In another thread the topic of fish morality came up along with the stress levels of fish, and proper catching and releasing. I am by no means a expert on the proper way to release fish, and in an effort to help as many fish as possilbe to survive, what do you folks think is the best way to play, land, and release a fish?
I'm new fly fisherman and to this board but not a new fisherman. I would think its reeling in the fish right away (not using too light gear), not directly touching the fish unless your hands are wet or have wet gloves, using barbless, use a net that doesn't harm them. As for releasing fish, don't lift them by the mouth, don't grab them too hard, don't throw them, but rather support them with your hands under the net, in the water, position them upside down so they don't thrash, and like the bass fishing tv shows, move them in the current to get water through their gills before letting them swim off on their own.
I was at Putah this Sunday and I spotted a battle worn trout dead.
I usually dont take a fish out of the water, I just give the hook a quick shake with foreceps. If its worthy of a pic I'll just leave em in the net in the water and take a pic. I find the wild fish recover much better then the planted trout, most all dead trout I find on putah are planters or at times i have found very large dead wild fish but that was mostly likely death due to spawning stress.
Welcome to the boards throwinmetal. Definitely bring the fish in as quick as you can. I've seen way too many flyfisherman fight big trout like complete sissy's. They're scared to put any pressure on the fish. Usually scared they're gonna lose em.(eventually they do)When and IF they get them in the fish is very well done. Seems to me the longer the big trout are on your hook the longer they have to get off it. Fight and land those fish while they have some juice left, not when they come in like a snagged log.
My problem in releasing them has always been getting the hook out. I usually keep em in the water, grab them by the base of their tail and then grab the hook, but it seems to me they always are able to shake loose of my kung fu grip. Any suggestions.
When you go to grab them, do it slowly and gently, a lot of the times thye will stay calm for a few seconds to give you time to get the hook out... Or you can go barbless and don't even have to touch the fish.
Another key thing to remember when releasing a fish....make sure the fish, when returned to the water, pulls away from you strongly, don't just allow the fish to drift back into the water after a fight. You want to make sure the fish has recovered enough strength to find cover. A still dazed fish, that would not otherwise die due to lactic acid toxicity, could be easily picked off by a predator, such as a heron, commorant, river otter, and so forth.
Matt R has it right about fighting fish. A lot of people give the fish way too much. You want to land the fish as quick as possible. When fish are running, you pretty much have to let them run, but you can steer them by turning their head. This will tire them out. When they stop running, horse them in. You have to keep pressure on them. I keep my drag pretty tight. I use 6X a lot with tiny flies, and I don't get too many break-offs. Get the fish into an eddy or other slower water where you can land them more easily.
I usually use a net. It makes the last part of landing the fish a whole lot easier. I remove the hook while the fish is still in the water (in the net). They can't thrash and hit their head on a rock or anything that way.
When releasing fish, hold them in CLEAN water, not the MUDDY water you were just standing in. Hold them gently, facing the current. Don't move them back and forth. Doing this forces water backwards through their gills. You want the water to flow through their mouth and out their gills naturally. Hold them until they catch their breath, get their senses back, and swim away under their own power.
-- Edited by JT at 12:37, 2007-10-17
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"Nothing makes a fish bigger than almost being caught."
I agree with Matt and JT. Land the fish as quickly as you can. Try to guide it into slow water. I use a net made of soft rubber, kind of long and flat...very fish friendly....keep the fish in the net and in the water while I remove the fly. If I don't need a picture I don't even handle the fish if I can help it... Just let it sit in the net under water until it looks strong, place the fish in the current, drop the net below the fish and watch it swim away.
Imagine this, If your were to sprint back and forth for the same period of time that you fight a fish, then when you take it out the water imagine holding your breath for whatever period of time the fish is out of water. Thats why I try to keep em in the water. And if the trout has happened to take your fly deep, Like what happens alot of times with egg patterns and beeds, just cut it off in the fish, it'll work its way out soon enough.
I think it's funny that no one has talked about the real topic of this post.
Fish Morality.
Haven't any of you noticed how evil the fish are becoming. I landed one the other day and several of its buddies blind-sided me, knocking me into the water. Once in their element, they thrashed me. I have bite marks to prove it.
Putah fish are not the same, nice, moral fish they used to be. Maybe the bait-fishers got them addicted to meth.
You guys must be catching different fish....the ones I catch give me kiss before I release them. But seriously, if I see any dead fish as a result of this drop in flow I'm taken pics.
WOW, they kiss you ? HEEhEe. The fish started spawnin last year in late december. This will give you all an oppurtunity to see what really is in putah, But i hope we don't fish for em at that time, as that will warrant a nice whack on the hand. It's an amazing sight to see.
At a glance I thought JL's photo bore a resemblance to a cross between steve martin and chevy chase ... thanks for bringing the levity back!
We may have to do something about those delinquent trout! I must say it may just be pay back for the hurt we put on em ... uhhh ... every chance we get!
That said, I am new to the board, and a born again fly fisherman. I mean, I've been in and out of the sport for years. I've been a guy to use spinning gear, bait, all kinds of lures, and flies on fly rods and spinning rigs. I just love to fish.
I thank my dad for giving me a good basic education in preserving resources and respecting our prey. Even before it was cool, trendy, or even politically correct to do so. Probably about 35 or so years ago that I got my first lesson in the differences between food and sport. When it was for sport, how to give your "adversary" a fair chance to escape, "sport", and when you "win" how to make sure your "adversary" lives to play another day.
I haven't read a point in this thread that is not valid and important to take note of. For me, the comment made by someone about lactic acidosis strikes a cord. My dad always taught me to support the fish in an upright position. If in a stream, head to the current, if in a lake or pond ... you might need to hold it losely by the tail moving it forward and back. The key here is getting water moving over its gills (gills=lungs) until it swims away under its own power.
On another thread someone talked about holding your breath whenever you take the fish out of water ... I'm an overweight, middle aged, athlete, with asthma...dude...I get that!
What is absolutely amazing is that we are actually grown ups talking about how to keep the fish we do battle with alive ... we must kind of like this sport! Great Job Gang!
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"You tell yourself that it will be both educational and spiritually uplifting, as all imaginative excuses for goofing off are." John Gierach, "Music of the Spheres".
I gotta side with Matt. Start rooting for them fish. Guys will do it on smaller fish too which is ridiculous. Drag set too low letting the fish barrel downstream. The double nymph rig is great but so many times guys are late on the take, myself included and foul hook em. Some guys still try and catch those fish which as I learned is not good, gotta break em off.
