How Long Out Of The Water?

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

So you are scrounging for the scale, phone, pliers, or whatever else with a bass hanging from your thumb. How long can a bass be out of the water for "picture time" or whatever before they die, or are out too long that they probably won't make it once you put them back in. Also, does the size if the bass make a difference as to how long they can stay out of the water for?

[deep]

No longer than I can hold my breath is what I go by. Every shorebound angler should consider carrying a long stringer to keep the bass in the water while getting scale/ camera etc ready. The added advantage is you have both your hands free.

[WRB]

No longer than I can hold my breath is what I go by. Every shorebound angler should consider carrying a long stringer to keep the bass in the water while getting scale/ camera etc ready. The added advantage is you have both your hands free.

+1 Good advice.

Tom

[deep]

http://www.mikelongoutdoors.com/bass-handling/

 

http://www.mikelongoutdoors.com/prepared-for-a-record-catch/

 

 

Here are a couple of nice articles. Pretty sure I posted the links before, but a repost doesn't hurt.

 

I guess I'm very (a little too much perhaps) passionate about big bass; but I believe if someone is good enough (or lucky enough) to catch these beautiful fish. he/ she should also be prepared to take care of them.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

Sorry for the noob question but what is a stringer and how do I get one

[deep]

 

This should help you get started.

 

Mine has a clip at each end; one for the bass, one for tying the other end to a tree on the shore (or around one of my legs lol) to keep both hands free while fiddling with my tripod.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

This is fantastic!

[Fish Chris]

+1 Good advice.

Tom

 X's 3... but I shoot for even less.

 

Fish

[BassinLou]

The hold your breath tip is a great tip. I live by that one. When I bank fish for example, on my fishing pack I know that off my left hip is the scale and measuring tape. My phone is attached to me and ready for pics. If for whatever reason I feel I am taking too long, I do not hesitate to put the fish in the water and wet the gills and give it a chance to breath a bit. Right after that, I weigh it, snap a pic, and quickly release revived and ready to fight for another day. The better organized you are when you catch the big one the smoother the transition to record the experience. It pains me  to see guys with there go pro cameras catch a beautiful fish, drag it across the bank, let it flop in the grass and then run several yards to their car or house, or wait for someone, to bring a scale. I understand they are excited, however they have to be a little bit more conscious on the stress that cause to the fish.

[5 Dollar Fishing Game]

I love in the video when he says "I have this little girl right here". Yeah right, little. Looks like 11+

Priceless!!! Nice fish!!!!!

[GeorgiaBassBros]

If i need something, i usually hold the fish in the water while i have a buddy bring it to me or while im trying to get the camera out of my pocket. Havent had any die from just being out of the water too long and not many from gut hooks after i learned how to take it out through the gills.

[CountBassula]

The hold your breath tip is a great tip. I live by that one. When I bank fish for example, on my fishing pack I know that off my left hip is the scale and measuring tape. My phone is attached to me and ready for pics. If for whatever reason I feel I am taking too long, I do not hesitate to put the fish in the water and wet the gills and give it a chance to breath a bit. Right after that, I weigh it, snap a pic, and quickly release revived and ready to fight for another day. The better organized you are when you catch the big one the smoother the transition to record the experience. It pains me  to see guys with there go pro cameras catch a beautiful fish, drag it across the bank, let it flop in the grass and then run several yards to their car or house, or wait for someone, to bring a scale. I understand they are excited, however they have to be a little bit more conscious on the stress that cause to the fish.

 

with all due respect, i think the hold your breath tip is silly. most people can't hold their breath for a minute. but more importantly, fish are cold blooded animals with much slower metabolism than worm blooded mammals (humans in this case). slower metabolism = slower oxygen burn rate = more time out of the water before brain damage occurs (and I mention brain/central nervous system because other organs recover better from oxygen deprivation). Now, I know that I could hold my breath up to 3 minutes (yes I've done it before with a stop watch), and am sure a 2+lbs fish can handle it as well.

 

another example i can quote, though not directly related to fish, but still illustrates how long a simple organism can survive without oxygen: often times at night I see night crawlers fall into the bottom of my pool, i will be outside smoking etc and I see them moving around for 10-15 minutes before they go dead...

 

anyways, i'm not saying keep every fish for 3-5 minutes out of the water, but i think it's not going to kill it if you do.

[hooah212002]

with all due respect, i think the hold your breath tip is silly. most people can't hold their breath for a minute. but more importantly, fish are cold blooded animals with much slower metabolism than worm blooded mammals (humans in this case). slower metabolism = slower oxygen burn rate = more time out of the water before brain damage occurs (and I mention brain/central nervous system because other organs recover better from oxygen deprivation). Now, I know that I could hold my breath up to 3 minutes (yes I've done it before with a stop watch), and am sure a 2+lbs fish can handle it as well.

 

another example i can quote, though not directly related to fish, but still illustrates how long a simple organism can survive without oxygen: often times at night I see night crawlers fall into the bottom of my pool, i will be outside smoking etc and I see them moving around for 10-15 minutes before they go dead...

 

anyways, i'm not saying keep every fish for 3-5 minutes out of the water, but i think it's not going to kill it if you do.

 

It's called: better safe than sorry. Is it an exact science? Not by a long shot. But it IS better than giving yourself the false illusion that the fish is quite fine being out of the water for 5 minutes "because it's cold blooded with slower metabolism than a mammal". Remember, you just yanked this thing from the water with a hook in it's face so it's plenty stressed, thus meaning it's not going to have adequate time to acclimate to getting out of the water (like you getting yourself ready to dunk your head under water to see how long you can do it). Maybe we should stop worrying about fish care altogether since they are such simple creatures?

[MarkH024]

with all due respect, i think the hold your breath tip is silly. most people can't hold their breath for a minute. but more importantly, fish are cold blooded animals with much slower metabolism than worm blooded mammals (humans in this case). slower metabolism = slower oxygen burn rate = more time out of the water before brain damage occurs (and I mention brain/central nervous system because other organs recover better from oxygen deprivation). Now, I know that I could hold my breath up to 3 minutes (yes I've done it before with a stop watch), and am sure a 2+lbs fish can handle it as well.

 

another example i can quote, though not directly related to fish, but still illustrates how long a simple organism can survive without oxygen: often times at night I see night crawlers fall into the bottom of my pool, i will be outside smoking etc and I see them moving around for 10-15 minutes before they go dead...

 

anyways, i'm not saying keep every fish for 3-5 minutes out of the water, but i think it's not going to kill it if you do.

The longer they are short of oxygen...the more fatigued they become. Just because you see them swim off, doesn't always mean they won't go belly up. They may be so wiped from the fight and then the extensive time of picture taking that they keel over after release even after they swam off. Yea, they can be out probably a bit longer than the hold your breath method, but like Hooah said, better safe than sorry. Protect our sport at all costs.  

Best bet is to have your camera, pliers and everything else in spot that easy easily accessible to limit the time you need for a picture. I have all of mine on the deck of the boat so there is no scrambling to get it done.

[CountBassula]

The longer they are short of oxygen...the more fatigued they become. Just because you see them swim off, doesn't always mean they won't go belly up. They may be so wiped from the fight and then the extensive time of picture taking that they keel over after release even after they swam off. Yea, they can be out probably a bit longer than the hold your breath method, but like Hooah said, better safe than sorry. Protect our sport at all costs.  

Best bet is to have your camera, pliers and everything else in spot that easy easily accessible to limit the time you need for a picture. I have all of mine on the deck of the boat so there is no scrambling to get it done.

 

as do I. i never keep a fish out of the water for longer than a minute, maybe minute and a half. i was just making a point about what it COULD survive.

 

anyways, guys, don't think that i don't care about fish's well being and all. i really do. i treat them gently, remove the hook as cleanly as i can, and I never THROW them back, I release them gently. but in the end, it is just a fish, and the whole sport is inhumane to begin with :-)

[aqualkinbush]

I keep a fish basket for extended fish keeping from the bank. I've had up to a 5lb LM in it for an hour while I waited on my fiance to get there so I could document the catch.(she was supposed to be there in about 5 minutes...) It does no harm to the fish as its a large enough basket for them to move around in and its in the water with water passing through it. You can keep a large fish alive in one of those probably all day long.

 

Example fish basket:

 

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Most of the time I'll put it on a stringer I carry a tiny strong string so it doesn't mess up there gills.. get my.camera ready then I'll take a pic but most of the time.. I catch a bass get the hook out and place it back in the water.. probably 5 -10 seconds..

[Grizzn N Bassin]

I keep a fish basket for extended fish keeping from the bank. I've had up to a 5lb LM in it for an hour while I waited on my fiance to get there so I could document the catch.(she was supposed to be there in about 5 minutes...) It does no harm to the fish as its a large enough basket for them to move around in and its in the water with water passing through it. You can keep a large fish alive in one of those probably all day long.

 

Example fish basket:

 

I use these as bait keepers for herring during stripper season and i know the wire on the basket takes scales and there skin off which protects them from diseases I would not recommenced this for a big bass.. I've had herring in my basket for less than an hour took it up to bait my hook and their dead.. its the same with the netting takes off.there coating and scales.. unless.you have it coated with that slippery rubber stuff

[derekxec]

they can last surprisingly long out of the water but you should get them back as quickly as possible...just if you do hold them out for an extended time make sure to hold them a bit flushing water over the gills for longer than you normally would 

[aqualkinbush]

I use these as bait keepers for herring during stripper season and i know the wire on the basket takes scales and there skin off which protects them from diseases I would not recommenced this for a big bass.. I've had herring in my basket for less than an hour took it up to bait my hook and their dead.. its the same with the netting takes off.there coating and scales.. unless.you have it coated with that slippery rubber stuff

The one I actually have has some sort of rubbery material around it. I haven't noticed any damage to the fish with mine. I was just quickly grabbing an example with that image.

[fstr385]

MOST of the time once youve landed a fish and get a good grip on their jaw, they mellow out and kinda surrender. In my small boat or on shore, if it takes a minute, Ill dip them in the water and pull em back and fourth to keep em wet and get some oxygen. Most cases they dont swim off or kick away until I let go. In the bass boat, toss em in the live well.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

The one I actually have has some sort of rubbery material around it. I haven't noticed any damage to the fish with mine. I was just quickly grabbing an example with that image.

Yeah as long as its rubber and wet your good.. haha

[BassinLou]

The point that I think we are all trying to reach is we want to minimize the stress of the fish so they can live to fight another day. The hold your breath tip was not meant to be literal. Yes, they are just a fish. However, I see it more than that and I respect that creature. So if I can release it unharmed the better I feel.

[greyleg33]

Had a friend that brought one[2 1/2 lb lm]home from the lake and it was out of the water and in the back of his station wagon for about 25 minutes. He put it in the kids wading pool for over a week, feeding it bugs and worms, and it survived the week without mishap. He then released it in a local pond. No clue as to how it fared after that.

[topwaterrob]

I am over cautious when it comes to releasing them.... From handling them to getting them back quick, I do my best to ensure survival....  Even if I have to go without a picture I'll let the fish go regardless of it's size..