Super User CWB Posted February 12, 2014 Super User Posted February 12, 2014 Oh yeah? That bass in my avatar is 7/11. I was so disappointed that it wasn't a ten-pounder that I threw it up on the bank for about five minutes, rubbed it down with gravel, and then drop-kicked it back into the water. I hope I didn't hurt it. That was a few years ago my friend and look at the picture. You are struggling so hard to hold it and sweating so hard you had to wear a headband.
wakeeater Posted February 12, 2014 Posted February 12, 2014 sometimes i like to grab 'em by the tail and sling 'em "skipping stone" style as far as i can. my buddy & i have a contest. the loser buys lunch. the record is about 60 feet so far. dinks are the best, but you can usually get a good 8 yards out of a 3 lber.
Bassassin's_Creed Posted February 12, 2014 Posted February 12, 2014 The only fish I don't care to handle properly are bluegill. Other than that I try to be gentle with most other fish. I don't think the hooks even hurt them that much(depending on where it's hooked), it's probably equivalent to us getting a shot. If on shore I do toss them back gently, almost as if it's breaking water, avoiding objects. 1
Chris186 Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 What ticks me off is the picture of a fish covered in grass and dirt laying next to a rod. Not so much the tossing in the water. Just my 2 cents. Or laying next to someone's foot in the dirt and grass as they take a picture to show how big it is.
mjseverson24 Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 I don't drop fish very often, every now and then in tournaments i do to small bass and pike because of the time component, but most often I do a stomach cradle release. I never drop a bass over 2 lbs... Mitch
mnlakesman Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 well I think it depends on how much fight the fish gave you... Have you ever known that when you fight with any fish for a long time they dont "splash" way??? its because when you get any fish in quick they are not tired but if it takes a long time that is a problem for them. Imagine being sent off "running" and you are not tired... you can run like normal but if you are sent off running after you ran a marathon and tired that becomes a problem. So it depends on how "tired" you think the fish is that determines how to release it 1
Super User ww2farmer Posted February 13, 2014 Super User Posted February 13, 2014 Let me tell you how to make a rock bass dizzy.....oh wait....get your tampon first and let me know when your ready. 2
Super User Ratherbfishing Posted February 13, 2014 Super User Posted February 13, 2014 sometimes i like to grab 'em by the tail and sling 'em "skipping stone" style as far as i can. my buddy & i have a contest. the loser buys lunch. the record is about 60 feet so far. dinks are the best, but you can usually get a good 8 yards out of a 3 lber. My record, so far, is eight skips. Panfish with a flat surface work better, though.
Super User Raul Posted February 13, 2014 Super User Posted February 13, 2014 How do you think it "feels" ?: "Mishanding" starts at the moment you set the hook. If bass "suffering" takes away your sleep find yourself another hobby.
shimmy Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 Agree with Raul, if this is really bothering you, stop feeding a bass artificial lures in their natural habitat and yanking them from their home potentially shortening their longevity of life and/or eating habits in the future. There is absolutely no way that dropping a bass arm level is more damaging than the trauma forced on it with the hook set, battle, and suffocation out of the water. This may be the wrong sport for you if that causes you concern.
cryodenk Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 realy you have a prob with some one throwing a fish in the water but have no prob with hooking them in the face and draging them threw water? I don’t understand the arrogance of people that would have the nerve to complain about 1 abuse but feel fine with one that is far worse. Given the choice of being thrown in the water or hooked in the face and dragged 20ft to a boat witch one are you going to take? I treat my fish with care but I also don’t feel the need to judge someone for how they treat there fish after they have HOOKED IT.
Bob C Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 realy you have a prob with some one throwing a fish in the water but have no prob with hooking them in the face and draging them threw water? I don’t understand the arrogance of people that would have the nerve to complain about 1 abuse but feel fine with one that is far worse. Given the choice of being thrown in the water or hooked in the face and dragged 20ft to a boat witch one are you going to take? I treat my fish with care but I also don’t feel the need to judge someone for how they treat there fish after they have HOOKED IT. ^^^^THIS^^^^
Jd_Phillips_Fishin Posted February 13, 2014 Posted February 13, 2014 What ticks me off is the picture of a fish covered in grass and dirt laying next to a rod. Not so much the tossing in the water. Just my 2 cents. Your right, laying a fish on the ground takes off alot of slime
AQUA VELVA Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 If I catch a nice size one ,4lbs and up, I generally like to ease them back into the lake and watch them as they swim away. Sometimes payback is a face full of water but I still enjoy it. Anything smaller gets dropped from a couple feet or so and believe me, as soon as they feel the water they are gone in a flash.
Oscar O. Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 For me, I always place the fish back in the water if possible, but I'm just a softie haha. I think the only time I would feel for the fish is if they are handled out of the water for a while to get the hook out, then I would think that a careful release would be warranted. If you can pop the hook out quick and you throw (maybe more like "drop" or "lob") the fish back then there probably won't be any adverse effects. I'm not sure how often a bass jumps or from how high outside being reeled in by an angler, but I can't really think of very many situations where they withstand that sort of impact. On the other hand, bass seem to be pretty sturdy fish and I don't think the overall impact of the practice will affect a fishery too much, if at all.
dave Posted February 14, 2014 Posted February 14, 2014 For the life of me I can't remember the name but, years ago an older, long time BASS pro told us during a seminar when the same question was asked, that the toss and hitting the water disorients the fish. They found the fish recovered from the catch and release process better.
Hyrule Bass Posted February 15, 2014 Posted February 15, 2014 there are times when its just not conducive to easily release a bass softly in the water. ive fished ponds where the weeds around the edge are rather grown up. you have to toss them back in there, granted i try to do it in a manner where they can land as soft as possible, but still they have to be tossed/thrown back in based on the circumstances.
Loop_Dad Posted February 15, 2014 Posted February 15, 2014 For the life of me I can't remember the name but, years ago an older, long time BASS pro told us during a seminar when the same question was asked, that the toss and hitting the water disorients the fish. They found the fish recovered from the catch and release process better. Oh you know what, I hooked a crappie this winter from deep water. It appeared dead and kept floating back until it finally swam back. I searched about this on the net and I got a tip to squeeze the belly to get some air out and then drop it from some height. I did that when I caught the second time and it worked like a charm. Not about bass but this has some truth to it, I feel. I duno.
jeremyryanwebb Posted February 15, 2014 Posted February 15, 2014 I always make sure to drop them vertically into deep enough water. I feel bad if i toss one and he hits his side like a belly flop. I work with pond preservation at our Outfitters Center, so I always try to respect the fish within reason.
jessejames556 Posted February 15, 2014 Posted February 15, 2014 I dont understand why the fact that they are hooked justifies further mishandling. If anything, the fact that I just hooked the fish and yanked it from its environment means that I owe it at least proper handling and not chucking it back in the water. I commend the OP for caring to show the bass some dignity after hooking it. I dont think that is a double standard. 1
AQUA VELVA Posted February 16, 2014 Posted February 16, 2014 Hey, I bet PETA would have an opinion on this subject.
Global Moderator Bluebasser86 Posted February 16, 2014 Global Moderator Posted February 16, 2014 Salt water anglers often toss fish back at the water head first to give their gills a strong rush of oxygen when they hit the water to help revive them. I really think you are over thinking it. Bass and other fish don't possess the cognitive skills to think "Ow! that big jerk just tossed me back in the water!" All the fish is probably thinking is his captor dropped him and he better swim away quickly before you come back to finish the job. A bass' brain thinks about food, survival, and making more bass and very little else.
Super User SirSnookalot Posted February 16, 2014 Super User Posted February 16, 2014 Watching a TV show or reading internet posts do not always depict what's happening in real life. I have seen very few posts where people do not care to put their best foot forward. Doesn't everyone kiss them, caress them, take the utmost care..........me I just chuck them back in, like I see most people doing. Can't remember a bass going belly up where they needed to be revived. The fish seem happy to be back in the water and I'm happy making my next cast.
Mainebass1984 Posted February 16, 2014 Posted February 16, 2014 No matter how much care we take in releasing the fish properly some fish will die just from the stress of being caught. Most of the time I release my fish head first sometimes a foot or two form the surface of the water. Releasing them head first gives them an instant rush of oxygen. Of course you don't wan to do that in real shallow water... I have seen bass jump out of the water with out being hooked trying to catch dragonflys and other bugs. They wouldn't always land in the water in a graceful manner yet they still would jump after the dragonflys. We as anglers cause harm to the fish we catch no matter how nice and gentle we are to the fish. Just use some common sense releasing them. If you overly concerned about causing harm to a fish then maybe take up another sport like bowling.
Super User geo g Posted February 16, 2014 Super User Posted February 16, 2014 Lets get real on this one. Dropping 3 feet into the water is the least of the fishes problem. I would worry more about that 4.0 hook, the 65 pound braid, the 7.0 fast reel, and the 7.4 flipping rod, with the 300 pound football player setting the hook. Going back in the water is the least of their problems! Wow!!!!!!!!
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