Abstract: An implement for gripping a fish includes first and second lever arms, each having a jaw portion, a handle portion and an intermediate portion therebetween. A pivot member pivotally couples the first lever arm to the second lever arm at their respective intermediate poritons such that manual manipulation of the handle portions toward and away from one another causes like movement of the jaw portions. The first lever arm includes a spike element which extends outwardly from the jaw portion and is configured to pierce a body region of the fish to provide a gripping force in addition to that provided by the coaction between the jaw portions. The spike element includes an adjusting mechanism for varying the extent to which the spike element projects outwardly from the jaw portion of the first lever arm. The gripping implement further includes a third lever arm having a jaw portion and a trigger portion.