Over the years, I have handled a number of large pike.  In my earlier years, I would net the pike, but then the pike would jump around and create a huge mess which took way too long to get the fish back into the water.  I tried a lip grabber after reading some of the reviews.  So my son and I are fishing and I catch a northern over 40 inches long.  My son gets the Berkley grabber on the fish and he goes to lift the fish into the canoe.  After he lifts the fish as high as he can, the fish's tail won't clear the canoe so he hesitates.  The fish flops and into the water it goes.  The northern was still on the lure so I started to bring the fish in again, but it got off.  This was good for the fish and the fish was unharmed so everything is good.  BUT I really would have liked a picture, length and weight.

I now just use my bare hands on large northerns.  I grab them by the back of the neck and get my hand under the gill covers.  If you don't get you fingers under the gill covers you won't be able to hold the fish when it flops.  Several of you are going to say that my hands will get all cut up.  Actually, I get very few cuts.  Last fall, I boated a 38 and a 36 inch northern, plus several over 30 inches. with no problem.  The biggest thing to do is make sure the northern is played out.  Not to the point of exhaustion, but tired.  You can check for the level of fatigue by touching the fish, if it isn't tired it will take off when you touch it.  When the fish doesn't respond to being touched, it is ready to be picked up.  It is also essential that you have the pliers and jaw spreaders right in front of you.  To measure the fish, I have a metal yard stick taped across the canoe for quick measuring.  This method won't work unless you have confidence you can do it and have a firm grip on the fish.  Sometimes you will lose the fish by playing it longer, but if you do the fish is released unharmed.
Westwood