Catch and release thread

[DarkSkies]

4-1-10

OGB's 3rd time at bat for the 2010 season.
3rd released keeper.

[skinner]

Catch & release fishing helps to maintain a healthy striped bass fishery. Most trophy sized striped bass - fish measuring 40 inches or longer - are usually females. Known as cows, these large females lay many times more eggs than their smaller sisters and are essential for maintaining healthy breeding populations of striped bass. Safe catch & release fishing of these large cows will help to ensure future generations of these spectacular fish for years to come.
Difficulty: Easy
Instructions


Step 1


Successful catch & release fishing begins with choices in fishing tackle. Use circle hooks, which are swallowed much less frequently than traditional hooks and save unnecessary internal injury to the fish. Circle hooks are very effective for catching stripers, and setting the hook properly usually results in catching the corner of the bass's mouth.

Step 2
Remove the barbs from the treble hooks of lures and poppers used for catch & release fishing. Treble hooks often cause multiple deep wounds, and imbedded hooks require pliers and extra force to remove. Use a set of pliers to simply flatten the barb, or use a metal file to remove the barb quickly while sharpening the treble hooks. A barb is not necessary to hook and land a high percentage of aggressive striper hits; keep the line taunt and the rod tip high while playing and landing your fish.

Step 3
Landing the fish quickly will help to keep the bass strong for a safe catch & release fishing. Grab the striped bass firmly by the lower jaw, and use your other hand to support the mid section of large fish while lifting and holding the fish out of the water. Do not hold the fish by the gills.

Step 4

Use a hook extractor or pliers to remove imbedded hooks. Grab the hook as close to the point as possible, while gently yet firmly twisting and backing out the hook. Pliers or a hook extractor provides extra leverage without putting unnecessary pressure against the fish. Removing hooks with as little injury as possibls increases the suvival rates in catch & release fishing.
Step 5


Return the striper to the water as quickly as possible, but catch & release fishing of an exhausted and disoriented striped bass before it has time to recover is lethal. Hold the fish in the water by its tail while supporting the midsection, and within a few minutes, a healthy and uninjured fish will begin to regain its strength. Taking the time to allow a tired fish to recover fully before allowing it to swim off on its own will significantly increase its chances to survive and to fight again on another day.

[DarkSkies]

C&R bass, my first of many C&R fish this year, 28".

[speedy]

that was sweet big cow

[DarkSkies]

Speedy ya gotta watch those words sometimes people might start to talk about us...

Did ya go fishin yet today?

[DarkSkies]

2nd C&R keeper of the year, 28".

[cowherder]

This was on Al Ristori's website. Good going guys!

http://www.nj.com/shore/blogs/fishin...es_425-lb.html
Rhodes weighs & releases 42.5-lb. striper -- Parisi close behind

By Al Ristori

May 11, 2010, 10:03PM

During a season dominated by stripers in the teens, and when even legitimate 20-pounders can be tough to come by, the hooking of a bass twice that size is quite newsworthy. That's even more the case when the fish is weighed and released after being caught on a home-made spoon.

Capt. Stephen Rhodes III of Staten Island put his dad, Stephen Rhodes II, into the big bass while trolling their 19th Hole on Monday afternoon along with Skip Tellefson. Rhodes, III said they tagged and released over 20 bass, insluding several over 35 pounds. The feature was a bass they kept alive on the boat and weighed in at Michael's Tackle in Great Kills at 42.5 pounds before tagging and releasing the ready-to-spawn cow.

Bryan Yenish said he put Mike Parisi of Staten Island into a similar striper while chunking bunker off Great Kills. Though only 44 inches long, the pre-spawning bass was so loaded with roe that it pushed a Boga Grip past the 40-pound mark before being released to spawn and fight another day.

[surfstix1963]

Nice work guys especially the C&R part.More people should learn that type of fishing and contribute to building a larger breeding stock so their are more fish for their kids to enjoy theres no need to keep every one of them if you eat fish take one for the table let the rest go every time they breed it contributes to a better fishery.

[bababooey]

is all I can say, The guy is a better man than me. Great catch and release!


Brach releases 50-pounder from Sheri Berri
By Al Ristori
May 17, 2010, 7:27PM

Rick Brach of Bridgewater had caught only one tiny striper on a killie while fluking before he joined me this morning on Sheri Berri from Baker's Marina on the Bay in Highlands. Not only did he quickly beat that fish with a 20-pounder, but he ended up releasing a bass that's the dream of every dedicated striper fisherman. Brach's father, **** of Warren, was also reeling in a bass on the other bunker spoon rod when I told Rick to reel slowly until my mate, Capt. Hans Kaspersetz, could release the other fish. After that was done, Kaspersetz looked at Rick's fish just astern and said it was big. I expected to see perhaps a 30-pounder, but when Kaspersetz eased her over the side of the Regulator 26 it proved to be much larger than merely big.

After keeping the first bass boated for dinner, these catch-and-release anglers were releasing all others -- and this was no exception. Though only 47 inches to the fork of the tail (the length measurement needed for using the formula to determine weight), that bass apparently hadn't spawned and had a 30-inch girth. Using the formula (length times girth squared, divided by 800) the weight came to 52.875 pounds -- and she's still swimming out there. I've heard of only two other "fifties" taken in the area so far, and most striper anglers never catch one in a lifetime.

[bababooey]

Sea Hunter jigs big bass

By Al Ristori

May 19, 2010, 7:58PM

Capt. Rob Semkewyc says striper jigging has been sporadic lately on his Sea Hunter from Atlantic Highlands, but he got into big bass today as stripers of 37, 30, 28, and 26 pounds were boated.
Art Berkman of Pompton Plains celebrated his birthday by joining Capt. Jou Grazioso on his Striper Mania from Keyport to release a striper.

http://www.nj.com/shore/blogs/fishin..._big_bass.html

[DarkSkies]

5-21-10

Did the boat thing 6-11AM landed some really nice bunker in the 1 pound range. Also went 4 for 6 on the bass 27#,31#,37# and 39#all were released to fight another day.
My friend had 5 to 41# he kept a 22# for his mother
Spotter plane and bunker boat arrived and took tons of bunker action came to a halt.

Black mat in bottom 2 pictures is 38 inches these are the 3 over 30#

Black mat in bottom 2 pictures is 38 inches these are the 3 over 30#
Attached Thumbnails




Proud of ya Fin!!

[DarkSkies]

5-20-10

my 1st one this year and the biggest ever thank god i had a 8ft. stick in my car i was out to pick up milk for my 2yr old and i stopped by the beach talking to the guys then one guy said ITS ON i said ooo sh-t i was the 10th guy to hookup on a plug that i made if my fish looked 30lb the others where bigger than mine. and yes i set her free some may ask why i let her go i dont eat fish now if i had gotten one of the bigger ones you ben your crum buns she is going home with me

Not many people would release their biggest fish ever, Speedy. That's a tough call to make, and it could go either way.
Congrats on the catch and your choice, bro.
I'm proud of ya!

[finchaser]

Way to go Speedy

[rip316]

Fin, If Dark would have put us on some fish this morning he said we would have to do c&r in your honor. I would have done it but, we didn,t catch any bass. Had a great time doing the death walk though. Thanks Dark

[speedy]

hey rip what kind of reel do ya have

[speedy]

it was like boot camp hey rip was the walk that bad

[speedy]

fin great fish i wish that the nets would get rapped a round the bunker boats prop oopps

[rip316]

okuma epixor ef 55a. I only have low end equipment.

[rip316]

I do not think the walk was that bad. I went right from work at 1230am. if I had any sleep before leaving it would not have been that bad at all.

[speedy]

okuma epixor ef 55a. I only have low end equipment.

thats not low end my thinking is if it works for you so be it i have all okuma reels and rods tica too and penn p.s. what color do you like ????