Descender Weight

Has anyone tested retrieving what might be a larger fish at slower retrieval from deeper water? I will try and report when the time arises.

I have not had issues with barotrauma at inshore  because most of my inshore fishing in a kayak is usually no more than 80 ft in places I frequent around the Monterey bay

According to this PDF from the DFG on barotrauma: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=36345

Myth: Reeling a fish in slowly prevents barotrauma.
Fact: Rockfish cannot acclimate to the pressure drop even when reeled in slowly.

Myth: You can tell by looking whether a fish will survive or die.

According to published results of a Sea Grant
study led by researchers at Cal State Long Beach:
The degree of barotrauma in a fish is not a reliable
predictor of its survival. The most significant
predictor of post-release survivorship is the time a
fish spends at the surface.

Descend them all please, regardless of what they look like.

-Allen

Thanks everyone for the robust discussion!  Some great info and data points here.  I feel good about my plan for descending a rockfish, but still hoping I won't need to.

I'm looking forward to a break in the wind to get out there to my favorite spot and catch some fish! 

[/quote]
I just snell a thin wire barbless hook on backwards on the line above a weight.
-Allen
[/quote]

It's the simplest method!

Has anyone tested retrieving what might be a larger fish at slower retrieval from deeper water? I will try and report when the time arises.

I have not had issues with barotrauma at inshore  because most of my inshore fishing in a kayak is usually no more than 80 ft in places I frequent around the Monterey bay

According to this PDF from the DFG on barotrauma: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=36345

Myth: Reeling a fish in slowly prevents barotrauma.
Fact: Rockfish cannot acclimate to the pressure drop even when reeled in slowly.

Myth: You can tell by looking whether a fish will survive or die.

According to published results of a Sea Grant
study led by researchers at Cal State Long Beach:
The degree of barotrauma in a fish is not a reliable
predictor of its survival. The most significant
predictor of post-release survivorship is the time a
fish spends at the surface.

Descend them all please, regardless of what they look like.

-Allen

If a fish can go down on it's own, lets say quick release at the water line, does that also mean that it's being less subjugated to the stress of barotrauma?

Has anyone tested retrieving what might be a larger fish at slower retrieval from deeper water? I will try and report when the time arises.

I have not had issues with barotrauma at inshore  because most of my inshore fishing in a kayak is usually no more than 80 ft in places I frequent around the Monterey bay

According to this PDF from the DFG on barotrauma: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=36345

Myth: Reeling a fish in slowly prevents barotrauma.
Fact: Rockfish cannot acclimate to the pressure drop even when reeled in slowly.

Myth: You can tell by looking whether a fish will survive or die.

According to published results of a Sea Grant
study led by researchers at Cal State Long Beach:
The degree of barotrauma in a fish is not a reliable
predictor of its survival. The most significant
predictor of post-release survivorship is the time a
fish spends at the surface.

Descend them all please, regardless of what they look like.

-Allen

If a fish can go down on it's own, lets say quick release at the water line, does that also mean that it's being less subjugated to the stress of barotrauma?

The studies don't distinguish.  Descend them all for maximum benefit.  Also, how many times have you released a rockfish only to have it pop up 30 seconds later?  That 30 seconds could mean the difference between life and death.

-Allen

I just snell a thin wire barbless hook on backwards on the line above a weight.
-Allen
[/quote]

It's the simplest method!
[/quote]I'm trying to imagine how this works.  I certainly want the simplest method.

[/quote]I'm trying to imagine how this works.  I certainly want the simplest method.
[/quote]

Hook the fish in lower lip and lower it down with enough weight (1 - 5 lbs) depend on how big the fish is.  Yank/lift the rod up to release it at desired depth or at bottom.

I'm trying to imagine how this works.  I certainly want the simplest method.
[/quote]

Hook the fish in lower lip and lower it down with enough weight (1 - 5 lbs) depend on how big the fish is.  Yank/lift the rod up to release it at desired depth or at bottom.
[/quote]Thank you.  On a separate rod or make do when needed?

"On a separate rod or make do when needed?"
You can use a dedicated rod/handline or use the same fishing rod if you add a swivel or quick disconnect clip to the end of the (1 ft short)  line that snell to the hook.

"On a separate rod or make do when needed?"
You can use a dedicated rod/handline or use the same fishing rod if you add a swivel or quick disconnect clip to the end of the (1 ft short)  line that snell to the hook.

Got it!  @nooblife...I've never chased RCG snd the recent FOMO has caused a new fishery to open up in my freezer...