Abstract: Fish mouth spreader jaws are biased to mouth spreading positions by integral spring coils. A readily releasable latch element on the device secures the jaws in retracted positions. The spring coils are beveled to provide thereon a knife-like edge and the tail of a fish is inserted between the spring coils with the knife-like edges gripping opposite sides of the tail and resisting withdrawal of the tail from between the coils when the jaws are latched in retracted positions during a scaling operation or the like.