fish mortality

[sweeney]

definitely cutting the line doesn't always work

 

[Jiggernaut]

I have to call BS on all this talk of fish dying from catch and release. If that many fish were dying, they'd be floating all over the place. I rarely see dead fish on Sak or Audabon.

 

[guywhofishes]

I have to call BS on all this talk of fish dying from catch and release. If that many fish were dying, they'd be floating all over the place. I rarely see dead fish on Sak or Audabon.

my wife's 28-29" died and sank. Luckily the water was super clear and we spotted it 3 hours later - no kidding.

I had a long extendable net and we scooped it up. Brought it up from 6 or 7 ft down.

MSA mounted it.

 

[dean nelson]

my general rule is a bleeding fish is going to be a dead fish, might as well throw em in the box. bothers me to see a fish floating behind the boat

If you get a bleeder you can always hit the bleeding spot with a carbonated drink. The co2 causes the blood vessels in that area to constrict thus more or less cauterizing the wound instantly. Not sure if it wears off once back in the water or if you hit all the gills if it wouldn't eventually cause the fish to suffocate but it's certainly worth a try.

https://youtu.be/0g9sN1J6Yu8

 

[BBQBluesMan]

I have to call BS on all this talk of fish dying from catch and release. If that many fish were dying, they'd be floating all over the place. I rarely see dead fish on Sak or Audabon.

I would agree that catch and release does not necessarily cause a lot of direct mortality per se as you are right there would be a lot of dead fish all over the place even if some sink like Guy mentioned; however, I would have to imagine that some percentage of fish that are C+R'd get injured to an extent and become more prone to predation by other fish, or more susceptible to parasites, etc. What percentage that would be I have no idea and would depend on how the fish was caught, from what depth, how it was handled and released etc etc... interesting topic though.

I suppose swim bladder plays a major role on whether or not a fish would float or sink if it were to die after being caught...even so, eventually they would float, not?

 

[wslayer]

Last year I saw a boat with 4 dip shits that were into a batch of perch. Majority were not keeper size so they were throwing them over there heads as far as they could to get them away from where they were fishing. 2 bounced of the rocks. When I got closer I said, "if you don't like the small ones, why don't ya move". One said " f " you, mind your own business. Tried to get license # but to faded. Should have got truck plate, but no proof of anything. Bunch of asshats...

 

[Bed Wetter]

my wife's 28-29" died and sank. Luckily the water was super clear and we spotted it 3 hours later - no kidding.

I had a long extendable net and we scooped it up. Brought it up from 6 or 7 ft down.

MSA mounted it.

Well there's your answer, guy. If you want some insight into fish mortality, hop in the water and follow them for a bit after release, then keep a spreadsheet of your findings. And if they get away, spear 'em. This then checks two items off your fishing to-do list.

 

[shorthairsrus]

I seen a 28 released the other week ago on DL. It looked big from the pirate distance i was at -- but it was also posted on FB as that long. After it was released it i heard a flap in the water i could not see where the splash was from - it could of been somebodys released 12 incher too. If you keep you get the "look" at the cleaning station --- if you release they drop n die like guy said then god gives you the "look". I think you know which person i am more concerned with#$%^&>

- - - Updated - - -

I shouldnt say i seen it released either as once the pic was done i glanced away

 

[Sum1]

Five minute photo sessions I'm thinking kill more big fish than anything. I have also seen some questionable use of Boga Grips that made me cringe. Seeing big fish flopping around while being held up by a boga grip is a sure death sentence for these fish.

 

[Rut2much]

my wife's 28-29" died and sank. Luckily the water was super clear and we spotted it 3 hours later - no kidding.

I had a long extendable net and we scooped it up. Brought it up from 6 or 7 ft down.

MSA mounted it.

Im pretty damn certain I was fishing right by you and your wife that day and also released one in that range!

 

[Fishmission]

I just change to other species after a while, or change up technique if into them stupid crazy. Shallow cooler weather with swim-baits, etc, something artificial with a single hook kills very few fish if careful. Have caught many smallmouth more than once, sometimes weeks apart, same exact rock they were at before. Also seems a lot of them have distinct markings to easily tell who's who. Walleye are more difficult to tell apart, but some fish just look different than the masses. I'm sure some guys here have stories of same fish caught twice or more. It can work most of the time Deep water or hot weather changes the game. I like crank baits to fill a limit but not for catch and release fishing.

 

[JayKay]

Throwing cranks a year or so ago, while walleye fishing at dusk. Got bit off by a pikefish. Couple minutes later, there's a pikefish jumping around, with my #13 perch hanging on the side of his head. Couple minutes later, the same pikefish hits me again, but this time I land him. Get both lures back. I then fished elsewhere...

 

[lunkerslayer]

I would like to hear from people who have fished lakes that are strictly catch and release. I wonder also why Canada has a barbless hook policy. Maybe Canada has changed that regulation . I was told by the guide on rainy river that holding a fish vertical is not the proper way to hold a fish for taking a photo.

 

[guywhofishes]

Throwing cranks a year or so ago, while walleyefish fishing at dusk. Got bit off by a pikefish. Couple minutes later, there's a pikefish jumping around, with my #13 perch hanging on the side of his head. Couple minutes later, the same pikefish hits me again, but this time I land him. Get both lures back. I then fished elsewhere...

Fixed it.

 

[Zogman]

I would like to hear from people who have fished lakes that are strictly catch and release. I wonder also why Manitoba has a barbless hook policy. Maybe Canada has changed that regulation . I was told by the guide on rainy river that holding a fish vertical is not the proper way to hold a fish for taking a photo.

Fixed it for you! Ontario still allows barbed hooks.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Dead fish arent that big of a deal unless its the only fish in the lake. If you think about it the nutritional value of the fish that dies is just recycled and put back into the system, helping whatever remains to grow faster and larger... Of course its better if they live, but in the grand scheme, a few floaters wont sink a fishery.

 

[MuskyManiac]

There are seriously people that think catch-and-release doesn't work? Come on, man!

I'll tell you this.....100% of kept fish die, and dead fish don't grow and dead fish don't reproduce.

 

[Rowdie]

I have to call BS on all this talk of fish dying from catch and release. If that many fish were dying, they'd be floating all over the place. I rarely see dead fish on Sak or Audabon.

Hmmm....I fish Oahe and if there are a few boats around I see dead floaters all the time. Now I'm not in the crowd that thinks you should have to keep your first 5 fish, I sort through a lot of dinks to keep a limit of +14" fish. I'm not saying I see hundreds of floaters but when growing up in Mobridge there were days of dozens when lots of boats out. Maybe I'm just more observant? I know you'll see a lot of seagulls or pelicans scoop them up, if you pay attention.

 

[Allen]

Musky, I am pretty sure that nobody here is saying that.

However, given the vast differences in fish handling techniques, depth, and temperatures that fish are caught from during the course of the year, the tagging studies don't lie. Unless, of course, you think fish are so smart that they eventually learn to recognize the hook and don't get caught again.


I know a fella who has a semi-private lake in northern Minnetucky. He has a pike that he's caught around 7 or 8 times over the past 10+ years. He has actually documented that one fish better than any other fish in the history of science (to my limited knowledge on the topic).

 

[Colonel Angus]

Pelicans and seagulls gotta eat too. I usually don't fish around other boats, but ended up trying a spot a friend was at over the 4th, and there was a bunch of boats. I had never seen so many pelicans on Devils, but I know why they were hanging around. Saw some little ones getting scooped up in the hour I was in there. Pelicans are big, but it's amazing how a seagull can swallow a 12" fish in one gulp.