and tie on about 100 feet of parachute cord? Sees to me that would do the trick...

Lifting 20+ pound fish requires a more substantial rope than paracord. Not for the breaking strength, but for the rope diameter that lets you get a better hold. i would think para would be too thin for a pier gaff application... YMMV.

I was hoping someone herein was making pier gaffs. I'll have to check
other sources I suppose.

Try "The Greatful Lead Sinker Co." they have a 16/0 Pier gaff for 17.53 +17.00 shipping up to 60lb.so add some sinkers if you need any.
I'll be ordering one after our move, don't want to keep adding stuff to have to pack up now.

You can get your local tackle shop to order one if they have a account with "Big Rock Sports" they have them under their house brand "Sea Striker" but it will be more expensive

Originally Posted by snakeeater

Here's a thought...and I may be way out in left field here, so bear with me. Why couldn't you just buy a big 20/0 treble hook on line, weight it a bit, and tie on about 100 feet of parachute cord? Sees to me that would do the trick...

You'd have to have a way of molding the weight to the treble hook and you'd need braided rope instead of parachute chord -- and you don't need 100 ft. Parachute chord would work fine for 5 - 7 lb fish if you're using 4 lb line (and you don't have a net), but it would be too hard on the hands to bring a big fish up using it. I would only use it as a makeshift gaff for small fish if there were no other way of getting it up on the deck.

My gaff came from one of the big chains (Academy or Bass Pro or Cabelas - I don't remember which) and it seems like I paid $70 bucks or so for it. I got the rope at Home Depot in the size that looked about right for hauling up a nice-sized king mackerel. I don't remember the length of the rope - about 35 - 40 feet maybe?

Lots of things look like a proto-pier gaff, just waiting for you to add your skills . . . A king mackerel gaff need not be as large as a cobia gaff, and far more of those are caught, so build accordingly.

The picture loaded a couple posts below http://www.gulfshorespierfishing.com...tml#post113382

Go for half-inch braided (not twisted, which tangles lines more easily) rope and because all bridges and piers are not the same height choose your length wisely. Docking lines (2) with a built-in loop will let you add another length if you go to a taller pier with a loop to loop connection since Knots also snag fishing lines. Add a float if the line is not floating, because "helpful" googans happen when you are preoccupied.

Large trebles need weighting on the shank not because of sinking but because you want it to drop straight down into the wind and not blow into the line. Those bendable duck decoy weights can be wrapped around the shank or drop some pipe over the main shank, then crimp into place. You want 2 hook points into the fish so the fish does not rocker loose from end to end; a 4-prong is good, but a 3-prong beats zero prongs any day.

Personally, I would hope never, ever to step on a gaff built from a hook, but if I did I would be very thankful if the barb had been flattened or ground off. The fish cannot jump off if there is no barb and a barb puts a nastier hole into a perfectly good fish as you rip it out.