NorCal Kayak Anglers

General => Fish Talk => Topic started by: bsteves on October 10, 2006, 01:50:12 PM

Title: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: bsteves on October 10, 2006, 01:50:12 PM
This topic was recently brought up in the "Fishing Reports" forum and I thought it might be good to address it here.

Basically, if you want to practice catch and release fishing there are many things you can do to try and insure that the fish you release live to fight another day.

Here are some general tips to start out with.. (I'm sure we can come up with some more).

-use artifical lures instead of bait (fish are less likely to swallow the lure)
-don't play the fish to death (use tackle strong enough to accomplish this)
-land the fish quickly
-keep the fish in the water as long as possible
-if you use a net, a small knotless mesh is best
-if you touch the fish, use wet hands, a wet rag, or wet cotton gloves
-don't toss/drop you fish on the deck/ground
-hold the fish horizontally with good support rather than vertically


Brian
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: MolBasser on October 10, 2006, 02:02:07 PM
When lipping bass like fish there is a good and bad way to do it.  Basically you want to use minimal torque pressure on the fishes jaw.

Here are two examples:

The Bad:
(http://momentoffame.com/photopost/data/501/medium/Fishing_416.jpg)


The good:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v168/MolBasser/bassnet.jpg)



The better (If I had wet hands and hadn't already killed the fish:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v168/MolBasser/winner.jpg)


MolBasser
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: polepole on October 10, 2006, 02:35:44 PM
And if you like to use bait and plan on releasing, use circle hooks, preferably non-offset circle hooks.

-Allen
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: LoletaEric on October 10, 2006, 03:31:37 PM
So, am I totally naive to think that the 23# lingzilla that I held by the gill plate in my "patented death grip" for 5+ minutes while photographing and weighing it would not have been OK had I released it?  My opinion is that it would've been just fine.  It was alive in my hull all the way until I landed and even up to fillet time about 15 mnutes after landing, so we know they can go without water on their gills for quite some time.  I think lingcod and other fish with imposing chompers have an advantage because they don't get lip-gripped by hand.  I admit that I've not done much considering of how holding black snapper and other 'bass-like' fish affects their jaw, but I think I would've noticed if it ever dislocated the jaw or ripped muscles...  I'll be watching more closely from now on.  Good discussion. 
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: bsteves on October 10, 2006, 04:06:54 PM
There are lots of research papers out there comparing mortality rates of C&R fishes.  Most of these papers are species specific due to the fact that each species reacts differently to handling.  For example, look at an anchovy wrong and it will be dead in seconds... stick a mudsucker in your pocket, have a long lunch, take it out and that fish is still good to go.   Lingcod are actually fairly resilient to rough captures and here is the research that came to those conclusions..
http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/mfr6034.pdf

Brian
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: LoletaEric on October 10, 2006, 04:29:28 PM
Here are some shots to rev up the discussion - all released:
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: MolBasser on October 10, 2006, 07:21:47 PM
That style net (with the salmon) is not overly fish friendly due to the knots.  Just FYI.

MolBasser
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: LoletaEric on October 10, 2006, 07:54:35 PM
Yeah, I have a mesh-style smaller net, but I never would've gotten the 38#er in it!  Has anyone seen a king size mesh style?
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: bsteves on October 10, 2006, 08:11:30 PM
I'm guessing a 38# salmon isn't going to see much C&R and the smaller ones, the sub legal ones are called "shakers" becuase you can usually releasae them without having to deal with the net.  I  wouldn't worry about it.

Brian
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: bsteves on October 10, 2006, 09:04:50 PM
Okay, I forgot about coho... it would be useful to find a large knotless net with a finer mesh.

Anyone else got any leads on a new salmon net for AbKing?
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: ZeeHokkaido on October 11, 2006, 05:34:47 PM
I'm really happy this topic came up. I don't think we really think much about the fish we catch after we release them. I'm guilty of not thinking sometimes and make some mistakes w/ C&R. Glad it's here so I can learn.

I guess if we want to catch the big ones in the future we've got to be concientious to how we treat the smaller ones now.

Z

Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: ScottThornley on October 17, 2006, 03:06:34 PM
We should mention the SFD, or homemade equivalent, for releasing rockfish with barotrauma:

http://www.sheltonproducts.com/SFD.html


Scott

Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: guitarzan on October 17, 2006, 06:49:05 PM
I'm responsible for this bad example of a sturg noosing.
1: I did not let the noose go beyond the gills/pec fins.
2: I pulled it out of the water.
OK.  I'm guilty, but the fish DEFINITALY lived, I hung on to it until it revived, and man did it revive. Also the gills were not injured, but it came close as you can clearly sea in the pic. My excuse is that this was my 1st really big sturg and I thought it could be a keeper, but I was off by a mile, plus I was freaking out like a madman cause it was a dinosaur. Ben
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: Bill on October 17, 2006, 10:15:54 PM
Sturgeon give us a lot of the same challenges that I think people face with billfish. Ours are increased since we have to measure to see if it is in the slot which means we generally have to handle some very large fish like Ben's, often solo.

I have heard you don't want to noose them around the middle or put to much pressure on the belly cause the intestines are not able to handle get mushed much.

I don't think you could have done it much better guitarzan unless you would have just released the fish without pulling it into the boat but since sturgeon  tend to float head up and tail down it is reallt difficult to do solo. Maybe Dr. Sturgeon can give some other advice.
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: Whalewatched on October 20, 2006, 09:08:28 AM
There are lots of research papers out there comparing mortality rates of C&R fishes.  Most of these papers are species specific due to the fact that each species reacts differently to handling.  For example, look at an anchovy wrong and it will be dead in seconds... stick a mudsucker in your pocket, have a long lunch, take it out and that fish is still good to go.   Lingcod are actually fairly resilient to rough captures and here is the research that came to those conclusions..
http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/mfr6034.pdf

Brian

  I read the research paper and was most impressed by the observation that many of the injuries sustained by the lingcod did not heal after extended periods of time. This indicates to me that C&R fishing is inevitably destructive, regardless of how careful we may be handling our catches. Consequently, when I fish, I plan to keep and eat all legal fish I catch, even if they're smaller than I might prefer or not of the most desirable species. Once I catch as many as I want to keep, I stop fishing.

  I end up taking a range of sizes, which I believe is better for fish populations than taking the largest specimens and injuring lots of smaller fish in the process. The idea that a fish brought up from deep water can be released unharmed by any method appears to me to be wishful thinking- the damage has already been done! However, the seals and sea lions would probably appreciate it if you tried!

  One way to reduce unwanted "by-catch" is to use larger lures lures that are species-specific. For example, I am not going to catch many bat rays if I use artificials, but if I use a 4" or 5" swimbait I can probably discourage any small rockfish from biting while still catching the interest of the larger specimens. Also, using barbless hooks helps a lot in reducing fish handling time and stress.
 
   Paul
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: rocklobster on November 29, 2006, 11:54:42 AM
This topic is much needed even for those who don't practice pure catch and release fishing.  What I mean is, everyone who fishes will need to occasionally release their catches and in doing so should adopt the best practices.  It just makes better catches in the future for all of us.  Whalewatched - I like your post.
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: Whalewatched on November 29, 2006, 05:56:22 PM
 
  Thanks rocklobster. I'm trying hard to be a more conscientious fisherman.  Paul
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: Pelican on November 30, 2006, 09:46:40 AM
We work hard for our fish and we earn them. After awhile though, ( in my case 30+ years ), you realise it's as much, if not more, about getting out there and enjoying nature as it is about bringing home the bacon. I don't often freeze fish so I don't keep very many. I almost always use barbless hooks and honestly don't think I loose any more fish because of it. It's amazing how much easier it is to unhook a fish using barbless hooks. You don't even have to touch them many times, just grab the lure or fly or whatever and twist it right out and away they go. I started doing this after tearing up an undersize striper with the trebles on a plug. Not neccessary! Tom
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: compa on December 18, 2006, 10:46:11 PM
Here is a link on a C&R study that I found in another forum. I think it will be a good read for everyone here. I know I have learn a lot from reading it:

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/mnr/pubs/fishing/catch_and_release_review_and_guidelines.pdf
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: bsteves on December 18, 2006, 11:02:22 PM
Thanks, that's a great link. Probably the best review of the topic I've seen (even if it is Canadian).

Brian
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: FisHunter on December 19, 2006, 10:01:48 AM
Good Info and lots I did not know!  Thanks Compa!  I'll have to keep those big ones in the water before picturing them nicely.
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: ZeeHokkaido on December 19, 2006, 10:14:06 AM
Here is a link on a C&R study that I found in another forum. I think it will be a good read for everyone here. I know I have learn a lot from reading it:

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/mnr/pubs/fishing/catch_and_release_review_and_guidelines.pdf

SWEET LiNK COMPA! Glad to have you onboard at NCKA!  :smt001

Z
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: compa on December 19, 2006, 07:34:57 PM
Glad to help guys. Thanks!  :smt001
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: dwest on December 20, 2006, 03:20:50 AM
Nice job, compa, scott, and bsteves!  Thanks.
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: bluekayak on February 11, 2007, 10:17:58 PM
Barbless is the ticket

I'll probably go barbless for all my fishing

And single hooks on the trolling rigs would probably be good but I haven't been able to bring myself to that yet
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: surfingmarmot on April 15, 2007, 03:59:07 PM
Most of my flies are barbless and, though I do lose a few extra fish, I can usually keep them on.
I did it early on so I could fish C&R only waters for trout.

Then I carried it over to striper fishing at San Luis. Never lost anything big, though from time to time you lose a fish you would have liked to have boated at least to see its size.

I need to read more on this, but my intuition tells me bait fishing is to worst for C&R and barbless single hooks on flies or other lures are the best. C&R trout fly fishing has a pretty low mortality rate as far as I know.
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: Great Bass 2 on July 17, 2007, 02:06:10 PM
There was an article in a recent sports magazine which suggested that rockfish survival was very low unless returned to depth quickly. They use a deep water release cage to return the rockfish to the proper depth. Because the cage is too large to be used from a kayak, I invented a weighted self-tripping barbless hook system which I have been experimenting with. I will be testing it at Big Sur in a few weeks and share it with you if it works.
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: compa on July 17, 2007, 10:42:16 PM
You are trying to reinvent the wheel.  :smt003 That tool is shown on page 7 of the article shown in reply # 18. :smt001
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: kickfish on August 11, 2007, 04:28:49 AM
I agree with Great Bass 2 there are many Rockcods that you can not save.  They just become part of the food chain by being floaters.

Most party boats don't care about a canary...the Yellow eye  are the ones that they seem to want to take care of and live.  Me...I want the Great White ( not SEAN) TO TAKE ME OUT......knife strap to my leg and my problem is the "Knife Not Loaded."  (put that in for all you shot gun {stun gun} guys) .  Think about?..you have one shot with a stun gun....knife ...you don't need to reload.

Ken kickfish
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: ganoderma on August 11, 2007, 09:16:50 AM
I fished for trout using only barbless hooks for many years. I recently tried it on Monterey Bay. Squished down the barbs with pliers. Of five rockfish hooked, all were landed. I released four, and it was much easier with less damage to the mouth.


Barbless is the ticket

I'll probably go barbless for all my fishing

And single hooks on the trolling rigs would probably be good but I haven't been able to bring myself to that yet
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: calbear on March 18, 2009, 01:19:26 AM
Regarding trout/salmon, I just recently watched an extremely informative video which stated studies indicated these fish begin to show signs of gill impairment after more than 15 seconds out of the water. 
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: mickfish on March 18, 2009, 09:04:39 AM
Regarding trout/salmon, I just recently watched an extremely informative video which stated studies indicated these fish begin to show signs of gill impairment after more than 15 seconds out of the water. 
Do you have a link??
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: calbear on March 18, 2009, 12:20:09 PM
Honestly, I'm not sure how to post links. I have the video on my computer downloaded from The Pirate Bay to Limewire played with DivX. It's called "The Underwater World of Trout". If you could guide me through the process I'd be glad to share (if possible). Otherwise you could probably get it the same way I did. I have to say this is the most informative video on trout that I've ever seen. It was filmed by a fisherman over a period of seven years with an underwater camera. Incredible insight into whats going on under the surface. Can't stress this enough, everyone should see this.
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: ZeeHokkaido on March 18, 2009, 03:57:18 PM
http://www.underwateroz.com
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: piski on March 19, 2009, 12:57:49 PM
Just saw a notice in the latest edition of WON (March 20, 09) that they will no longer accept photos of out-of-water illegal fish; illegal meaning any under- or over-sized fish, or any catch that would otherwise not be legal to keep, such as a wild steelhead, for example.

They've received a number of photos of fish intended for release but fully out of water and clearly not being handled properly, such as with fingers in gill plates, and they "do not want to encourage any activity that may endanger a protected fish."

Good for them.
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: bsteves on March 19, 2009, 01:10:51 PM
Up at NWKA (Northwest Kayak Anglers) we've modified our AOTY rules such that only fish that are legal to retain can be entered.  This eliminates the temptation to molest a native steelhead or salmon with our hawg trough for some AOTY points.  Maybe someday NCKA will follow suit.
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: dilbeck on March 19, 2009, 02:06:20 PM
Up at NWKA (Northwest Kayak Anglers) we've modified our AOTY rules such that only fish that are legal to retain can be entered.  This eliminates the temptation to molest a native steelhead or salmon with our hawg trough for some AOTY points.  Maybe someday NCKA will follow suit.

I'm in!

Michael



Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: jwsmith on March 19, 2009, 03:25:27 PM
D'u guys endorse those red-plastic "fish-unhooker" devices that one sees everywhere?

Do you have much-preferred fish-unhooker alternatives?

I've never fished for bass or crappie with barbless.
(I'm a catch-and-eat fellow.)

So...strikes me as kinda ballsey.   D'u lose many?

Judd
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: calbear on March 19, 2009, 06:04:33 PM
For trout, barbless hooks and forceps. For larger mouth fish, needle nose pliers have always worked for me.
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: compa on June 03, 2009, 11:47:32 AM
D'u guys endorse those red-plastic "fish-unhooker" devices that one sees everywhere?

Do you have much-preferred fish-unhooker alternatives?

I've never fished for bass or crappie with barbless.
(I'm a catch-and-eat fellow.)

So...strikes me as kinda ballsey.   D'u lose many?

Judd
Many of the bass hooks are just too big for those hook removers. But they work well if the hook gap are the right size to fit the tool. I have one, but usually use a pair of split ring pliers. The little hook at the end of these pliers are great to have a good grip on the hook.

I use this method when the hook is deep.
http://www.significantudders.com/hookremoval/index.html

I have tried using barbless with bass. To me it is not worth it. I have lost some huge bass because they came off during the fight.
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: stuppid on July 10, 2009, 12:05:56 PM
For rockfish I prefer to use a jighead with at least a 7/0 hook and at least a 6" swimbait.  I get very few fish that do not come unpinned easily and I can shake loose the short lings without having to handle them at all.
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: tallpaul on July 10, 2009, 01:59:00 PM
One other suggestion:

When I fish iron for rockfish, I usually replace the treble hooks with a single hook, which cause less damage to releasable fish. I also lose fewer jigs, because it's easier to bounce them free off of kelp or rocks.

I'll try barbless soon, and see if I lose more fish that way...I'm not sure yet whether I want to take that risk of losing fish, but willing to try.

Best,

TallPaul
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: alamedamike on March 27, 2010, 04:07:12 PM
going barbless for sure is more satisfying in the end, even if the fish count maybe less, its so much more of the mano y mano battle.....
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: NoFishMaster on March 28, 2010, 11:18:25 AM
Awesome info in these pages. thank you for the tips :smt003
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: Malibu_Two on March 11, 2011, 01:33:03 PM
Unfortunately, I think fishing contests tend to encourage unnecessary handling of and posing with fish. The universal rule of thumb if you are going to release a fish is to keep it in the water, but that doesn't make for an accurate Hog Trough photo I guess. Maybe there's a way to measure them in the water?

I've certainly been guilty of boating fish that were undersize or that I needed to handle in order to unhook, but I will try this season to keep that to a minimum...maybe barbless hooks all the way. Umm, except for white seabass  :smt001
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: PakehaChérie (Pikachu) on October 12, 2012, 10:46:51 PM
This might be a novice question, but how long do you struggle with a hook before just clipping and leaving the hook there?
I was told that fish emit an enzyme that will dissolve hooks over time - is that true?
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: Thos on October 12, 2013, 11:50:07 PM
Compa's link was broken (it is 7 years old). This looks to be a functioning link: http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@letsfish/documents/document/228125.pdf (http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/stdprodconsume/groups/lr/@mnr/@letsfish/documents/document/228125.pdf)
Title: Re: Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices
Post by: Sailfish on October 08, 2015, 06:27:06 AM
This might be a novice question, but how long do you struggle with a hook before just clipping and leaving the hook there?
I was told that fish emit an enzyme that will dissolve hooks over time - is that true?

Yes, especially if you use "cheap" hooks.