A fish harvesting head is disclosed having one or more barb arms protruding from barb receiving slots in a harvesting body, wherein one or more barb arms includes one or more gripper arms extending from at least one barb arm nonorthogonal and nonparallel with the barb arm to prevent the fish harvesting head from inadvertently being pulled free from a target. The gripper arm may extend at a compound angle from a side surface of the barb arm. The gripper arm may also be nonlinear such that the gripper arm mates with an outer surface of the fish harvesting head when the barb arm is in a closed position against the harvesting body. In such a position, the gripper arm assists the barb arm in staying in a closed position while the fish harvesting head is driven into a target, such as, but not limited to a fish.