Releasing fish, your method?

[Hookset]

Just summed up my Pilar sailing the ocean quiz and have a question about number 3.

Here is the question and options.

3) You just caught a beauty salmon and he's next to the boat. You have to release all unclipped fish but they always shake you off next to the boat before you can net them. Dang barbless hooks anyway!

You
A) Quickly net that bad boy and hope it's missing the adipose fin.
B) Look for the fin in the water and let the fish shake off when you find it has one.
C) Gaff em', you can't miss and the crabs will eat the dead native when you toss him back.
D) Use cotton gloves, tail the fish and carefully remove the hook if it is wild.

On question 3, how many people here use cotton or another soft glove to tail the fish and remove the hook? I've been fishing a lot of years and can only remember seeing one person wearing cotton gloves and this was for sturgeon.

What do you do?

I know netting does damage the skin and scales, sometimes there are no other options. That's the reason I use a rubber coated net.

My preferred method is to spot the adipose, remove the hook while fish is in the water and release fish without touching. I remember a converstaion with Bill Hedlund about catch and release. He caught a chum salmon and brought the fish to his feet. He then grabbed hold of the hook with his pliers, the fish thrashed around and pulled free,in turn sending the hook into his hand with the points protruding out the other side. He pushed the points through past the barb and cut the hook. Now he has permanent nerve damaged to his hand. I know there are numerous other stories of mishaps, or near mishaps trying to remove a hook from a thrashing fish. As Bill told me, never again will he tangle with a fish using just pliers at the end of a tighly loaded rod. Instead he'll net the fish to restrain it, leave in the water, remove the hook and release the fish. That's why I like rubber coated nets and believe in safety first.

Now, how do you release your fish? I'm very interested in what people are doing 95% of the time.

thanks,

hook

[ 07-07-2001: Message edited by: hookset ]

[Pilar]

Hi Hookset, glad you picked this thing up. I read somewhere that using a glove was the politicaly correct thing to do. In a boat on the ocean though the reality is often different. When fishing for Coho the thing most people like is the acrobatics of this fish. Rarely do I get the chance to 'tail' a Coho. By the time we spot the fin the fish is jumping or thrashing next to the boat. Most of the time it shakes the barbless hook all by itself. When catching Springers and releasing them I 'tail' them but rarely use a glove as I cant find it quick enough. Just grab the hook with the pliers at the curve and pull.

Handling the fish as little as possible is the key. Don't touch it near the head if possible. You have to assume that damaging the slime coat will cause a fungus infection. You have all seen Salmon in the river with the white spots of 'Ick' on their backs and tails. This fungus near the head and gills is usually fatal.

With Sturgeon, release in the water if possible. Often though they come in the boat and then get thrown back.

What is the right way to do this? Does anyone have the definitive answer? Using common sense on catch and release is the key to preserving this fishery on challenged fish runs. Mortality determines how long the season is, the bag limit and the total season quota.

Anyone else?

[Firedog]

Hook,
I was using a wool glove during springer season, just because that was what I had in my pocket. We took a look and if they were wild we would try and tail them then remove the hook.ALways left the fish in the water never lifting by the tail or taking the fish out of the water at all. Didn't always work just because we were trying to get fish landed quickly and those fish that still have a lot of spunk are a little tough to get a hold of, ended up netting those. If you can get them though it is a great way to release fish doesnt harm them near as much as a net. And when you have the tail they are very easy to control with you other hand under the fish just behind the head, like Pilar said make sure to keep everything away from the gills. One of us would hold the fish and the other would take the hooks out.You can also roll them on there back while holding the tail and this calms then some also, wouldnt leave them like that to long though. They key is be quick and cause the least harm possible. Firedog.

[ 07-09-2001: Message edited by: firedog ]

[Thumper]

I whack 'em ever so lightly on the head just to slow 'em down enough so that I can get the hook out.

[Fishbulb]

Unfortunately many fishers use the 'tailing' method. This method dislocates vertebra and tears muscles away from the backbone causing internal hemorrhaging, nervous system damage and eventually death. I am sure that most using this method have heard and felt the slight snap/crack upon lifting a fish this way.

Here is a way that you might want to try if the hook is hard to remove and the fish must be brought on board. Use wet gloves or wet hands. While the fish in on the floor gently turn it so the its belly is pointing to the sky. With one hand on the tail section and one hand cupped around the fish just behind collar bone lift it up (be careful not to poke the eyeballs out). You will be amazed at how calm the fish will become in this upside down position. They are so totally disoriented by this they simply go limp. A second person can then remove the hook.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Unnecessary. I don't catch fish!

[HOGTIDE]

Thumper! "...whack them ever so lightly" ???
Thats good. Kinda like shoot and release Elk hunting....I just use a little bullet! images/icons/shocked.gif

[4Salt]

For saltwater salmon fishing, I'm usually using a leader of at least 20lb test. After the fish has been played, is near the boat, and the ID can be made, I grab the leader with my hand and use a de-hooking device that has been described here on the board before. I consists of a 3' length of 1" dowell, with a large cup hook screwed into one end. Slide the cup hook down the leader to the hook and give a small tug. 99.9% of the time, the hook comes right out. The other .1%, I just cut the leader as close to the hook as possible. This way the fish is never touched, and never taken out of the water.

[Crusin]

good subject, usually most of my fish release themselves, but I will take a ticket befor i will release a fish that i know isnt going to make it, to me thats waste. Ive often wonder how they release those 10 foot sturgeon safely.

[Hookset]

4salt, I completely forgot about the stick with the hook on the end. Good idea. I remember a sports show a few years ago where the ODFW promoted catch and release and gave these sticks out for free.

Going to make my stick tomorrow.

Crusin, know what you mean. I hate to see a fish wasted. Except the sheriff or game cop won't understand and will write you up, no exceptions. If they didn't, nothing to stop the unscrupulous from keeping finned fish. As hard as it may seem, you have to let them pass. Think of it this way, all things living in the ocean are food for something else, nothing is wasted.

I just wish more people understand how easily they can damage a fish. Always going to be some fish hooked to deeply to survive. This is the worst part of a catch and release fishery.

Hey, we can promote the stick and hook idea to help people release fish unharmed while still in the water.

Thanks 4salt,

Gregg