Let's talk about catch and release

Catch and release is a big buzzword among fishermen today. A lot of guys pride themselves as being committed to this type of fishing. Other fishermen think that's crazy. So do we really need to address it here? What's the big deal, you get the fish, unhook it, back in the water, and on to the next one, right? No procedures needed, even a trained monkey can do it! :laugh:

1. So what about the genius who takes the fish off the hook, and drops it on the sand, kicking it back on the sand until it hits the water?

2. What about the people who drop the fish from the bridge because they're short. Ya can't keep em, so aren't those people who release them this way C&R fishermen as well?

3. And what about the guys who take the fish out of the water, parade it back and forth to all their crew for 2 minutes, and then release it back in the water. What are the chances of that fish living to the next day?


So do we or do we not qualify the above fishermen as C&R fishermen?

Let's hear your opinion and any info you can share with the community how you do it.

The thought behind this thread is that some members were talking about this in another post. A few weeks ago a friend and I were fishin at night. He got a 27" bass on clams, reeled it in, and within 30 secs that fish was back in the water.

Yet we couldn't revive it, despite my trying for another 10 minutes after he tried. So we threw the dead bass back for crab food, and we both felt bad. :(

Hey, that's what happens when you put sharp hooks out there in hopes of catching bass. In my friend's case, he did everything right. Circle hook got the bass in the lip, quick removal, but the fish was swimming without buoyancy when he released it. Honestly, we think the fish smashed it's head on some rocks as it ran toward shore, isht happens.

So if we supposedly know what we're doing, and we killed a bass by accident, why not have a conversation here about the things to do, and not to do when releasing bass, bluefish, or any fish that you won't be eating?

A lot of it has to do with the water temp, time out of the water, and the way you hold the fish, but I would appreciate it if some members would chime in and talk about their best advice.

Apparently some people have different opiniopns than others. If one person learns to do things differently because of this thread, it's worthwhile to have the discussion.

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Originally Posted by DarkSkies

A lot of it has to do with the water temp, time out of the water, and the way you hold the fish, but I would appreciate it if some members would chime in and talk about their best advice.

Apparently some people have different opiniopns than others. If one person learns to do things differently because of this thread, it's worthwhile to have the discussion.

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I read somewhere that the warmer the water is the less chances the fish have of survival, so you should get them back quickly, as in a few seconds. Anytime we used to fish for largemough bass in summer heat, we would bring them to the side of the boat, and not lift them out of the water, just do everything while they are right there, and let them go. And Bill Dance, did you ever see the way he releases LMB? I think that's plain lazy. It's not like you have to treat the fish like a accident victim, but for Pete's sake, bend your fat azz down 2 feet and reach a little closer to the water, will you?http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...ons/icon13.gif

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Originally Posted by DarkSkies

1. So what about the genius who takes the fish off the hook, and drops it on the sand, kicking it back on the sand until it hits the water?

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i got a name for those dudes, i call them the barbie and ken azzwipes, too ***** to get their hands smelling fishy lol:2flip:

I am both a "keeper" and a "C&R" surf caster. I have yet to kill a Bass this season, but then again catching hasn't been all that great this year either.
The ones I see doing all the idiotic things to fish prior to release tend to be the types that would keep them if they were legal. In other words they are pissed they have to put them back.
Rather than get as close as safely possible to the waters edge at rocky locations, by wearing the right gear, they stand 50 feet away and crank the fish in over the rocks. When it comes time to put a fish back, 9 times out of 10 the fish bounces off the rocks 3 or 4 times before hitting the water.
I once, well maybe more than once, tried to explain the reasons for putting fish back correctly. The individuals in question didn't understand the concept. In fact the only thing they understood was the fine involved in keeping fish under the size limit or over the bag limit. Ensuring a fishes survival through a carefull return to the water was a completely lost concept.
It is most of the time obvious that the majority of these folks have never suffered through the crashing populations and the efforts put forth to restore these fish to levels that conservation allows us to continue to enjoy today. I am not only talking about Bass either, the most idiotic group as a whole with very few exceptions are the Tog fisherman. There are places I fish here at night that I have to leave as soon as the sun rises or I would lose my mind or end up in chrome bracelets.
A proper release;
Use gear designed to affect an efficient fight. Gear too light, especially from the surf kills fish.
Get the fish in as quickly as possible, depending on size, as "green" as possible.
Get the hook out quickly, leaving the fish in the water or out as shortly as possible. If gut or throat hooked cut the line. The hook will decay more quickly than you think. Avoid stainless bait hooks, and use circles with chunks.
Wash the fish back and forth in the water to allow the water to flow through the gills to revive a tired Fish. I once spent over 15 minutes with a large Bass that I thought would die from the fight. She ended swimming away quite strongley and quickly when I let her go.
When fishing from a sand beach never allow the fish to make contact with the sand. It will degrade the slime coating, and even washing it off prior to release will allow bacteria to take hold on the skin probably eventually killing the fish anyway. If for some reason you cannot avoid this, and the fish is legal, you might as well keep it, it's more than likely going to die anyway.

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Originally Posted by Stripercoast1

IWhen fishing from a sand beach never allow the fish to make contact with the sand. It will degrade the slime coating, and even washing it off prior to release will allow bacteria to take hold on the skin probably eventually killing the fish anyway. If for some reason you cannot avoid this, and the fish is legal, you might as well keep it, it's more than likely going to die anyway.

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Good point Striper, and I would add that handling fish in such a way that it removes their slime coat could indirestly make them more susceptible to mycobacteriosis.
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...ead.php?t=4708

Great subject guys. There is no sense talkiing about catch and release if you are not releasing fish properly. Doing that only prolongs their death, and is not admirable, or the behavior of a true sportsman. When you see people who are not doing it right, a few words of encouragement might be all they need. If they won't listen or seem unconcerned, shame on them.

And believe me, ask anyone that has witnessed, I do everything I can do to shame them.

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Originally Posted by DarkSkies

Catch and release is a big buzzword among fishermen today. A lot of guys pride themselves as being committed to this type of fishing. Other fishermen think that's crazy. So do we really need to address it here? What's the big deal, you get the fish, unhook it, back in the water, and on to the next one, right? No procedures needed, even a trained monkey can do it! :laugh:

1. So what about the genius who takes the fish off the hook, and drops it on the sand, kicking it back on the sand until it hits the water?

2. What about the people who drop the fish from the bridge because they're short. Ya can't keep em, so aren't those people who release them this way C&R fishermen as well?

3. And what about the guys who take the fish out of the water, parade it back and forth to all their crew for 2 minutes, and then release it back in the water. What are the chances of that fish living to the next day?


So do we or do we not qualify the above fishermen as C&R fishermen?

Let's hear your opinion and any info you can share with the community how you do it.

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1. Person should be put on the beach and kicked to see how it feels:beatin:
2. We use to use a basketball rim with a pretty taught net to lower fish back down
3. Way back when someone told me you should never keep a fish out of water longer than you can hold your breath which is a guide line i still use

No mater how they are released they have a better chance of surving then when they are kept:(

When possible I try and move the fish in a figure eight pattern to keep the water moving through mouth and out the gills while holding the fishes mouth open. I had read somewhere that moving it back and forth is not as effective.

I was with my wife on two occasions when I really needed to revive a fish because she felt really badly about them dying. One time was a 10 minute revive for a sea robin (because he was cute) and the other was when I had a treble in my finger and a feisty blue on the other treble. It was hard enough to get the hook out of the fish, then I had to take the fish swimming with a Cotton Cordell Pencil hanging off my hand. That was about 10-15 minutes. Both survived and my wife was very pleased with me, which is always good for about 10 minutes or so.

I ran into one guy who threw a short bass back into the water. I mean THREW it back. It probably went about 20 feet even though he was waist deep. I explained to him why thought that was wrong. This guy, wearing an AS jacket with a VS reel on a Honey Lami, said "YOU are going to tell ME how to fish?" I then briefly explained myself again and he told me to F off.
I posted about it on another website and got all sorts of flak at the tackle shop and online. It turns out this guy was number three in the Surf Fishing Standings in The Fisherman magazine.

I don't care who you are, you must respect our quarry because when there are none to be had you will be bitching about how everyone else screwed it all up.

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Originally Posted by finchaser

1. Person should be put on the beach and kicked to see how it feels:beatin:
2. We use to use a basketball rim with a pretty taught net to lower fish back down
3. Way back when someone told me you should never keep a fish out of water longer than you can hold your breath which is a guide line i still use

No mater how they are released they have a better chance of surving then when they are kept:(

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:clapping::clapping: Well said finchaser. I attribute a lot of it to laziness, or as someone else said some folks are just angry because the fish isn't a keeper.

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Originally Posted by Frankiesurf

Both survived and my wife was very pleased with me, which is always good for about 10 minutes or so.......

I usually try for a night-time reward for good deeds like that, BJ or something different on the sex menu.:D

This guy, wearing an AS jacket with a VS reel on a Honey Lami, said "YOU are going to tell ME how to fish?" I then briefly explained myself again and he told me to F off.
I posted about it on another website and got all sorts of flak at the tackle shop and online. It turns out this guy was number three in the Surf Fishing Standings in The Fisherman magazine.

I don't care who you are, you must respect our quarry because when there are none to be had you will be bitching about how everyone else screwed it all up.

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:clapping::clapping:I can't stand the elite guys who have to have every name brand surf item yet still act like A-holes. There's nothing wrong with quality gear, but it doesn't give you the right to not play by the standards everyone else has to go by. You were right to give that guy crap.

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Originally Posted by finchaser

:beatin:
2. We use to use a basketball rim with a pretty taught net to lower fish back down

No mater how they are released they have a better chance of surving then when they are kept:(

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:thumbsup: Kudos to ya for that, fin. I see people throw them back from bridges all the time, they hit the water like a cannonball. You know a certain percent of those fish will die. Hardly ever see people "lowering" them back down.

:kooky: go long gunny..... musta been the wrong guy, a top angler wouldnt toss a baby into the surf. and if he did, hes a boob and itsnt a top angler. next time we'll drown him for 5 mins, toss him 20 ft in the surf, and see if he survives

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Originally Posted by Stripercoast1

And believe me, ask anyone that has witnessed, I do everything I can do to shame them.

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I will agree with that!

The easiest way to learn an approriate C&R Method is to watch the Video put out By Stripers Forever. IF you have any questions about your release method this will answer it.


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

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Originally Posted by Frankiesurf

It turns out this guy was number three in the Surf Fishing Standings in The Fisherman magazine.

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Well I have officially decided never to purchase that magazine again.

If it cost 50 cents it would almost be worth it.

There are a lot of fishermen who have no idea about catch and release. They guess the size and if they decide to return it to the water they have no knowledge of the proper release.

I once saw a guy with a short. Another guy commented to him about it. The ******* dropped it on the ground and kicked it back into the water. He got a verbal *** whipping but could not care less. It is people like that who should be drowned.

What he said. I eat the fish I catch as long as its within the regs.

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Originally Posted by rip316

What he said. I eat the fish I catch as long as its within the regs.

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Do you really need to kill every legal fish you catch?

Yup especially since I have only six keepers in my two years of bass fishing. The biggest going 34 Inches. Yup especially being I have a family of 6 that all love to eat fish. Yup especially for what it costs me to go fishing. Yup especially when I sit there and start yelling at certain people for abusing the rgs and takin way too many fish and shorts and I call the cops on them. So my answer is Yes. If I catch a keeper he is coming home home with me. I also get the shorts I catch back in the water as quickly as possible and I by no means kick them or throw them 20 ft. in the air.