Catch and release - the proper way

[Glenn]

Check out this article from Bob Lusk (the "Pond Boss") about catch and release.  It features Tony Gergley of SureLife laboratories explaining in-depth about the proper handling of bass for successful catch and release:

http://www.bassresource.com/fish_biology/handling-bass.html

[Crestliner2008]

Very good article! I've also heard that if you do get the hook out and the fish is bleeding; to pour some Sprite soda into it's mouth....suppose to close the capillaries faster!?

[I.rar]

good article.

ive always been guilty of not cutting or pushing down the barb on the hook and have had a few hooks get down in there to where i couldnt get the hook out. i just cut the line , sent em' on their way and hope for the best.

this throws me off -

If you can't get the hook out, cut the hook, cut the line and gently push the hook downward into the gullet.

so worst case , you would cut what you can of the hook and push the rest of it back into the fish? they can pass that through their system?

and another thing , what about fish with smaller mouths? last time i went out to the local marina , i took the UL out , and was bringing in small snapper. the last two i landed , they just had the eye of the hook hanging out of their mouth and i could not get it out for the life of me. one of them didnt make it. i called it a day after that. :-/

and crestliner , ive heard that same thing before but with mountain dew. never had a can/bottle on hand when i have a bleeding fish though.

[Fishing Rhino]

The temperature change factor is interesting.  It makes me curious about the damage it causes.

I'd like to know more about that, since I've dealt with another species of cold blooded animal that seemingly responds negatively to a sudden increase in temperature change.  The lobster.

I've caught lobsters in 150 feet of water in the fall, south of Mass and RI.  The surface temp was around 60 degrees.  Don't know what the temp was from whence I hauled them, but they showed no signs of becoming sluggish when put in the lobster tank.

One evening we returned home, getting to the dock at about one in the morning with over 1500 pounds of product.  The surface water temp hit the low 70s as we neared the coast, and the lobsters wilted.

My circulating pump put out 150 gallons per minute, so there was no shortage of oxygen or circulation.

We got to the dock and called the dealer.  Then went back to the boat and waited.  At two o'clock, I called him again.  He had fallen asleep after the first call.

I told him he would be responsible for any lost stock since the delay was his fault.

At this time the lobsters were extremely weak.  Pick them up and the claws and tail drooped with hardly a sign of life.

Three o'clock, still waiting.  Another call.

Meanwhile 3/4 of a ton of lobsters are in the tank with the pump running full tilt.

He finally arrived about 4:30 a.m.

We pulled the cover off the tank and to my astonishment, the lobsters were as lively as could be.  They had acclimated to the change in temperature.  When we pulled them from the tank, claws and tails were flapping and flipping, spraying water everywhere.

The common knowlege was that it was vitally important to get them to the dealer, and into his refrigerated tanks as soon as possible, or you'd end up with a bunch of dead lobsters.  I suspect that was due to poor water exchange, more than the temp.

When a lobster is tossed into refrigerated water, they seize up instantly, and get rigid.  Within minutes they begin to move around normally.  They do adjust much quicker going from warm to cold, than vice versa.

[Glenn]

Here's step-by-step instructions on how to remove hook from a gut-hooked bass:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1128002349/22#22

[32251]

"don't hold the fish out of water for longer than 30 seconds".....

There are a lot of damaged fish out there.  

I got into a catch and release discussion on another forum.  Guy said that he routinely sees MANY floaters after bass tournaments.  Once he said he counted 41 in the area where the fish were released after the weigh in.  Should be a better way.

[bigmountaineer]

41 floaters wow that's insane should be a better way

[Hammer 4]

Some fishing shows are guilty of the 30 sec rule..

Re: tournaments, well the way some of those guys "horse" those fish onto the deck it's surpriseing more don't die. I've seen some tourny's where the fish look kinda beat up, i.e. missing scales, ect.

"don't hold the fish out of water for longer than 30 seconds".....

There are a lot of damaged fish out there.

I got into a catch and release discussion on another forum. Guy said that he routinely sees MANY floaters after bass tournaments. Once he said he counted 41 in the area where the fish were released after the weigh in. Should be a better way.

[Glenn]

Well, following the information in the article is "a better way".

It's so incredibly easy to critisize others when really what we ought to do is focus on we can do make it "a better way".  Following the tips in the article, then teaching others, is "a better way".

[Hammer 4]

If this was some how directed at me, I didn't mean, and or wasn't critizing, but merly pointing out what I saw..I try to handle fish with kid gloves, and take pic's as fast as I can..also I totally agree with you.

Well, following the information in the article is "a better way".

It's so incredibly easy to critisize others when really what we ought to do is focus on we can do make it "a better way". Following the tips in the article, then teaching others, is "a better way".

[Glenn]

Wasn't directed at you.  The thread was beginning to turn into rant about things people observed, rather than focusing on the tips and techniques in the article that are absolutely paramount to fish survival.

I just didn't want this thread to lose focus.  I want people to use the information in the article.  The more folks do that, the less "bad press" comments we'll see.

[Izzy3374]

Thats a great article.  Very informing.  I am a fairly new angler and I did not realize that your hands should be wet before handling.  Good to know.  Anything to keep the fish alive.

Anyone had luck with the gut hook removal technique?

Good Fishing! 8-)

[J Francho]

I've used the gut removal technique on a few bass that I caught that had hooks stuck in their gut already.  It works well.  I can't remember the last time I gut hooked a bass, but I'm sure I did.

[WRB]

Good basic article on how to properly handle bass. Keep in mind that this article wasn't specifically directed at bass boaters with live wells, that issue is far more complicated.

WRB

[Izzy3374]

Here's step-by-step instructions on how to remove hook from a gut-hooked bass:

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1128002349/22#22

It works.  Yesterday I caught this little 8 9 inch bass that already had a hook in its gut.  The fish was so unhealthy, it obviously had problems eating because of the hook.  The thing was as thick as a piece of paper.  I followed the instructions and out the hook came.  It didn't even take any effort.  It just kind of pops out.  It was a barbed hook too.   It do not seem to stress the fish.  And if it did damage the fish it was not enough to make it bleed.

It felt good to save that little fish.

Thanks Glenn!!!!!!