New 2012 Fishing Gear: Catcher's Mitt is Handy Tool for Anglers

Anglers looking to control a fish with ease from the moment it leaves the water until it is thrown back or cleaned have a handy new tool to help them out. The Catcher's Mitt is a unique and amazingly convenient fishing mitt that allows you to safely handle your catch without any mess.

The Catcher's Mitt was designed by inventor Mark Cartwright to solve a problem all anglers encounter: how to handle fish and not get your hands messy or cut. As someone who has been punctured by many different fish, from the ever-pesky pinfish with their fins to the ever-vicious bluefish with their teeth, I was instantly interested when I heard of this new product.

I still don't recommend lipping bluefish, but the Catcher's Mitt helps makes you proficient at handling just about everything else when grasping, releasing, and cleaning fish. It really is a very handy (sorry, couldn't resist) little item for an angler.

"I had been working on a device to help you handle fish without getting your hands messy," says Mark, who hails from Baton Rouge, LA. "I know, use gloves genius! Well you're right, partially. Gloves are great for handling lots of fish at one time. But they are terrible for handling one fish every now and then. And most folks don't want to have a glove on while fishing."

What Mark developed was a one-finger mitt that hangs at your belt and that you slide easily onto your non-dominant hand (left-hand for right-handed people, and vise-versa). It keeps your hand dry and has an outside texture that allows you to easily handle even rough fish like catfish and redfish.

The wide opening in the Catcher's Mitt allows you to slip it on your hand without looking down as you are fighting the fish. The one finger design allows you to lip or grasp fish easily and correctly. The mitt stays tight on your hand and connected to you by a small reel and line, which also means you won't lose it when speeding off to the next fishing spot.

The mitt is complimented by a pair of stainless steel pliers that allow you to easily and quickly remove the hook. You can see how it all works by looking at this video of the Catcher's Mitt in action.

The Catcher's Mitt also comes in handy when it is time to clean your catch. You can protect your hand and avoid a lot of mess by using it.

"What has been amazing and rewarding to me has been the way people have reacted to using it," says Mark. "When we take friends out fishing with it, you go from putting it on them and having to remind them to use it on the first fish or two. In not too long they are using it on every fish, even taking other people's fish off with it. Many women have gone from having others take off their fish to being proud to take off their own fish. Several of the prototypes have been 'borrowed' at the end of the trip."

You can find out more information about the Catcher's Mitt by checking out Mark's Reel Fun Enterprises website. It is a perfect gear choice for anglers who want their hands to stay safe and clean while they go about the business of reeling in the big ones.

Disclosure Statement: The author recieved a free product from the manufacture to evaluate before writing this article.

For more fishing tips and tactics check out my new book Surf and Saltwater Fishing in the Carolinas.