Why is a fish club called a "Priest"?

[DFoster 0]

Just an example of the many random non work related fishing thoughts that go through my brain while I'm at work.

So from wikipedia-

A priest (poacher's, game warden's or angler's "priest"), sometimes called a fish bat, is a tool for killing game or fish. The name "priest" comes from the notion of administering the "last rites" to the fish or game.

Now I know.

[Mark Knapp 0]

Huh.

[xterrabill 0]

cob webs in my head just parted, I have not heard a fish Billy club called "priest" in over 40 years.

I specifically remember the first time I heard "get the priest!"  steelhead flopping up into the air with a treble in its mouth making a mess in the boat, the red club was weighted, had a wrist strap and the word priest was wood burned into it, it may have been homemade, I cant recall, was too long ago.

thanks for this post/cobweb removal.

[Mark Knapp 0]

We make them out of moose antler bases and sell them in the shop. They are very popular, more so in cars than in boats, I think.

[redietz 0]

Because it's used to deliver "last rites" to a fish. (Not joking, although the name is a joke.)

 

[The Mad Duck 0]

We always called them " Billy Bats"

[vicente 0]

On 8/25/2020 at 10:38 AM, Mark Knapp said:

We make them out of moose antler bases and sell them in the shop. They are very popular, more so in cars than in boats, I think.

I have a multi purpose adjustment tool in my truck,  14" crescent wrench.

[vicrider 0]

I have one made in the distant past by Hardy. Just a steel club designed to put them to sleep before cleaning or boxing them in ice. Don't know about the truth but when young we were told  leaving them live and flopping in box to die tainted meat.