Quick Release methods!

[Kid Derringer]

Big Jim.

May be a good idea to start a thread on the right and wrong things to do with a nice fish when you catch it.

Quick Release methods!

Maybe this is it?

This subject is mentioned during the season on a few boards, but it is now, when the waters are HOT and lots of fish are being caught, that we all need to put them back ASAP.

I'm not on line much during the summer, as I'm on the water and have no phone line on the Island to hook up a computer (I love that!), so I can't bring this subject up as often as I would like to see it or kindly nag everyone about it?


There are still a LOT of fine fisher persons on this board with lots of experience, who catch 20 to 60 fish a season.
Guides that even see more than that in there boats on good years.

These fine folks need to share info on the Quick Release Methods they use with others so the word stays out and the subject is actively talked about.

This is a very, very important subject!

May start some squables, but so be it.
The word will get out and fish may benifit!
The whole group of us will gain from it.

First thing that comes to mind of a person on the end of a rod when they catch a BIG fish is to have there photo taken with it.

Cool, we all do it at one time or another, but if these people do not know how to handle a fish or are chicken of it at boat side and drag it in the boat and let it flop around for six to ten minutes, it is doing the fish NO good.

Holding a fish up after they get a GOOD grip, then droping it. :(

Leaving it lay around the bottom of the boat for an exact measurment of lenght and girth. :(

Drifting off the spot they caught the fish and then releasing it 12 to 15 minutes later over deep water can be deadly. :(

Grab & Grin photos are part of the package, but more on the way to handle a fish on this site and how to do it fast and still get the photo maybe will do some real good for us all.

Seeing to many dead fish last week in bays around the lake is a sad thing and hearing of more this week. :(

BIG fish, and smaller fish.

Please post more on the How to release fish FAST and still get the Grab & Grin Photo.

How to measure fish IN THE WATER!

Cutting hooks when needed.

What to do with a big fish after a long fight.

How NOT to release a fish over deep water.

What that huge fight really did to that fish and how long it really takes for one to fully recover.

That it's OK to go Musky fishing alone and NOT get a photo!

Just something on the A,B,C's of the quick release!

Every little bit helps.

Thanks for your time.


T.



www.muskytomsguideservice.com

[Jim McCullough]

Great topic Tom! One area I would like to hear more about is gaffs. On the surface, it sounds like it would be very hard on the fish, but I have talked to guys who I have a lot of respect for who use them quite successfully. How about it guys? What is your method for quick, successful releases?

[Cast and blast]

Good one KID! Sounds like we could get a constructive topic going here. One thing that I have taken a liking to is just cutting hooks if it takes more than 10 seconds to get the fish free of the lure, I am now just cutting hooks. Hooks are cheap and easy to replace. I also may replace the split rings depending on the quality of ring that the lure originally had. Some rings seem to move to a more open position if they have been moved around a lot from hook replacement. Don't forget to make sure you get the hook pieces all out after you do the cutting. Cutting hooks speeds up the amount of time for you to carefully handle the fish, and get her back to shallow water where there is adequete oxygen to recover. Cast-n-blast

[GMan]

Tell us more about why we should not release fish over deeper water. Temperature issue? Cover? True all the time or only when they are caught in shallow? Great post.

[Tom B]

Fish released over deep water (shallow water too) will frequently fin along near the surface. Releasing a fish over deep water could put the fish in danger of being run over by another boat.

I'll add more later.

Tom B

[deathfromabove]

Realizing that there are many different factors involved here....
I think that one of the most important things..and simple too, is law and order in the boat. This is a great place to start.
Having all the necessary tools and equipment ready and reachable in an uncluttered boat.

Too many times I see the pliers still in the bottom of a closed tackle box or the tape or the spreaders. Or the camera in a bag stashed somewhere in the boat and when the fish is finaly caught and brought into that boat everything is scattered and too much time is consumed searching for everything and getting it ready. Panic sets in with all the excitement and then only bad things happen.

If everything is in its proper place to be easily and quickly accessable Catch-Photo and Release can be done in a matter of seconds. And everyone lives happily ever after, the hero of the day has a picture and the fish can go be pissed off that she let some chump catch her.

C

[Musk Rat]

I have the best release method of all just let them get off as soon as you hook them. Had four nice releases yesterday they all swam away great.