Stupid fish tricks

[Phish_on]

Cruising down the river I spied a blue Willie boat with a fish on, so I sort of, y'know, hung around to check it out. It was a guy with a woman and kid, the woman had the fish on, guy was "assisting" (as in, "give me the rod and I will assist you") - -

Anyway it was a shaker sturgeon, the guy hauls it into the boat! Unhooks it, holds it up by the tail! for a picture! and eventually puts it back in the water.

Is it only oversize that are required to be left in? It didn't look like any way to release any fish "unharmed" but I'm not a sturgeon angler (yet). Is it okay to dangle them from by the tail? No bones, right?

I won't mention the "stupid ramp trick," we've all been there I guess. It only takes one pinhead to stop the whole flow, doesn't it?

Otherwise a fine morning on the river. A couple nice smallies, 5 crappie, a perch, &%#$@ little sculpins, and ... a ... pocket halibut ? ? Is that a flounder, or what the heck?

[Thumper]

The Columbia is full of little barred flounder. They almost look like their salt-water cousin starry flounders. Must have come in from the ocean years ago and decided it was safer.

[David Johnson]

Those are starry flounder, and they come all the way up to Meldrum Bar on the Willamette. It seams that only the small ones come into the fresh water.

As far as the sturgeon I'm sure it's OK, although I usually hold them like I would hold a steelhead or salmon or I hold them by the gill plate like a catfish.

[Lives_to_fish]

Don't think I would worry too much over the little sturgeon. Those things are down right hard to kill. I know the less out of water the better, but I have seen them still alive after an hour in the bed of the truck.

[Phish_on]

OK, how about hauling 'em up the cliff at Oregon City (across from the locks) and then hurling them head over tail so the hit the water WHAM on their side? Is that cool also? images/icons/cool.gif

[David Johnson]

I think that catching and then tossing those fish off there should be banned.