Those fish grips, the foot-long or longer tools with jaws to grab fish securely by the mouth, look handy.

Handy for someone like a charter guide making a living landing fish for customers.

But when you’re only an angler without help, carrying a fish grip that large might not be so handy.

Still, there are times you wish you had one.

Like when you land a large, toothy bluefish on a jetty, grab the slippery fish with your hand, and it slides out, down into the cracks between the rocks, bites off your lure, and swims away.

That just happened to me.

A grip could’ve helped, but my old surf bag can only hold gear so big.

Then I saw this.

EGO’s Mini Grip is a small grip that fits in a palm.

Place a palm over the T-handle, curl your fingers under the oval, silver-metal lip below, shown in the photo, squeeze, and the jaws open.

Relax the squeeze, and the jaws clamp down on the fish's lip, holding the catch.

Two versions are available: one with a magnetic release, and another without.

The magnetic release conveniently releases the grip from the carabiner that can be attached to a belt loop or something like that.

No need to find room for the grip in my old surf bag.

Or the lanyard can be used instead.

The body and jaws are made from aluminum, preventing corrosion, and the T-handle is ergonomic foam.

Using the grip is better for the fish, because there’s no squeezing the body or plunging fingers into a mouth that might touch the gills.

It’s also better for me, because then I don’t need to tell you about the one that got away.

For more info, visit EGO’s website.