Abstract: A gaff for game fish has a flared crook for engaging the body of a fish at the tail. An end portion of the crook is attached to a pole and includes a ratchet assembly. An L-shaped arm is pivotally attached to the ratchet assembly and is rotatable in one direction in the plane of the crook. A contact arm of the L-shaped arm closes the open end of the crook while a capture arm extends in the direction of the pole. When the contact arm contacts the body of the fish and the fish is pulled into the crook, the capture arm rotates to captivate the fish in the crook. The ratchet includes a release lever to release the fish without damage thereto.