Killing The Fish

[TWMstr]

Most people don't know this about bass, or even fish period. I've been noticing alot on the forums lately that hundreds of people are taking pictures of their bass lying on the ground next to their feet, fishing poles, tape measures, etc. Just a reminder! Your killing 5 out of 10 fish that your catching and doing this to. Every fish has a slime coating over their entire body that protects them from infection.. and guess what your rubbing off when their flopping all over the ground or even taking 30 some pictures while their lying there. Why do you think its a penalty during tournaments when the bass hits carpet?

Just my two cents and a reminder.

[J Francho]

50% mortality is a BIG STRETCH.  Do you have a study to back that statistic up?  I'm not trying to be rough here, just sharing some info.

 

Let me share my experience...

 

Breading your bass in dirt and gravel is not good.  Removal of slime coat is not ideal, but it's also unavoidable, and is not as lethal as you think - they constantly produce it.  Though it's best to minimize this.  Lying a bass on grass is not going to result in 50% mortality.  No, it isn't ideal, but if you wet the grass, it's fine.  At the hatchery, we counted delicate trout fingerlings by sliding them across a wet Formica counter top, into a hole, where below was a bucket of water.  Baby trout are fragile, and adult bass are very tough and resilient.  I think you can see the comparison.

 

In my opinion, the BIGGEST cause of mortality in catch and release fishing is:

 

Time out of the water.  Guys catch their fish, admire it, show it to their buddies, dig the scale and measuring tape out of their bag, maybe drop the fish a few times, measure it, weight it, dig a camera out, try to pose for the hero shot, snap off five or fifty pics from all angles, show it off some more, and then release the thing.  Yeah, it swam away....how many of those fish became turtle food? 

 

So, laying them in the grass for a quick pic, I got no problem with that, so long as you are being as careful as possible, and are prepared to document your catch, and get it back to the water in 90 seconds or so. Otherwise, it's better off on the dinner table, whether yours or a turtle's.

[moguy1973]

If that were the case there sure would be a lot of dead fish laying around my wife's family pond. Which there aren't.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

i agree with franko.. Laying the bass on the wet grass is fine, i do it all the time when i fishing my self i get the fish back in well  under a minute.  wet the grass , lay my rod down  snap a pic, release. i sometimes weigh my fish but that only take an extra 5-10 seconds.  but your right some people just dont respect the fish. 50% is a little exagerated imo

[Raul]

 Your killing 5 out of 10 fish that your catching and doing this to.

 

That is what you think, it´s not a proven fact, asseverations in order to be valid have to be accompanied with the stats to prove them.

 

Your opinion was valid about mishandling the fish until you added the 50% mortality rate.

[BassinLou]

TWMstr. I am one of the one's that does what you have described. I take the highest precautions when handling the fish I catch. Do not look at a pic and assume the fish are flopping around. At least with me the fish I catch and photograph, believe it or not stay perfectly still when I take my pic. I also take one pic, max two, quick weighing if I deem it necessary and gently released. All that in under a minute. Although your $.02 is noted, I am really curious and interested in reading the statistic that you are claiming.

[Loop_Dad]

TWM,

 

It is good that you are bringing the attention to this subject.  I took 5 out of 10 die is more of a figure of speech...

 

I have seen in some other forum that a couple of guys put the picture of bass covered with dirt, which looked like breaded tempura before being fried. Some of the pic was a guy stepping in the bass' mouth on the ground and taking picture. I thought those were isolated cases, but they were not. They kept coming. I made comment here and there. I didn't get the feeling not many people care that much. However, many of the cases were because they don't know better. So it is important to speak up about this time to time.

[TWMstr]

Truly that is a figure of speech, but not all people take the precautions you all take when catching fish. I can't tell you the videos I've seen where people are (whether they know it or not) purposely killing the fish by either keeping them out of the water wayyyy too long, or letting them flop around on the grass. It does remove their natural protection, and not all fish float when they die. But truthfully what do I think happens to the 10 fish that someone catches after taking several pictures of them on the ground? At least 1-3 actually either die or barely survive. 

 

I mean no harm to anyone who actually takes precautions, but to those who don't you should heed to advice and think twice before stringing up your pole and going out to a local lake to kill fish. 

 

Again I apologize for the exaggeration, I was a little ticked off after seeing all the photos and videos of people doing this.

 

 

 

TWM,

 

It is good that you are bringing the attention to this subject.  I took 5 out of 10 die is more of a figure of speech...

 

I have seen in some other forum that a couple of guys put the picture of bass covered with dirt, which looked like breaded tempura before being fried. Some of the pic was a guy stepping in the bass' mouth on the ground and taking picture. I thought those were isolated cases, but they were not. They kept coming. I made comment here and there. I didn't get the feeling not many people care that much. However, many of the cases were because they don't know better. So it is important to speak up about this time to time.

 

 

TWMstr. I am one of the one's that does what you have described. I take the highest precautions when handling the fish I catch. Do not look at a pic and assume the fish are flopping around. At least with me the fish I catch and photograph, believe it or not stay perfectly still when I take my pic. I also take one pic, max two, quick weighing if I deem it necessary and gently released. All that in under a minute. Although your $.02 is noted, I am really curious and interested in reading the statistic that you are claiming.

 

 

If tournaments dont kill 50% of fish I kinda doubt that laying them on the carpet kills em. Also, its only a penalty in MLF "tournaments" It is a good point though that we need to be really careful when we catch and handle them.

 

 

That is what you think, it´s not a proven fact, asseverations in order to be valid have to be accompanied with the stats to prove them.

 

Your opinion was valid about mishandling the fish until you added the 50% mortality rate.

 

 

i agree with franko.. Laying the bass on the wet grass is fine, i do it all the time when i fishing my self i get the fish back in well  under a minute.  wet the grass , lay my rod down  snap a pic, release. i sometimes weigh my fish but that only take an extra 5-10 seconds.  but your right some people just dont respect the fish. 50% is a little exagerated imo

 

 

If that were the case there sure would be a lot of dead fish laying around my wife's family pond. Which there aren't.

 

 

50% mortality is a BIG STRETCH.  Do you have a study to back that statistic up?  I'm not trying to be rough here, just sharing some info.

 

Let me share my experience...

 

Breading your bass in dirt and gravel is not good.  Removal of slime coat is not ideal, but it's also unavoidable, and is not as lethal as you think - they constantly produce it.  Though it's best to minimize this.  Lying a bass on grass is not going to result in 50% mortality.  No, it isn't ideal, but if you wet the grass, it's fine.  At the hatchery, we counted delicate trout fingerlings by sliding them across a wet Formica counter top, into a hole, where below was a bucket of water.  Baby trout are fragile, and adult bass are very tough and resilient.  I think you can see the comparison.

 

In my opinion, the BIGGEST cause of mortality in catch and release fishing is:

 

Time out of the water.  Guys catch their fish, admire it, show it to their buddies, dig the scale and measuring tape out of their bag, maybe drop the fish a few times, measure it, weight it, dig a camera out, try to pose for the hero shot, snap off five or fifty pics from all angles, show it off some more, and then release the thing.  Yeah, it swam away....how many of those fish became turtle food? 

 

So, laying them in the grass for a quick pic, I got no problem with that, so long as you are being as careful as possible, and are prepared to document your catch, and get it back to the water in 90 seconds or so. Otherwise, it's better off on the dinner table, whether yours or a turtle's.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

 

Truly that is a figure of speech, but not all people take the precautions you all take when catching fish. I can't tell you the videos I've seen where people are (whether they know it or not) purposely killing the fish by either keeping them out of the water wayyyy too long, or letting them flop around on the grass. It does remove their natural protection, and not all fish float when they die. But truthfully what do I think happens to the 10 fish that someone catches after taking several pictures of them on the ground? At least 1-3 actually either die or barely survive. 

 

I mean no harm to anyone who actually takes precautions, but to those who don't you should heed to advice and think twice before stringing up your pole and going out to a local lake to kill fish. 

 

Again I apologize for the exaggeration, I was a little ticked off after seeing all the photos and videos of people doing this.

 

well just going on the most recent bassmaster this year.. I remeber a guy talking about survial rate among all the bass brought to weigh-ins was very high dont quote me but i think he said 100%?? im just thinking about all the handling in which those fish endure during the course of there ride all day in a live well, weigh-ins and of course flooping them in the boat...

[Grizzn N Bassin]

^{http://bassmaster.com/news/100-survival-rate-classic-bass  i hope this works heres the link}

[BassinLou]

TWM, I can understand your frustration. Watching countless of videos showing bass being mistreated, will bother many of us here. Just know that fortunately, there are also many of us that truly enjoy our sport and pastime and we go to great lengths to preserve the bass we are after.

[flyfisher]

I try to go by the rule of holding your breath while the fish is out of the water. When it is time for you to breathe it is time to release the fish.

[Smallmouth Hunter]

50% death rate is not completely accurate. It depends on the water. Water with more salt in it (and other minerals, and other certain things) will help bass regenerate their slime coat faster. I always try to get the bass back in the water in less than a minute, then revive them for 1 minute at least, even if they are ready to swim back already. Only exception is when i am going for schoolers, and i want to get a cast back in the school as fast as possible, so i unhook them as fast as possible and drop them in then lauch the bait out again.

[Smallmouth Hunter]

To add to my previous comment, if you have ever seen a degradable bag filled with salt (it has other stuff in it too but mostly salt) that people (usually the owner of the pond, or the park ranger, or someone like that) drop in all over the pond, this is for the bass. It helps them produce that slime layer.

[Snakehead Whisperer]

well just going on the most recent bassmaster this year.. I remeber a guy talking about survial rate among all the bass brought to weigh-ins was very high dont quote me but i think he said 100%?? im just thinking about all the handling in which those fish endure during the course of there ride all day in a live well, weigh-ins and of course flooping them in the boat...

 

The fact that it was near freezing at the classic didn't hurt. I'd like to see a BASS event come anywhere close to 100% survival during July or August (not going to happen.) BASS and other tournament events held here on the Potomac during summer are usually followed by dozens of dead fish found within a week near the release site. 

[merc1997]

Most people don't know this about bass, or even fish period. I've been noticing alot on the forums lately that hundreds of people are taking pictures of their bass lying on the ground next to their feet, fishing poles, tape measures, etc. Just a reminder! Your killing 5 out of 10 fish that your catching and doing this to. Every fish has a slime coating over their entire body that protects them from infection.. and guess what your rubbing off when their flopping all over the ground or even taking 30 some pictures while their lying there. Why do you think its a penalty during tournaments when the bass hits carpet?

Just my two cents and a reminder.

well, guess what you are doing then when you fight a fish in through any type of cover???  that is right, you are rubbing slime coat off.  are you going to quit fishing???  neither am i.  i will agree that we all need to take care of our fish.  i do not know about taking pics on the carpet, but there are just times that a fish is going to get on the floor of the boat.  i have bad wrists and hand, and i have to settle the fish down between my legs to get enough grip to dislodge the hook.  some of us just can not be as perfect as you would like us to be.

 

bo

[Grizzn N Bassin]

The fact that it was near freezing at the classic didn't hurt. I'd like to see a BASS event come anywhere close to 100% survival during July or August (not going to happen.) BASS and other tournament events held here on the Potomac during summer are usually followed by dozens of dead fish found within a week near the release site. 

i was just reading an article about that at school but I cant find the link at my house.. ill to post it if I find it again

[Broc]

Yeah i've seen my fair share of ''failed'' releases of all species of fish.  When water temperatures warm, especially during the summer months its best to have your release tools, scale, and camera easily accessible.  I always wet my hands when handling fish to reduce slime take off.  slime is very important part of the fish's immune system.

 

well, guess what you are doing then when you fight a fish in through any type of cover???  that is right, you are rubbing slime coat off.  are you going to quit fishing???  neither am i.  i will agree that we all need to take care of our fish.  i do not know about taking pics on the carpet, but there are just times that a fish is going to get on the floor of the boat.  i have bad wrists and hand, and i have to settle the fish down between my legs to get enough grip to dislodge the hook.  some of us just can not be as perfect as you would like us to be.

 

bo

 

Just saying pulling a fish from cover is nothing flopping around on warm ,dry carpet. It makes a huge difference when it is touching objects that are wet, compared to dry.  But sure it is going to happen. Mortality is part of fishing. It's just best to be as efficient as possible.

[Broc]

also according to Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, tournament mortality rates less than 14% during ideal conditions is considered a success.  Poorly handled fish during warm water can result in greater than 26% mortality rate.  - Cant copy/paste the website because its a pdf.  But google 'mortality rates bass tournaments', and its like the 3rd link down.

[BadBassWV]

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/%5C//images/fisheries/info_sheets/cr_mortality.pdf   I found this read kind of interesting.

[TWMstr]

Again, I made this post to bring attention to the ones who don't take care of their fish while out of water. Not to be statistically correct. Just sometimes seeing people breading fish in dirt infuriates me. Take care guys.

[J Francho]

http://www.fish.state.pa.us/%5C//images/fisheries/info_sheets/cr_mortality.pdf   I found this read kind of interesting.

 

 

Not a bad article, but more recent info suggests that "moving a fish back and forth" is NOT the best way, and to simply hold it upright, and let it respire naturally.  I don't think it's nearly as big a deal with bass, but northern pike and musky sure do require some time to shed to the lactic acid built up in it's blood stream.  For this, you simply cradle them, and you'll feel them regain strength, as fresh, oxygenated blood flows to their muscle tissues.  They stiffen up, and generally start to swim away.

 

I also can't believe the jump from 12% mortality to 46 to 58% mortality of the total initial population of the lake.  More than half the bass are killed by fishing? No way.  Less than 5% of the bass in a lake are actually caught. Electro shocking has taught us that.  Unless they mean that half of the bass caught die, then that would be 2.5% of the total population, at most.

[tomustang]

If that rate was the case then the decline of bass population would be noticed significantly