Reviving fish,,

I already know that most all of you are gonna beat up on me but I don't care.

if we cant be honest here where can we?
personally, live by experience among other things.
one experience I have seen a thousand times is a fish that regains it's function after a fight witout human intervention.

my first time was many moons ago after a good fight a bass got off in a big eddy outside the current,it was belly up but the gills were still pumping.

since I could not reach it I had to let it be,my partner kept saying it's dead over and over even while it's gills were working fast.
after about 2 minutes a Bloop was heard and the fish swam away,it regained it's strength enough to swim away on it's own.

I was kinda amazed at that since I always heard that they needed to be revived.
since that day and after studying fish and other animals the FACTS came to me plain as day,it is not needed.
since that time,I don't do all that extra handling and just let the fish be,it will be fine if it recovers on it's own.

NOW,I know that prolly all of you disagree but again,I don't care,this is for discussion and I can only ask for some kind of proof that they need help to recover.

So,lets hear about it.

R-P

I say it's a function of the water temperature. Were you fishing in the early spring when the water was colder? Maybe it would be different than in the late summer with water temperature in the mid 70's?

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Originally Posted by ledhead36

I say it's a function of the water temperature. Were you fishing in the early spring when the water was colder? Maybe it would be different than in the late summer with water temperature in the mid 70's?

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Howdy Ledhead,

I see it any time of the season but,I do understand about the water temps thing.
my whole pint of this thread is that I read so much about fish dying after being released and the fact that they die from exhaustion.
I feel that it's simply not true,as true as fishermen say.
A race horse does not die after running a mile and a half,a person does not die after a marathon nor does a man die after an intense workout,the question is are they winded?,,I would say yes,will they recover?,,I say yes.
could they or it die after hard work?,,it is possible but not likely.

I would say that it does take longer to get it's o2 back when it's warm but they should not die.

I nor my partner ever revives a fish,we simply let them rest near shore and in about a minute or 2,they give a 'BLOOP" sound with their tail and they are gone,choppers included.

R-P

Catch and Release can be extremely stressful to bass. Thus it increases the mortality rate. Why would you not want to make it easier on the fish?

I'm just learning so I found this interesting. People talk about being careful.I know a few times I caught largemouthbass in fresh water on a live worm, and I killed the bass because I didn't get it back in the water in time. I feel stupid for that. How do you know whether or not the fish will die in the ocean when you throw it back?

I have always questioned catch and release mortality rates. I don't believe that they are as high as they say, A fish is definitly stressed after having been caught but I think that they will be fine if released in thier natural water. During the studies on fishing mortality, the fish are caught by rod and reel then placed in tanks and transported to a place where they are observed over time. I think that many of those fish die of added stress of captivity.
As far as just letting the fish lay there until they recover on thier own. I think it is a bad idea, if the fish just lays there for a few minutes It could wind up as prey for seals or sharks or bluefish or ospreys. I have had sharks and seals chase Bass I have hooked, and I have seen ospreys take Stripers from the surf.
I would think that we should give the fish the best chance we can, we owe it to them for the recreation they provide us.

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Originally Posted by jimbob

I have always questioned catch and release mortality rates. I don't believe that they are as high as they say, A fish is definitly stressed after having been caught but I think that they will be fine if released in thier natural water. During the studies on fishing mortality, the fish are caught by rod and reel then placed in tanks and transported to a place where they are observed over time. I think that many of those fish die of added stress of captivity.
As far as just letting the fish lay there until they recover on thier own. I think it is a bad idea, if the fish just lays there for a few minutes It could wind up as prey for seals or sharks or bluefish or ospreys. I have had sharks and seals chase Bass I have hooked, and I have seen ospreys take Stripers from the surf.
I would think that we should give the fish the best chance we can, we owe it to them for the recreation they provide us.

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:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping: :clapping::clapping::clapping: well said

Now I’m not a nut on catch and release but any time I see that I have stressed a Bass I will always try to help revive it, especially in a pounding surf. I have seen too many people just unhook and drop an exhausted Bass back into the water, only to see it wash back up 20 feet up or down the wetline. I don’t know for sure if they can revive on their own but I personally feel better if I can give it a chance and feel some strength back in the kick of their tail. It doesn’t take that long to do.

I agree on what Jimbob, and VSdream said. We owe it to the fish. You have to give it your best effort to revive. I understand that there is a chance that the bass will recover on there own, but if you could increase their chances why not. Also what Ledhead mention the higher the water temps the less Oxygen is in the water which will increase mortality.

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Originally Posted by surfwalker

Now I’m not a nut on catch and release but any time I see that I have stressed a Bass I will always try to help revive it, especially in a pounding surf. I have seen too many people just unhook and drop an exhausted Bass back into the water, only to see it wash back up 20 feet up or down the wetline. I don’t know for sure if they can revive on their own but I personally feel better if I can give it a chance and feel some strength back in the kick of their tail. It doesn’t take that long to do.

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Originally Posted by vpass

I agree on what Jimbob, and VSdream said. We owe it to the fish. You have to give it your best effort to revive. I understand that there is a chance that the bass will recover on there own, but if you could increase their chances why not. Also what Ledhead mention the higher the water temps the less Oxygen is in the water which will increase mortality.

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What they said, and finchaser also. I think a lot depends on temp and the gear you use. If you are using a largemouth bass rod to fight the fish, it will stress it more by prolonging the fight. I do my best if the fish looks funny. I find that more when the water is warm. If they are bleeding for any reason I will take extra time to release them. In cold water it seems to be a different story.

This is a great Video on catch and release practices and how to decrease mortality of a released fish. Not that we need a lesson I just enjoyed watching it personally

http://www.stripersforever.org/info/catch

That is a great video jackbass, done with the best background they could think of. I liked the blitz footage. Thanks for posting it.

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Originally Posted by Jackbass

This is a great Video on catch and release practices and how to decrease mortality of a released fish. Not that we need a lesson I just enjoyed watching it personally

http://www.stripersforever.org/info/catch

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good one. The important thing for me is to take care not to mess with the slime coat too much. The warmer it is the more damage you do with a thoughtless release.

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Originally Posted by jimbob

As far as just letting the fish lay there until they recover on thier own. I think it is a bad idea, if the fish just lays there for a few minutes It could wind up as prey for seals or sharks or bluefish or ospreys. I have had sharks and seals chase Bass I have hooked, and I have seen ospreys take Stripers from the surf.
I would think that we should give the fish the best chance we can, we owe it to them for the recreation they provide us.

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Spot-on advice.

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Originally Posted by jimbob

I have always questioned catch and release mortality rates. I don't believe that they are as high as they say, A fish is definitly stressed after having been caught but I think that they will be fine if released in thier natural water. During the studies on fishing mortality, the fish are caught by rod and reel then placed in tanks and transported to a place where they are observed over time. I think that many of those fish die of added stress of captivity.
As far as just letting the fish lay there until they recover on thier own. I think it is a bad idea, if the fish just lays there for a few minutes It could wind up as prey for seals or sharks or bluefish or ospreys. I have had sharks and seals chase Bass I have hooked, and I have seen ospreys take Stripers from the surf.
I would think that we should give the fish the best chance we can, we owe it to them for the recreation they provide us.

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Hi Jimbob,

I agree with some of what you mention here but,only up to a point.
I just believe that they are not as fragile as most think.
they have been seasoned by thousands of years of evolving and I believe they are built to survive.
they have limits I am sure but for the most part they are tough.
someone would have to SHOW me that said fish died after a battle after it was released.
anyone know of studies that have been done like in a huge aquarium?
in my 32 years in the salt,I only saw 1 fish that didn't make it and it was a chopper,perhaps it had some defect in it's cardio vascular system or something that made it pass.
I think that handling said fish,trying to make it regain it's o2 levels is adding stress to it.
leave it alone near,shore and allow it to rest in peace,quiet and regain.



R-P