Landing Natives?

Hooker · 01-29-2004, 07:07 PM

This is one topic that has been beat to death several times in the past, but I never really got a clear, safe, legal practice on releasing native salmon and steelhead from the drift boat.

In most cases I end up getting out of the boat and getting them in the shallows. I then get the hook/lure out and send them on their way-all without removing them from the water. In my opinion, this method causes less stress and damage to the fish.

What about when you are in a section of river where bank access and/or shallow water isn't accessable and you are forced to remain in the boat to land the fish? Is netting the fish a good practice? Do you attempt to "tail" the fish? Any suggestions would be great.

blacktail519 · 01-29-2004, 07:12 PM

You can still net the fish, with out removing it from the water. Thus keeping it close to the boat to allow easy hook removal.

SHOUGALNITE · 01-29-2004, 07:17 PM

I play the fish to the boat and reach over the side and either pull the hook out or cut the line without netting the fish.

B-run · 01-29-2004, 07:27 PM

After reading an article from the WDF&W on fish slime and how handling greatly reduces the chance of survival, all measures of extreme caution are excersised with me.
While trolling last year, I observed plunkers drag a native up the beach, pull the hook, and then kick it literally, back into the water.
After some words, I called to no avail the locals.
How disgusting.

blacktail519 · 01-29-2004, 07:31 PM

Brun,
Its great they you take such caution when releasing a native fish. How much cation do you think is involved when the gillnetters get em, throw them in the boat, and place them in there revive tanks..... Nothin like taken car of em HUH

That urks me. But OHHHH the tangle nets are so gentle.....,

Yeah, until they throw em in the boat

It suckssssssss

B-run · 01-29-2004, 07:48 PM

I agree Blacktail.
I was paranoid so much last summer that I had to take a picture and measure a 43"ish metalhead while it was still in the water without holding it.Not to start a lenghty debate, I just don't pick up wild fish anymore, seen to many soreback downrunners in my time. My wife says I love these fish more than her.
Why can't we do away with comercial nets and use trollers?

blacktail519 · 01-29-2004, 07:52 PM

I am with ya BR!

mtpar · 01-29-2004, 08:01 PM

Please don't take them out of the water. They are much less likely to survive. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

Thank you thank you thank you

mtpar

Crashin' Bait · 01-29-2004, 08:59 PM

If the ruling passes muster, it may be illegal to remove wild chinook and steelhead from the water. This will affect the area between Tongue Point and McNary Dam. web page

Twitchs_Tackle · 01-30-2004, 06:52 AM

If people don't like seeing pictures of natives out of the water, then you may not want to look at a very popular magazine out this month (won't mention, but you'll figure it out). Form the cover to the back, its FILLED with various pics of natives, several of which are in non fish friendly poses.

I don't see why pictures like these continue to by published, all they do is make other people think its o.k., and that they too may get in a magazine some day if they take such a picture. I hope the ruling does pass, it'll make my (hopefuly near future) job easier. Just pick up a magazine, hum, here's a nice picture, call for a little information, then drive to their house and , "here you go, that's be X$, Don't Remove Wild Fish! Have a nice day"

I understand the situations that can arise making the hook removal dificult (K-fish, springers, and a boat for example) but there can still be ways around it, such as gently netting the fish and keping them in the water next to your boat while you cut the hooks, line, or manage to pull the hooks out. Not, "Gee Cleatus, let me hold this here Hoss up for a pictures since I can't bring him home...Oops, quick grab him before he flops overboard, there, ok, lets leave the lure in his mouth so that I can get on the company pro staff... there, ok, off to live another day little buddy..."

Akuracy503 · 01-30-2004, 07:09 AM

If some fisherman here are sooo critical and fragile about the native steelhead why even target them at all?? why not leave the rivers alone when the natives show up in numbers..

I dont think anyone should be busting anyones chops kuz they think they have a better excuse for catching & handling these fish..

its so contradicting if you ask me. I also assume you all use barbless hooks riggghhht??

So many hero's and lobbiest on this forum it surprises me they hook and tire out fish for fun just for the "excitement and feel"

Why not just be a biologist...

Im just getting tired of people being overly sensitive, sounds to me they should just be against fishing period!

Excuse my anger, im not promoting mishandling of fish but im not gonna bash a guy for taking a quick picture pose with a fish out of water.

Akuracy503 · 01-30-2004, 07:20 AM

Why even bother fishing, just silly.

Ty · 01-30-2004, 07:27 AM

Akuracy503,

You hit the nail on the head. As a biologist it is a double sided sward! I was at the Alaska American Fisheries Conference and there was a masters students great report catch and release effects on Lactic Acid / Cortison level study on the famed Alagnak River on Rianbow trout.

So, study conclustions:

Number one most important thing for short term survival: play fish out quickly, time was directly proportional to water temperature. Warmer water, play them in less time.

Number two keep fish in water and remove sa little slime as possible, i.e. don't net them!! This one is a tough one, since if u net them = lesss time played. But in reality, if u net a fish green that is not played out it will struggle more in the net, thus removing all of its protective slime coating.

Number three keep the fish in the water, wel all know this, we all want picture though, and boy did she have some pictures to HUGE raibows to die for. So, being a room full of biologist, she was asked, why all the picture if u are not suppose to remove them from the water. Her answer, good question, you shouldn't remove them from the water.

Moral of the story is this:
Take the greatest care that u can and stick w/ what works for u. If the fish is played out, snapo a quick photo, but then make sure to revive longer to fully re-irrigate gills. DON'T NET THE FISH!! DON'T NET THE FISH!! If u want steelies have a higher chance to survive after spawning, don't net them, the whole spawinin thing is stressful enough, removing there protective coating most likely will add to there doom and lower survival chances (15% + or -). Remember, once a fish has survived to spawn it's at least three times as likely to spawn again, so snap a photo, use heaver leader to handle w/o a net, and revive the fish longer, even if they want to swim off.

deep set · 01-30-2004, 08:54 AM

I agree with many of the points made above...one question though:

Isn't it jsut as critical to take the time and revive the fish properly (especially in the case of longer battles). Can't one safely land a fish, hold it properly without removing from the water, and revive it to the point that it actually swims out of your hands?

Seems to me that if you just get it boat side and cut the line that there is a great likely hood that it may just float belly up....

Any credence?

Hooker · 01-30-2004, 09:11 AM

Deepset,

I hope reviving the fish goes without saying...

Ty · 01-30-2004, 09:17 AM

Good point deep set...

To quantify reviving a fish..... a fish can swim off fine in a burst of speed and go to the bottom of a hole and not be able to revive itself and drown right there, happens alot.

A rule of thumb that I use....... hold the fish upstream in the current motionless... evern if they try to go keep holding them untill either tehy soak me in a tail splash get away, or if they take longer I rub there belly (they hate that) and if they are revived they will let u know!

RiverDog · 01-30-2004, 09:32 AM

Right on Akuracy. Be reasonably careful when handling but when you consider the commercial guys doing what they do, a pic is harmless.

fishinpoor · 01-30-2004, 01:05 PM

i agree with a-503,if some of you are so opposed to handling a native then why even target them,there will be a time when you have no choice but to handle the fish,also i would love to see the photo albums of those of you who are so against the handling of nate's(bet there are no pic's of fish out of the water or any nets nearby)we all owe these fish our greatest respect,use good judgement when handling them to insure future runs. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]