Fishing for Fun - or Glory?

[buckethead]

Before the cold snap lots of guys were fishing. Nothing wrong with that we had some of the mildest Dec and January weather in a while Kind of like last winter. Global warming who knows.
The one thing I noticed is that the big guns were not fishing - the guys who were on Grumpys leaderboard all during the spring blitzes. Maybe I shouln't say their names here but there were 2 brothers that dominated most of the big fish caught. And then there are the guys on the Stripercup NJ team. All the others who were on the Grumpys site. Or the surf guides who give seminars or have their minions post on websites about how they are the best in NJ. You all know the names because they showed up almost every day to weigh big fish. Not meaning to call anyone out, but where were these guys during the last 6 weeks? Fishing has been good, weather has been mild, and fishing has been better than catching only schoolies. Hey there were no 30 or 20 lbers caught. What is wrong with catching a 14 or 15 lb fish? That is not a schoolie. So why aren't the best of the best the ones who say they are anyway, out there fishing? Again, not meaning to call anyone out just trying to get a convo going about why those who say they the best have not been fishing these 6 weeks?
I recognize a lot of these so called experts from the shows, and fish about 4 times a week. I don't always report my skunks but I am out there and know who is and isn't fishing. I have not seen any of these "top guns" in all the times I was out there. That includes day and night times.

So what gives, and what are your thoughts? Do the top guns fish for fun or glory? Is anything wrong with that. And do you fish for glory or just to get out there and have fun?

[clamchucker]

Buckethead I see a very different mentality out there now than when I started fishing over 55 years ago. Back then we only shared information with our friends. We sometimes gave false information to throw people off. when we weighed fish we might lie about when and where we caught it and what it was taken on. You had a trusted group that you would tell. Newcomers were shunned.
I am not saying that things were perfect back then but it was more of a merit system. I have younger nephews who fish more than I do now and God bless them and their energy. The one thing that I have noticed about some of the younger generation is that they don't want to work as hard as we did. This includes jobs, marriages, and fishing. I see this in my own nephews and grandchildren but of course I have to keep my mouth shut. I don't know what the solution is. Society is very different now. Some of the younger folks giving seminars now really don't know that much. The younger folk follow them because it is like a popularity contest. This would not be possible without the internet and the kill tournaments that I feel we should do away with. This is just my opinion and I hope no one was offended by reading it.

[Monty]

The one thing I noticed is that the big guns were not fishing - the guys who were on Grumpys leaderboard all during the spring blitzes. I have not seen any of these "top guns" in all the times I was out there. That includes day and night times.
So what gives, and what are your thoughts? Do the top guns fish for fun or glory? Is anything wrong with that. And do you fish for glory or just to get out there and have fun?

I'll go with the "top guns" seeking glory. The ones who are always weighing in big bass are doing damage to our sport. Enough is enough, to many big bass are killed for the wrong reason (chest pounding). To me someone who catches a big bass and releases it is looked at as a good fisherman and helping our sport. Someone who is constantly weighing in big bass I look at as someone who is hurting our sport, an a**hole, , regardless of the current regulations.

[finchaser]

For me the Challenge. I agree with clam chucker a 100% except when it comes to protecting these magnificent fish I don't care if I offend someone. Especially the new breed of INTERNET hero who read a book or posts and is now a know it all.Most of them without a cell phone and blitz conditions couldn't catch a fish in aquarium with a net.

[Mike O]

I also have been fishing for many years. And for the most part I just love getting out there. Sure, we all know how tough it is, but I think that is what sets us apart from other fishermen. If it was easy, we would be elbow to elbow with those boat guys we see all the time. I would think that none of you guys would want that. And I really do not have a problem with keeping a fish for the table because as a matter of fact I have probably caught more shorts and released them. I have had a space on my wall for at least 30 years for that trophy, but the space is still empty. I feel that I have put in my time and when or if that time ever comes I will put that trophy on the wall, except I will be able to take a picture, measure and get an approx. weight and release the fish and buy what I call one of those bogus mounts. But I also enjoy eating fish, so those smaller ones are good table fare. I think I will just keep on doing what I have been for the past 30 plus years and having a good time. Good hunting.

[Monty]

I feel that I have put in my time and when or if that time ever comes I will put that trophy on the wall, except I will be able to take a picture, measure and get an approx. weight and release the fish and buy what I call one of those bogus mounts.
I think that's a great idea. For about 6 years I had released my personal best bass (felt great). But in 2010 I kept my new PB. One of my goals for 2013 is to release my new PB.

[storminsteve]

I like what Mike O said. Nothing wrong with keeping and eating fish. The crazy part is when the fish end up in the dumpster. What a waste just for a guy to win a contest.http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.png As for who is fishing and who isn't. I think there is an elite group that only fishes when 40lb bass are here. Anything else isn't worth it to them. They are the guys who when you are down on the beach they are up on the platforms or dunes watching with binoculars. Why would you come down to the water with fishing gear in your car or truck, and not fish? Or wait till someone else is catching and then jump in their spot and mug them. People have lost their sense of manners and decency. thanks for the posts clamchucker and finchaser. You old salts must have seen it all over the years.

[DarkSkies]

**I think no one really said anything wrong in this thread, and agree with the premise.

Good insight by clamchucker, finchaser and others. :HappyWave:
I would rather we try to be less specific when referring to others here.

I don't think it's fair to criticize a specific individual if we don't know them personally. If you do know them, that's different.
Public figures, politicians, authors, etc..... are exempt from this, of course, and you folks also have broad entitlements to your opinions under the First amendment.


However, I feel it's more productive to focus on the acts of individuals, rather than the individuals themselves. That's the best direction for this thread, IMO. For example, speaking about Grumpys weigh ins is acceptable. Mentioning specific people or naming someone is something I don't want to see here...and will edit as the need arises....

Speaking about a group.... or groups of folks in a similar category or activity, is acceptable as long as it's not racist or threatening, and you are speaking about groups in general....

thanks for your understanding, people........:HappyWave:

Otherwise, great thead topic.....:thumbsup:

[Monty]

However, I feel it's more productive to focus on the acts of individuals, rather than the individuals themselves. That's the best direction for this thread, IMO. For example, speaking about Grumpys weigh ins is acceptable. Mentioning specific people or naming someone is something I don't want to see here...and will edit as the need arises....
Speaking about a group.... or groups of folks in a similar category or activity, is acceptable as long as it's not racist or threatening, and you are speaking about groups in general....

My opinion, not going against your statement:
Unfortunately I feel that the only way to wake some of these people up and get them to show a little bit of consideration is to call them out. Some type of peer pressure hopefully will force them to show some respect for a Striper population that keeps people employed and gives a great deal of enjoyment to the people who enjoy the sport of fishing for Striped Bass.
Personally I am so sick of a large part of the population in this country from the freeloaders to the ones who feel entitled to everything and all the corruption of politicians and the general population..
I feel that until all these people are called out and made to change, this country will continue its demise.
Just wondering when this country will wake up and start holding people accountable for their actions.

Again Dark just my opinion, possibly not even related to your statement. :HappyWave:

[cowherder]

I agree with Monty on calling these people out too dark. Sorry if that isn't something you think is fair.
Let me ask you this? Is it fair that the same people year after year are killing the most fish? Why not put their names up? The names are already on the internet every time there is a tournament. Even without a tournamant isn't is crazy that a group of 20 guys or so ends up killing most of the big fish that are killed in NJ every year? How about if these groups started to sponsor no kill tournaments. They do that on some of the offshore tourneys now. They have an observer, take a pic, and release. I believe it is white marlin. Maybe someone can correct me if I am wrong. Why can't we do that with striped bass? I don't see the sense competitors weighing in bass over 50 lbs and when they are done as has been mentioned several times on here some end up in a dumpster. What a waste of a beautiful fish!http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.png

[finchaser]

Ditto

[jigfreak]

I think total numbers show that boat guys catch about 94% of all bass and surf guys catch the other 6% if you are looking at the breakdown of all rec catches. So why not go after the ones that do the most damage?

[Monty]

How about if these groups started to sponsor no kill tournaments. They do that on some of the offshore tourneys now. They have an observer, take a pic, and release. I believe it is white marlin. Maybe someone can correct me if I am wrong. Why can't we do that with striped bass? I don't see the sense competitors weighing in bass over 50 lbs and when they are done as has been mentioned several times on here some end up in a dumpster. What a waste of a beautiful fish!http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.png
Would like to see all Striped Bass tournaments no-kill.
In a few years at the rate we are going there will be very few bass left to kill.

[finchaser]

so true ^^^^^^^

[lostatsea]

By the early 50’s, striper fishing had become big business.
Adam Romagna

http://www.tattoostackle.com/yesteryear/woodensurfplughistory.php


This was in the article the birth of surfcasting plugs by Adam Romagna.
I don't know how popular it was back then, especially with the moratorium. However nowadays there are striped bass tournaments every weekend. In every state where the bass are. Some of them are big money like the recent rockfish shootout. You have to figure the ego plays a big part of it all. These guys are not simply fishing for meat.
Even when it is catch and release, you hear the gool old boys down south talking about getting a citation for a record fish. So that draw of a trophyu or piece of paper must be pretty strong. I don't see how any of that will change voluntarily no matter how much folks try to promote conservation. Maybe if they did change regulations, they should only allow one trophy bass per year with a tag. That would cut down on the number of guys who only fish for the bragging rights.
What happened to the days or evenings when a Dad could go down to the beach and catch a few small bass with his sons and be happy? Just the act of doing that doesn't seem to impress too many anymore unless they are 50 lbers.

[lostatsea]

Would like to see all Striped Bass tournaments no-kill.
In a few years at the rate we are going there will be very few bass left to kill.


I agree, or they could do it like they do with the billfish. If someone already has a big bass for 1st, 2nd or 3rd, you should only be allowed to bring in a trophy bass if it will beat one of those leaders. Just my .02

[nitestrikes]

It's the same at Montauk with the Striper Cup and the Korkers Cup. Some tournaments are already going the route of C&R with pics and measurements taken. I think that is a good thing. The only drawback is without an official weigh in you may encourage some fellas to cheat. They can and will cheat when glory and prestige are involved.

[hookset]

Guys came from LI to fish NJ. They didn't understand why people sit on the sidelines in NJ until someone is hooked up.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?8465-What-happened-to-the-NJ-Surfcasters&highlight=nj+surfcasters

This definitely supports the mentality that it isn't worth it to fish without seeing a 30#er beached. And then only after you see him hooked up through the binocs. Me, I fish to catch. Tricking the fish is hard. You need time out there to do that. Can't do it in 5 minutes. I think the spring blitzes and the sandeel explosions have spoiled us. If you only fish those times you would be spoiled. There are a lot of steps to climb to learn the way to catching more than 1 fish. I think we should all fish for fun. If you notice if you have convos with other fishermen out there, and you talk about a good night, one of the first questions they ask is "how big were they". I say that mentality is ingrained in the 20 something generation. No effort unless there is a big reward. And that is something that is wrong with a lot of this country like clamchucker said.

[DarkSkies]

5-16-13 - Catch of a Lifetime.....

It was a normal morning of fishing.

Got to the beach at 6am after a few hours of night plugging. Kind of depressed, trying for a few bluefish to take the pungent scent of skunk off my trip.
It was the perfect overcast morning that makes you glad to be out there. Dark skies, ;) dark clouds, and the sense that rain was on the way. The kind that makes the adrenalin shoot through your body as you know the conditions will be good.

[DarkSkies]

The bluefish bite wasn't that great. It was the end of the ebb.

Some had been caught around first light along with a few bass. It could best be characterized as a slow pick of a few guys casting away and hitting a few now and then.

[DarkSkies]

There was a younger guy fishing, (a kid to us, maybe 25 years old) on the beach. He had 2 rods fishing clam. Every 10 minutes he would get a bass or a bluefish....this was the hour of activity that you want to be on the beach for, as the fish are sometimes more active during this time.

We were aware of him and him catching fish, and as the action was slow it all worked together...all of us just fishing, and giving each other their space, waiting for what we hoped would be a bite....believing that the numbers of fish would eventually show up.

[DarkSkies]

After the kid had caught and released 4 blues and short bass, the bite was still mediocre for us. We still kept at it...some were picking up some decent blues. It seemed they were all at the furthest end of the cast. The action slowly started to get better after the tide change.

[DarkSkies]

Then, all of a sudden, we notice this kid's rod gets banged hard and it's a good hit. He was a pretty attentive fisherman and immediately leapt for the rod.

I was scratching my head wondering why he was taking so long to bring it in...after all, how much could it be, 8-12#?
As we seee him fight it we gradually realize it's a good fish. He's reeling and reeling, the fish is taking drag.
He continues this, gains some line, and the fish is taking drag again.....

[DarkSkies]

This went on for about 10 minutes, and by then he had all of our attention. We were dying to see what this kid hooked into......

[Monty]

This went on for about 10 minutes, and by then he had all of our attention. We were dying to see what this kid hooked into......
I may die before you finish this story....

[DarkSkies]

^ Well, at least I'm glad to know I have your attention, Monty....:laugh: :HappyWave:
Someone suggested a new approach....advised me I have to feed the readers a few sound bites at a time, and minimize my one-page diatribes, etc....so I'm gonna try it with this story.....

[DarkSkies]

As I said, he was reeling and reeling, and the fish kept taking drag....it was kind of frustrating to not see him gain too much ground.

I started to pay closer attention to his gear at that point. He had 2 nice baitcasting setups, 10 or 11' rods, and some decent reels. It occurred to me that this had to be some fish he had on, and the level of curiosity built among us all.

[DarkSkies]

Then, he was to the point where it was in the wash...Big Fish!
You could see the spectre of the body of this huge fish....first the head, as it came in through the surf line, then the body as it was thrashing.
Wow, we knew this was a record fish just by looking at her....

[ledhead36]

Come on now the suspense is killing me! Post up!

[hookset]

I may die before you finish this story....

X2. the fall run will be here before he finishes this one.

[surferman]

dying to know what this fish was please stop being a tease!:HappyWave:

[DarkSkies]

^ Blame it on Jonthepain and finchaser....they, among others, :HappyWave: said my posts were too long and suggested breaking them up into digestible-sized sound bites....:)

[DarkSkies]

Continued.....
At first glance she appeared to be over 4' long...50-54 inches ....and it was a true hulk of a fish, thick and round, massive size for what we are used to seeing in New Jersey...:bigeyes:
.
I have seen quite a few big fish pulled in to the beach, and you think that after awhile, it should be less impressive...but to me, it is just the opposite.....As I look at the guy and the fish he's bringing in, you see the wild-eyed excitement....you can sense the adrenalin rush that the angler feels.....to me, it's just an exciting time whether it's your fish or not....:thumbsup:

[DarkSkies]

You read it all the time, many big fish are lost in the surf line, or at the beach.
Bringing in a big fish, from land, is an ultimate triumph of man against beast.....:clapping: :thumbsup:

And IMO is a feel-good thing for anyone who is watching....We were rooting for this kid. :clapping:
It was impressive as he dragged her onto the beach.

[storminsteve]

Dark this sucks!!!!:2flip:
How long are you going to let this cliff-hanger go on? We want pics!!!!!!:lynchmob:

[cowherder]

^^^^ what steve said. This thread is useless without pics, please post them!:HappyWave:

[Monty]

You read it all the time, many big fish are lost in the surf line, or at the beach.
Bringing in a big fish, from land, is an ultimate triumph of man against beast.....:clapping: :thumbsup:

And IMO is a feel-good thing for anyone who is watching....We were rooting for this kid. :clapping:
It was impressive as he dragged her onto the beach.

Did it have a head? Didn't we go down this path last year?

[wish4fish]

haha its the headless blob come back from the dead lol. dark we want pics or it didnt happen

[DarkSkies]

Continued....

By that time we had all stopped fishing, and went up to him so see the fish. A lot of camera phones were out, and guys were snapping pics. The kid wanted to have one of him with the fish. He gave me his camera and I snapped the shot. I had mine and snapped a few shots too.




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It was a glant black drum, estimated to weigh 75lbs, and around 50 - 53"...we were all glad to see the fish he had battled with.

[DarkSkies]

I should mention that when a big fish is caught it's critical not to keep her out of the water for too long if you're not keeping her.We had all gathered around him by that point, so everyone was ready with the quick pics. I initially thought that fish was out of the water for 2 minutes. After thinking of the sequence of events, it could have been 3 minutes from the time when he first had her in the wash, until she was safely back in the water. But definitely no more than that.


17034

[DarkSkies]

Hoisting the fish vertically probably was not the best idea but as mentioned the enthusiasm and adrenalin level were high. The kid did not want to keep the fish..... he wanted her to live. He did his best to get her back in the water as quickly as possible.



17035

[ledhead36]

Great story and pics dark. I heard about it through my network of guys who fish different areas. Seems you were like a maniac and in the water for a very long time with that fish. Surprised you didn't give it mouth to mouth.:laugh: Good job on the save, well done.

[DarkSkies]

Seems you were like a maniac and in the water for a very long time with that fish. Surprised you didn't give it mouth to mouth.:laugh: Good job on the save, well done.

Always a wise guy in every crowd. :moon: :laugh: :HappyWave:
Thanks for the kind words....at some point it became an obsession....and I wasn't giving up....kinda like the Drag Island thing.....:)

[DarkSkies]

Continued.....


5-16-13 The Release of a lifetime...
We asked him if he wanted to keep her. He said "no she's going back."
And he did put her back, very quickly after making the decision.

[DarkSkies]

Unfortunately, he may not have known a lot about releasing big fish. We just assumed it was his fish and it was up to him to deal with the release.

We all went back to fishing and after congratulating him, didn't give it a 2nd thought. He had the fish hooked in the corner of her mouth with a curcle hook, so there wasn't any damage in taking the clam bait out.
We didn't really consider that the 10 minute fight may have taken everything she had. She seemed to swim off ok and as mentioned we went back to fishing.

[DarkSkies]

About a minute later, someone said "oops, looks like that fish won't make it, it's drifting on her belly"
I saw her, and a sad feeling crept over me...here was this fish, this magnificent trophy, and it was going to end up as crab food.
The fish was drifting with the tide, and a little too far out of reach to grab.......

[DarkSkies]

I saw her struggling to make it. It became apparent she would not...her pectoral fins were not moving, even though she was moving her tail and trying to breathe...the sight of that 23 year old fish (best estimate I could come up with according to scant data ( ie growing to 16" by age 3, and then 2" a year after that, on average)

[DarkSkies]

A few of us gathered around the area to try to save her.

We could not reach her and tried to snag her with poppers.
We had little success at that. Anyone who knows me.... knows of my general lack of patience with society and people in general....
I have to confess I was impatient here as well, but knew if she didn't get fresh oxygen circulating in her gills soon, she would no longer be struggling, she would be dead.....

[DarkSkies]

I acted impulsively and without regard to my safety.
I say this here not to show folks how brave I was, but to admit it was a careless move. :bucktooth: :beatin:

Me saving that fish, the way I first went about it, could have put myself in jeopardy.I chastize myself not only to publically admit my faults but to warn others that when the water is colder (that day it was 52 degrees), if you get in trouble out there you have at most 10 minutes before your body systems start to shut down.

[DarkSkies]

I have been in bad situations before, fishing alone by myself. I am probably one of the few out there in NJ to wear a PFD or wetsuit for some of the fishing I do at night....the reason for this paragraph here is to remind all who may read this, that we all can make mistakes in judgement....none of us is better than anyone else,,,,some may be more seasoned or experienced, and that is the main difference. It gets to me when internet critics judge others for their mistakes out there...we are all human and make mistakes....

I hope by posting this level of details, that some become more aware of how dangerous early-season fishing can be if you end up in the water. No matter what the air temps are, if the water is around 50 you could still be in danger if you fall in. I have also seen others die (the Father kayaking with his son in the Nissequogue in 2011) and know from seeing it first hand, that inattention to safety could be the last mistake you will ever make.


**Please don't make a mistake, that could cost you your life. Thanks for reading this paragraph.

[DarkSkies]

Moving along.....I impulsively jumped in after the fish. As my waders filled with water I knew it was time to get back to solid ground. I did. Once I regained footing I continued to try to snag the fish. Finally I managed to hook her with a popper.

[DarkSkies]

I handed off my surf bag and rod to a fellow angler, asked him to put it back further on the beach as the tide was coming in. Then I set out to try and save this trophy fish.

[DarkSkies]

At first I was encouraged.

She seemed to be struggling but strong. You could tell she was exhausted from the fight, though.
I had my hands in her mouth and was trying to swim her in the shallows to revive her. swimming her back and forth to run water through her gills.

[DarkSkies]

After a few minutes, she seemed to respond, and got a bit stronger.
However, every time I went to let her go, she would end up on her side.

[DarkSkies]

I noticed her pectoral fins were not functioning.
This is usually the kiss of death when reviving a fish.
If she cannot stabilize herself she will not likely live.

I have some decent experience releasing fish as I have released a few thousand in my life. It's always been pretty easy to do.
However, this release, of such a large fish, was perplexing me

[DarkSkies]

I hatched a plan, not knowing if it would work:

1. I would walk the fish up and down the beach, in about 3' of water, and keep swimming her until she got enough oxygen in her brain, and systems stabilized enough, for her to swim off.
2. I would try to guage the strength of her tail movements and sense when she was ready to go back out.
3. As I have released thousands of fish successfully, I was fairly confident that it would be easy. Big mistake on my part.
4. 10 minutes into it, and it became apparent that she was in pretty damaged condition.
5. She would get fits of strength, and was breathing on her own, but those pectoral fish just would not function. Without those I knew she would go right back to swimming belly up, or sideways.

[DarkSkies]

sad story, dark. :(

*****

[DarkSkies]

^ Gimme a break there, pal...it's not over yet...it does have happy ending...:) :HappyWave:

[DarkSkies]

My generation isn't very patient...out with it already!

pics please :kiss:


well it sounded like it was over...


Here comes.....

[DarkSkies]

This was a little depressing. The kid who caught the fish came by twice and asked if there was anything he could do.

**This is why I don't want enyone criticizing him here and will delete any post that remotely indicates criticism of what he did. There may have been some things he was ignorant of, but you could tell he really wanted that fish to live. We all may not have perfect knowledge when out there, and may find ourselves in this situation one day.

**This is the reason for the "Catch and Release" thread contest....

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...ps-and-CONTEST (http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...ps-and-CONTEST)!








Continued.......

So those who don't know everything about C&R, will learn.
I will be the first to admit that of all that I thought I knew, it was very difficult for me to figure out how to save this fish..
If I had this difficulty, I can only think that others may run across a situation like this, and want to educate us all how better to handle and release the fish we choose to....doing any less is being irresponsible.

[DarkSkies]

For example, if you tell everyone you are a big catch and release fisherman, and are tossing them back in the water like rocks or clamshells, maybe you are not as great a guy as you say you are....because your mortality rate will be high.......

I know of one club out there...whose members shared with me that of the fish a higher-up officer catches, many of them end up dead because of his poor release tactics.....
I say this, to let others out there know, that we are all capable of making mistakes.









**I have modified a thread started by plugcrazy to help all those interested in learning more about C#R
(Prizes to those who come up with the most helpful posts)

http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?3485-catch-and-release-tips-and-CONTEST!

[DarkSkies]

When the water is colder, I have found strict procedures to be less important, because in my experience fish released in colder water do not get damaged as easily and bounce back quicker.....

However, this was not the case here...and it was very frustrating for me...
As some point in this whole process. my logic and reasoning went out the window.....I became a little obsessed with saving this fish.....As it seemed she was making the effort....and how could I fail her?





I kept at it for almost an hour, with the guys who saw the fish caught coming by to see the progress....
We were all rooting for this fish to make it.

[DarkSkies]

Unfortunately, I was running into obstacles...
1. From walking in the colder water for so long, my legs were starting to cramp up.
2. I had no time to take my water filled waders off, so I was carrying an extra 20 lbs of water weight around.....what a freaking workout....
(and a Dillydock move.....:bucktooth: )




3. I started feeling fatigue.



17064


4. That the fish was still living was encouraging. Every now and then she would give a massive tail swipe causing me to think she was ready to go out on her own....but then when I would release her, her pectoral fins weren't fully working.

[DarkSkies]

When releasing a fish you have to be careful to not touch it too much. That's why you concentrate on leading it around by the mouth. Touching the gills, or any part of the body can be very damaging to the fish as it can affect breathing, or the slime coat.


I know all this, and at the 1 hour mark I was losing hope. She wasn't dying anymore, but she wasn't living strongly anymore, either. She was just existing, albeit on a very subdued level.
Her pectoral fins had started to stabilize a bit, but every time I tried, she still couldn't swim.



17065


17066


I made a decision that I would try anything I didn't try yet, to save this fish (Except for mouth to mouth) :kooky: :rolleyes:

Even though I knew it would mess up her slime coat, I took her by the tail, and while supporting her body, pushed her head back and forth in deeper water...as deep as I could walk in......while keeping her head down, and trying to change that up too.

[DarkSkies]

This holding the tail, and pushing her body back and forth, eventually seemed to make a slight difference.
I kept at it this way for about a half hour.



Another angler came by...asked about the fish, and how long I was at it


17067


He said:"Dude, no one can fault your effort, that is really admirable,,,but at some point you have to ask youself, if she is not dying, and not living, maybe you are keeping her alive for no reason?"
I thought that made a lot of sense,,,,and thanked him for the advice.....
I said I would keep up with holding her tail and moving her that way for 5 minutes more,,,,and would let her go...
If she lived, she lived.
If she died, so be it...it was in God's hands.....

[DarkSkies]

continued......



By that time I noticed the pectoral fins were stabilizing, and she had a touch more strength....
I gave her one last push, and sent her into the deep...she rose slightly, until she came close to the surface, and then, in what seemed like a miracle, she slowly swam away on her own power....after a few seconds it was apparent she was not in difficulty, as we could not see her struggling and she vanished slowly out of sight....

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It was a fantastic sight to behold,. She had gained her freedom, and her life back, with a little help...

[DarkSkies]

We watched the general area for another 5 minutes. She did not surface and there were no signs of her at all. We did this just to make sure she did swim away and all that effort was not in vain.....Hi-Fived each other...and went back to fishing.....:fishing:









I looked at my watch...I had been doing that C&R Marathon for 1 1/2 hours....the longest it has ever taken me to revive any fish...
Went back to the guy who had caught her, Hi-fives all around....at that point the bite had diminished, fish were only at the furthest end of the cast. With the setup I had it was impossible to reach them.
Still, I felt grateful that I was able to give this trophy fish, maybe a few more years to live out her life......

[DarkSkies]

How I came up with an estimate of her age....
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild...ies/blackdrum/ (http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/huntwild/wild/species/blackdrum/)

Weight....
I sent the pics to some of the best fishermen I know, and the general consensus was 65-80#.
It is hard to estimate the exact weight without a full pic of the fish and some measurements.

I did some checking.....the NJ state record black drum is 105 0r 106#, and was around 55" if memory serves me correctly.
This fish was estimated by a few of us there to be over 4", from 49" to 53"...so I think an estimate of around 75# is pretty accurate, and a fair estimate.

[DarkSkies]

**There may be some reading this, who may think that this site is all about C&R....http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/smilies/don't%20know%20why.gif..that's inaccurate....
we eat bass....I eat bass, though I do release most of them.

Drum are tasty eating as well...but most of us know that the smaller ones, taste the best.
At a size of 75#, they tend to be filled with worms.
Not a great problem if you want to boil all the meat before final cooking to kill the worms.,...or take each fillet and dig the worms out with a sharp knife.......
But why would you want to do that?

Catching and eating small drum, can be great. With the larger ones, it is such a chore to prepare the meat....that most of us who have been fishing for a long time know better....not worth the effort.









**I know these things because I have brought home and eaten just about every fish that is catchable out there....bass, bluefish, perch, fluke, flounder, american shad, skates, sea robins, bergalls, squirrel hake, conger eels, dogfish (that stunk up my kitchen with the ammonia smell because I didn't bleed them right when first caught)....and even false albacore.....taking one on the beach and eating as raw sushi, to the horror of other anglers out there....so much so that they talked about some "sick guy who ate raw albacore on the beach" :scared: on another fishing site....:rolleyes:....the stories I have of eating allegedly inedible fish....would be enough to fill a book......:)

And...on a dare from some commercial fishermen about who was tougher...eaten a whole medium sized peanut bunker...chewing it to pieces first before swallowing....:drool:

If you think that it is worth it to eat wormy drum fillets...... to each his own.......:thumbsup:

The kid who caught the drum got plenty of food for the day....he already had his limit of legal bass on the beach.....and he conveyed to us later that he was happy. Slicing that drum up would have been a chore that he wasn't into, and he was adamant about wanting to release her.......
So I'm glad to report I was part of the group that were there that day, and got to see such a great fight, beautiful fish landed, and successful release, his choice.........

Thanks for readlng.....:HappyWave:

[cowherder]

**I know these things because I have brought home and eaten just about every fish that is catchable out there....bass, bluefish, perch, fluke, flounder, american shad, skates, sea robins, bergalls, squirrel hake, conger eels, dogfish (that stunk up my kitchen with the ammonia smell because I didn't bleed them right when first caught)....and even false albacore.....taking one on the beach and eating as raw sushi, to the horror of other anglers out there....so much so that they talked about some "sick guy who ate raw albacore on the beach" :scared: on another fishing site....:rolleyes:....the stories I have of eating allegedly inedible fish....would be enough to fill a book......:)

And...on a dare from some commercial fishermen about who was tougher...eaten a whole medium sized peanut bunker...chewing it to pieces first before swallowing....:drool:

If you think that it is worth it to eat wormy drum fillets...... to each his own.......:thumbsup:




ds you are hardcore! I like the part where you said chewing into little pieces first before swallowing. If I had to do that I would swallow it quick and worry about it later.:upck:
thanks for the story and pics really enjoyed it!

[plugcrazy]

Great story on the drum. Eating all those weird fish, not so much.:laugh: :HappyWave:

[storminsteve]

When releasing a fish you have to be careful to not touch it too much. That's why you concentrate on leading it around by the mouth. Touching the gills, or any part of the body can be very damaging to the fish as it can affect breathing, or the slime coat.


I know all this, and at the 1 hour mark I was losing hope. She wasn't dying anymore, but she wasn't living strongly anymore, either. She was just existing, albeit on a very subdued level.
Her pectoral fins had started to stabilize a bit, but every time I tried, she still couldn't swim.



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I made a decision that I would try anything I didn't try yet, to save this fish (Except for mouth to mouth) :kooky: :rolleyes:

Even though I knew it would mess up her slime coat, I took her by the tail, and while supporting her body, pushed her head back and forth in deeper water...as deep as I could walk in......while keeping her head down, and trying to change that up too.


Dude your hand is all bloody in the top pic.
Congrats on going above and beyond, awesome release!

[DarkSkies]

^Good eyesight, Steve....:HappyWave:
This is what it looked like a day later......

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[jigfreak]

to answer the original question if you can't fish for the challenge and it has to be about beating someone else maybe you should just stay home and play video games. My .02

[DarkSkies]

Good point Jig. :HappyWave:
I wonder if any others have thoughts they would like to add....thanks.