Catch and Release Fishing Best Practices

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. 

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??

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.

http://www.underwateroz.com

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.

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.

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

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

For trout, barbless hooks and forceps. For larger mouth fish, needle nose pliers have always worked for me.

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.

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.

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

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.....

Awesome info in these pages. thank you for the tips

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