setting the hook/releasing the fish....as seen on the fishing shows

[crankbait2009]

Again, after watching a few of the fishing shows on Versus as well as the Sportsman channel I have a couple questions about the way things are done......

I notice that the anglers on these shows, when setting a hook, they pull on there rod as if they have Moby Dick on the end of there line.  Is there really a reason to set the hook that hard?  Now keeping in mind that the majority of them are fishing for SM/LM bass.  So sure there are a few that are 5,6 and 7 pounds. But I dont see it to be so big they have to set the hook so hard.  I dont know how the hook doesnt get ripped out of the fish's mouth.  Is that impossible to do?  I hear that you can "tear the hook out" if setting to hard, but they certainly dont seem to have this issue.  I cant imagine there is that much stretch in thier lines that forgives the aggressive hook set.  Am I wrong?

(heres my vent) - I notice the majority of the shows I watch, when these anglers (names i dont recall) catch a fish of any size or type.....they all release them in different ways.  I see some gently place them in the water as if to say "thank you, it was fun" or "thanks for playing".....Then the next guy I see will be having a conversation about something or another and they throw the fish overboard as if to say,

"ah well.....NEXT" or "not worth talking about" and over there shoulder it goes without any care in the world about that fish.  Is there really a reason to throw them back in like they dont matter? 

Then there are some anglers that will lean over there boat, hold the fish by the mouth and set them in the water and hold them there until they know that fish is ready to go.  Then they watch the fish swim away.......to me, that angler cares......I realize not everyone catches/releases the same way but some of these releases are very careless.  You would think with it being a fishing show, that is seen by viewers everywhere that they would be concience about the realeasing ways.

but then again, one anglers way of releasing is different from the next........who's to say any way is "right" or "wrong"

[HookSetDon]

i think it comes down to what lure your using and what kind of cover your fishing in as for how hard you should set the hook, for example if your fishing in heavy cover.. or fishing with a plastic bait youve rigged weedless, u want to make sure u get that penetration through your lure to drive the hook home.

[The Rooster]

who's to say any way is "right" or "wrong"

ME!!

Throwing a fish over your shoulder like it doesn't matter is flat out wrong.  The ones you saw gently placing the fish in the water and taking time to revive it after what must have been an exausting fight to the fish is the one that cares about preserving the species for the next generation, setting examples for the kids watching, and also setting examples for those who otherwise are AGAINST the sport of bass fishing and those who participate in it. 

Any negative propaganda that can be used as fuel to the fire of those trying to take the sport down through legislation and passing of laws should be avoided.  Those who are throwing fish around like they don't matter should not be doing so and if I personally saw anyone doing it, regardless of their status in the sport or outside of it (i.e. PROS) I would remind them of this.  It might possibly hurt the fish, but whether it does or not, it probably will hurt the sport of fishing in general when people are caught doing this, and since pros represent the sport at the forefront, and are as likely to be on camera as not then they above all people should never be doing it.  Since you obviously saw this on T.V. then there must be some of them doing it.  I'm not sure exactly how to get in touch with any of them, either through email or fan club sites or what, but if you are concerned then I'd try to let them know from a concerned fan's point of view that it bothers you, and that you'd appreciate a little more care shown for the sport at least, if not the fish itself.  Just my 0.02.

[J Francho]

The only thing that matters to the fish is that it isn't out of the water too long, and it isn't further injured going back in.  Everything else is about perception.

[The Rooster]

The only thing that matters to the fish is that it isn't out of the water too long, and it isn't further injured going back in. Everything else is about perception.

Absolutely. 

But those who don't fish and are against fishing in general will not know this or even if they do they won't care.  They would just see this treatment as another reason to justify stopping the sport. 

[BrianinMD]

I agree with J Franco for the most part. Only two things concern me when I see it.

One is laying a fish on the ground.

The other is something I see sometimes on fishing shows. If they are putting fish in a live well. The person on the back of the boat opens the livewell and the person on the front tosses the fish in from the front. The fish hits the lid and bounces around before going in. There really is no excuse other then being lazy to do that.

[SoFl-native]

who's to say any way is "right" or "wrong"

ME!!

Throwing a fish over your shoulder like it doesn't matter is flat out wrong. The ones you saw gently placing the fish in the water and taking time to revive it after what must have been an exausting fight to the fish is the one that cares about preserving the species for the next generation, setting examples for the kids watching, and also setting examples for those who otherwise are AGAINST the sport of bass fishing and those who participate in it.

 

It doesnt have to be one or the other. I toss back plenty of fish from standing height on the deck and i have yet to have one die from the impact. Unhook, extend arm, drop. no problem.

[The Rooster]

I've even done that.  That's not all that bad, and to release a fish after a fight, you being the one who caught it, you'd have some idea of whether or not it needs resuscitated.  If it doesn't and it's not a super heavy fish then you could take it off and just drop it straight down.  What he said was throwing it over your shoulder.  Even that probably didn't hurt a small fish but it sends the wrong message which is primarily what I'd have against it.  And I'd never do it to a large fish.  How could you hang onto it to sling it like that??  By the jaw, which would most surely break it and render it unable to eat very well and risking it die from that.

[NBR]

I get bent out of shape when  they hold the fish up and talk about a bunch of things. Show us the fish. release it and then talk about the method.

To put them back I will hold a fish in the water that has taken a longer time to land until it recovers. Other wise I try to drop them in the water head first. The head first thing come from my younger days and remembering how much better it felt to dive in as opposed to a belly flop!

[crankbait2009]

i couldnt tell you how many belly flops i have seen on these shows...................... >

[Nice_Bass]

Me- i think people relate themselves to different animal a bit too much. 

A fish can take a flop or two and be just fine- it is US humans that are much more fragile than the rest of species.  It may hurt us or our feelings if that was done to us, but not the fish. 

So long as the fish is not out of the water too long, has recovered from the fight, than getting tossed in is the best ride of its life.

If a fish needs its picture taken with two hands, thats how it is released- if it requires just one, it is dropped into the drink from standing up.

Come to think of it, it is usually done with a somersault action as well performing 180 degree flip head first into water. 

[SirSnookalot]

I agree with J Francho and SoFl-native, I get my fish back in the water quick, most aren't measurement or camera worthy.  I don't kiss them, caress them, stroke them or revive them, I toss them back and they are eager to swim off. I don't mistreat them but if I were that concerned with their welfare I'd quit fishing and join PETA, I'm not about to do that anytime soon.

[brushhoggin]

i heard a while ago that water is only meant to pass through the gills from front to back. i see people dropping big bass back in the water tail first, or moving them back and forth in the water to get oxygen through the gills which is considerate, just naive. or is it?

[J Francho]

You don't rock them.  Exhausted fish are simply supported upright, and they'll supply the gill movement to wash fresh, oxygenated water over their gills.

[Ima Bass Ninja]

I think the method of release depends on the angler in question. Most pros have developed habits of throwing fish back into the water so they can get their lure back in and continue to fish. Some pros on fishing shows do take the time to gently release the fish, but usually its a large fish and its merely for show. I can just about guarantee that come tournament day, you will not see 1 pro that has a short fish or is culling a fish that will take the time to nurse it in the water.

Lets remember one thing..its a fish..that's all..not a child or human or some endangered life form.

Fish Chris said it best on a thread very similar to this one " a fish has a better chance at survival if you drop kick it back in the water than if you take it home and put it in a frying pan"