akunk23 Posted July 1, 2014 Posted July 1, 2014 Can someone explain why its important for the fish to "keep" their slime when you catch them. I hear people say be careful when you catch and release because of their slime coat. Whys it important? Thank you in advance. Quote
Mccallister25 Posted July 1, 2014 Posted July 1, 2014 The fish have a slime coat that keeps them from being vulnerable to diseases and bacteria. If you drop a bass and have it roll around on grass/carpet it takes that coat away. Although it is important to handle fish correctly, I have heard that the slime starts reply tidying itself when the fish goes back into the water. Quote
somebassguy Posted July 1, 2014 Posted July 1, 2014 It is a coating between the fish and the outside environment. It helps keep things like infections - bacteria, virus, fungus and parasites from getting on to their body. It may help regulate their body chemistry too by controlling how much interaction their internal systems have with their outside environment. I try not to touch their body. I don't net them if I don't have to. I don't drop them on the carpet or other dry surface if I can avoid it. I like to use soft nets when I do. I wet my hand before I touch their body if I need to do that for some reason. Sometimes I release fish without bringing them in the boat but I do lots of photography and video so I minimize what I can. If I put fish in the livewell that I'm not going to eat I like to put a little treatment of some type. You can use one of the commercial chemicals following directions or use non-iodized salt which may work just as good or better. It is said these will encourage their body to produce more slime in reaction. Not sure how fast that can happen. Quote
somebassguy Posted July 1, 2014 Posted July 1, 2014 Whoops. I took to long eating a snack and didn't see someone had already answered in between the time I started to write and remembered to hit Post. This gives me the idea that I should talk to some bass biologists to see what information is available on how quick bass or other fish can produce slime. I have dealt with some species of fish that seem able to produce and excess of very messy, slimy slime. The clean up can be involved sometimes. Quote
Super User Catch and Grease Posted July 1, 2014 Super User Posted July 1, 2014 I've always heard of people catching bass with handprint infections from where people have grabbed bass but personally think that's stretched from the truth... I could believe that except for the handprint shape lol.... When I release bass I'll hold them under their belly and put them in the water horizontally sometimes and I don't think it hurts but who knows Quote
Super User Raul Posted July 2, 2014 Super User Posted July 2, 2014 The point here is how carefully you handle the fish. Many years ago I worked in Mexico´s equivalent of the F & G at the state´s aquaculture center and I handled fish daily, and handled them in many ways, with my hands, with nets, large fish ( grass carp ) were so big that we placed them on stretchers and none of them died so things get exaggerated and blown out of every proportion, The slime is extremely important, you do have to protect it the most you can and some practices should be avoided like letting the fish bounce on the dry carpet of the boat, handling the fish with dry hands, placing the fish on the dry ground, because in those cases yes, the slime does get removed. Quote
Super User Deleted account Posted July 2, 2014 Super User Posted July 2, 2014 Can someone explain why its important for the fish to "keep" their slime when you catch them. I hear people say be careful when you catch and release because of their slime coat. Whys it important? Thank you in advance. For the same reason you want your epidermis to stay put... Quote
Kelly0513 Posted October 26, 2021 Posted October 26, 2021 On 7/1/2014 at 7:20 PM, somebassguy said: Whoops. I took to long eating a snack and didn't see someone had already answered in between the time I started to write and remembered to hit Post. This gives me the idea that I should talk to some bass biologists to see what information is available on how quick bass or other fish can produce slime. I have dealt with some species of fish that seem able to produce and excess of very messy, slimy slime. The clean up can be involved sometimes. Did you get in touch with any biologists and learn more? I am interested in learning and trying to find more information on this topic Quote
Super User Hammer 4 Posted October 26, 2021 Super User Posted October 26, 2021 3 hours ago, Kelly0513 said: Did you get in touch with any biologists and learn more? I am interested in learning and trying to find more information on this topic He hasn't been on here since Feb 2015..just sayin. 1 Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.