Releasing Bass

[EliHarris___]

So I caught my PB Bass today, I was elated! Taking pictures and everything, but I’m scared I might’ve kept em out a little to long. In total probably 3 minutes, I did dip him in to let him breathe a couple times, but when I went to revive him the last time to officially let him go, he kicked a little and slipped out of my hands. He swam away slow and taxed, I waited and watched for a couple minutes and he didn’t resurface so I assume he’s fine. The hook set was perfect in the side of the mouth, so I know that’s not a problem, but it’s bothering me still. Even tho he did swim away by himself it was just slow and taxed.  I just hope he’s ok

[RoLo]

 

I can relate to your concern. When I hook a fish in the eye, it hurts me as much as it hurts the fish.

A PB doesn't happen that often, you've done the best you could, now let mother nature take her course.

Fishing is a blood sport, after all.                        Welcome to the forum.

 

Roger

[Hammer 4]

How long can You hold your breath..?

[EliHarris___]

20 minutes ago, Hammer 4 said:

How long can You hold your breath..?

Yep, I was doing some research after the fact and that’s about what I saw... 

I’m just recently getting Super into fishing (have fished a lot before but not often) so I’m learning a lot, just wish I had learned before hand and not through error

[Hammer 4]

19 minutes ago, EliHarris___ said:

Yep, I was doing some research after the fact and that’s about what I saw... 

I’m just recently getting Super into fishing (have fished a lot before but not often) so I’m learning a lot, just wish I had learned before hand and not through error

So, when you catch a Bass, just from the short fight to land it, the fish gets pretty stressed out, this will vary, depending on age, but in a long over drawn out fight, it can kill a bass. Now, add to that the prolonged time out of the water, and the bass not getting any oxygen, can be fatal.

 

So, have your camera/cell at the ready, when you land the fish, snap as few pic's as possible, quickly, and release it, That fish beat extreme odds to grow that size, so Please do everything possible to insure it's continued growth.  

[Bluebasser86]

Hindsight is 20/20. We all have a well calculated plan for how we're going to catch the big one, but what happens after? Being prepared to quickly weigh, photograph, and release a big fish is something we owe them for giving us the chance to catch them.

 

Those plastic fish grippers tied to a parachute cord are a great way to keep a fish in the water, without having to pierce their lip, run a stringer through their gills/jaw, ect.

[EliHarris___]

Thanks for the tips, I want nothing less than to fatally harm a catch and release fish, especially one of this size

39 minutes ago, Hammer 4 said:

so Please do everything possible to insure it's continued growth

Yes, that’s why I started this thread. I was concerned and needed a little extra guidance. Thank you

[scaleface]

 .After catching a bass large enough to merit a photo I put a fish grip on  its lip , attach grip to a stringer then place it over the side of the boat . Then I set my camera up on a tripod and set the timer for ten seconds . Retrieve the fish , hold it up and get the photo .

 

 

[garroyo130]

1 hour ago, scaleface said:

 .After catching a bass large enough to merit a photo.

Key point right there. And dont give me no outstretched arms towards the camera to make a 3lb fish look like a 10lber. 

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, garroyo130 said:

Key point right there. And dont give me no outstretched arms towards the camera to make a 3lb fish look like a 10lber. 

Perhaps you could post a few photos of your catches.

Just so we could see how it's done.

A-Jay

 

[garroyo130]

4 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Perhaps you could post a few photos of your catches.

Just so we could see how it's done.

A-Jay

 

Only pictures I take are when im fishing with the kids and they catch something (anything really), and I'd rather not post those. 

 

But rest assured that if a fish is big enough to warrant a picture I'll make sure to take 2. 1 on a ruler and 1 on a scale. 

 

Nice fish

[A-Jay]

Just now, garroyo130 said:

Only pictures I take are when im fishing with the kids and they catch something (anything really), and I'd rather not post those. 

 

But rest assured that if a fish is big enough to warrant a picture I'll make sure to take 2. 1 on a ruler and 1 on a scale. 

 

Nice fish

Perfect.

Looking forward to it. 

A-Jay

[garroyo130]

9 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Perfect.

Looking forward to it. 

A-Jay

If you think the comment was about you, it wasn't. What I'm mainly referring to is people trying to make a living off catching "big" fish on youtube or instagram doing stuff like this. 

 

[A-Jay]

Just now, garroyo130 said:

If you think the comment was about you, it wasn't. What I'm mainly referring to is people trying to make a living off catching "big" fish on youtube or instagram doing stuff like this. 

 

I hear ya, and I understand your point.

Posting fish pics can be tricky.

We each have our own style & way of presenting them.

Like I said, post a few up and see how it goes.

A-Jay

[scaleface]

My bass probably appear larger because of the angle I take pictures . The camera is usually lower than the fish .

[A-Jay]

1 minute ago, scaleface said:

My bass probably appear larger because of the angle I take pictures . The camera is usually lower than the fish .

A Nice bass is a Nice bass - 

Regardless of 'the angle'.

btw - that's a Chunk.

A-Jay

[Koz]

Although some say they are out of style, I bank fish most of the time and wear cargo shorts. This allows me pockets for my phone, fish grippers, and pliers. If I'm fishing alone I usually find it too much of a hassle to snap a picture trying to hold the fish and I don't feel like strapping a tripod to my backpack. So the only decent pics I get is when I'm fishing with my son or someone else or someone happens to be nearby who can take the picture.

 

True story - a few weeks ago I was fishing a lagoon along the road and had just landed a five pounder just as a woman was driving by. She actually stopped and asked if she could take a picture. I have no idea who she was, but obliged. Maybe she thought I was handsome and wasn't interested in the fish.

[scaleface]

3 minutes ago, Koz said:

I don't feel like strapping a tripod to my backpack.

I use a little flexible tripod that is about 6 inches long .

[garroyo130]

15 minutes ago, Koz said:

Maybe she thought I was handsome and wasn't interested in the fish.

If the same would have happened to me I would have just figured she was hungry and ONLY interested in the fish! 

[MN Fisher]

13 minutes ago, Koz said:

Although some say they are out of style, I bank fish most of the time and wear cargo shorts.

I don't wear shorts - I burn too easily...but I do wear cargo pants.

 

13 minutes ago, scaleface said:

I use a little flexible tripod that is about 6 inches long .

Until I got the camera mount in the canoe, I just used my tablet that normally runs my contour map app. Timer set for 5 seconds - and this pic was taken that way.

Now I just take screen-shots from one of the cameras...either the deck-mount or the shoulder-mount - like this one.

[jimmyjoe]

41 minutes ago, Koz said:

Maybe she thought I was handsome and wasn't interested in the fish.

 

   I'll be 70 next year. If that happened to me, I'd know FOR SURE that she was interested in the fish!  ?   jj

[Bird]

I take horrible pics but return them fairly quick.......prime example. Lol

[WRB]

12 hours ago, EliHarris___ said:

So I caught my PB Bass today, I was elated! Taking pictures and everything, but I’m scared I might’ve kept em out a little to long. In total probably 3 minutes, I did dip him in to let him breathe a couple times, but when I went to revive him the last time to officially let him go, he kicked a little and slipped out of my hands. He swam away slow and taxed, I waited and watched for a couple minutes and he didn’t resurface so I assume he’s fine. The hook set was perfect in the side of the mouth, so I know that’s not a problem, but it’s bothering me still. Even tho he did swim away by himself it was just slow and taxed.  I just hope he’s ok

Did you weigh, measure and take photos?

When bass are over 4 lbs the odds he's a she are very high. 

If the bass was able to maintain a upright swimming position without rolling over she was more then likely a survivor.

Congratulations on you new PB. 

Tom

[Captain Phil]

It's not good for the fish to touch it's body.  Bass have a protective slim to protect them from infection.   Rubbing off this slim could cause the fish to get lesions.  For the same reason, I do not use a landing net.  If you must touch them, do it with wet hands.  I hold bass by the lower lip.  I always make sure the bass can swim off under it's own power.  Fish are tough animals.  I have caught some that survived horrendous injuries.  It's best to release them as soon as possible.

[EliHarris___]

Here’s the beauty I started this thread for. Upon doing more research, it seems like It was just exhausted. I definitely shouldn’t have kept it out of the water for so long, but I think he will make it. As I said before, I want nothing less than to fatally harm a bass, especially one of this size. But from the symptoms I saw and read, he was just spent of energy. He kicked out of my hands under his own strength and there was nothing wrong with the hook set. As said before I do regret keeping him out for so long, it’s still bothering me now

4 minutes ago, WRB said:

Did you weigh, measure and take photos?

When bass are over 4 lbs the odds he's a she are very high. 

If the bass was able to maintain a upright swimming position without rolling over she was more then likely a survivor.

Congratulations on you new PB. 

Tom

Yep, it was probably a little over 5 lbs. she swam away slow but straight up. Didn’t roll over at all