How to take a fish off the line?

Question

I know some fish you can simply hold their mouth, but the ones where you have to hold their body, how do you actually go about grabbing them, since you can't just grab anywhere. How do you actually hold it without it cutting your hand, and preferably without wearing a glove?

Answer 1

what does tight lines mean?

Answer 2

Berkley makes a good "lip grip" for lifting them out of the water. They are like large pliers that grab them by the jaw but don't harm the fish.  If you choose to hold them without a glove, then wet your hand and hold/lift them by the belly.  

Answer 3

I like Sweetwater's idea... going to look into it myself

Answer 4

most predators you lay them on their back and be very wary of their teeth. eel, for some reason go in a trance if yo do the same and rub their belly. USE long forceps for ALL. JUST IN CASE! tight lines to all. JIM.

Answer 5

you reach around over the top of the fish keeping the dorsal fin away from the fleshy area between your thumb and index finger you try to hold the gills (and on many fish the gill blades) closed squeezing gently but firmly with your palm facing away from your face it should allow you to look into the fishes mouth which pops open from the pressure on the gill plates. I can even nestle my middle finger around the d**n spike on the side of catfish with this methid and it flat works.