Out last Sat on the river at just daylight, no water in my favorite central coast stream. (my fovorite conditions) Third cast WHAM! Using my fovorite low water technique floating eggs no lead with a spinning rod a 8 lbs wild buck on the bank within less than 5 minutes of play. What should have been a joyous ocasion turned out to be sickening as I saw blood being pumped from his gills.Sure did'nt get that warm and fuzzy you C&R fanatics talk about. This scene was played out 5 more times that day with only 2 of the six I'm sure was released unharmed. The last three I swicthed to single barbed blue fox whiched seemed to improve survival 60% but I still had 1 confirmed death. I quit at 3pm the way things were going I probably could have nailed a few more. My question is would we be better off having a kill fishery if the limit might be 1 fish than quit whether it be kept or not? People out there banging multiple hookups in the name of C&R are probably doing more harm than cathing one and enjoying the rest of the day as a simple boat ride.

MMOUSE

Sounds like you are careless to me. You caught 1 fish and realized that your chosen technique and handling methods had hurt a fish. Why did you wait until you had caught 2 more before you switched? I have been fishing C&R for 5 years and can only think of 1 instance where there may have been a mortality issue. The difference is that I fish using methods that I know will minimize the chances for mortality, and handle the fish with extreme care. C&R when done properly is fine.

Just my opinion.

If you're using bait and a non-barbless hook, then I wouldn't call that a C&R fishery. That's meat fishing, pure and simple.

If it's not single barbless, no bait, then it's really not C&R. More like K&R.

Again, just my opinion and no reflection on the originator of the post. It sounds like MMOUSE wasn't out for meat or for killing steelies.

Parker

Disgusting. But it all makes perfect sense to me and it should to you too. As long as you make it easy for them to take the hook deep like that (I assume that's the problem) you're doing the fish and everyone a disservice. That aside, I actually like your suggestion of a one-fish limit in C&R, even if everyone let their natives go like they should. Anything more than one is a huge bonus. Back to the subject. Thanks for quitting, you probably saved a few fish. You could save a few more by modifying your approach.

Catch and release using eggs? That dosent make much sense. Even in CNR there should probably be a 2-3 fish limit to help control folks who don't CNR properly. I have taken 20 or so fish using vibraxes have never had a bleeder. How bout a one fish limit and it must be released? C

MM,

I'm not sure I'm buying it. I remember your pro-net leanings and I'm wondering if maybe you're just trying to give C&R fishing a black eye. Either that or you are a slow learner. Free drifting eggs as a C&R method? You can't be serious.

I've landed a fair number of nates this year, but I put the bait away a while ago. A jig in the snout usually leaves but a stick and the fish swims away. I can say with confidence that not one native I've landed this year suffered any significant harm.

I'd be for restrictions on the use of bait at a certain time during the season so lunkheads aren't out there free-drifting eggs or using bait divers, but C&R CAN be done with insignificant impact. The key is educating people (you, for instance) on how to fish when natives are in the system.

So you harmed 4 out of 6 fish, huh? Well, that puts you at about 7 times the average C&R angler. I'd say you need to take another look at the WAY you're fishing, and quit blaming C&R fisheries for the demise of the runs.


Fish on.......



[This message has been edited by Dan S. (edited 03-06-2001).]

MMOUSE,
Either you have very bad luck or your method is deadly (and not in a good way). I've never heard of that level of mortality with anything short of explosives or a gill net. Consider changing that nasty technique if you're gonna fish when the natives are restless.

Dont believe it, not even a little bit.

I use to the same technique in a few small streams out here and use it still for hatchery summerruns. I have had only one fish die on me in 15 years. Ive had numerouse summerruns and cutts inhale it past there gills with allot of blood. I have caught theese fish a week latter with my line still sticking out of thier mouth.

The part I really dont believe about this story is that you had that many winter fish take it that deep. Like I said ive used this technice before and have never had a winterfish take it that deep. Only time ive seen it happen is with bait divers.

nmouse,
I think you are pretty sincere about it bothering you, but if you see them bleeding
don`t try and remove the hook, cut the line and don`t use barbed hooks

MMOUSE, sounds like you need to go to "Uncle Jed's" trout farm and learn how to set a hook before the fish swallows everything but your rod.

Duh.
What do you think no bait and barbless restrictions are for.
Lose the bait and barbs dude.

You should just tie your line directly to a piece of yarn. Don't even use a hook if that bothers you so much. Or better yet, stay home. C&R is just fine, I'm all for it. I've never killed a nate, but have no qualms with those who do. But when I go fishing, my purpose is to catch a fish. If bait is working, bait is what I use. If jigs work, I'll use jigs etc. I do recommend barbless hooks, but when it comes to lure/bait selection, I'm not going to intentionally hamper myself.

Not meaning to piss anybody off or start anything but the truth of the matter is bait is legal to use there and everybody is! A lot of fish are getting killed. A lot of my fishin buds claim that "my" eggs should be outlawed.....maybe they're right!

Guys MMouse is a gillnet lover. I believe he's even a commercial fishermen. He's just trying to give sporty's a blackeye anyway he can. His comments aren't worth more than the toilet paper I wipe my butt with!

MMouse what's the survival rate for natives released out of a gillnet? 0%!!!!!!!!!!!

Keep your hooks sharp!

Bobber Down

MM,

From Vashon....no email......you're not really "anadromous1" are you?

Hey there Minnie Mouse,I agree with Salmontackler,maybe you should work on that hook set
instead of waiting for him to take it up to you're elbow....sheesh Dooh ohhhh I thinks thats a fish...
maybe you're eggs should be outlawed and maybe you should learn how to fish-em.....Os

Come on, people. Give the guy the benefit of the doubt. He came here asking for suggestions and tips to not injure fish when practicing C&R. Rather than give him the tips he wants, all you do is slam and insult him. Real mature there, real mature. The way I look at it, you can answer his question, and he can release fish without them being injured, or you can act like you are now (a good term is jackass) and because he didn't get the good information he wanted, may continue to damage fish. If you want these natives to live, answer the guy's question. By not doing so, you're being hypocrites.

Look JF,

We've dealt with MM before. He was a vocal opponent of the Net-ban initiative, so his presence here hasn't gone unnoticed by those of us who have been around a while. Before you go calling everyone here jacka$$es, I'd be a little more careful about who you're siding with. If you'd rather pal up with a gillnet-lover, that's fine with me. But don't count on any info coming your way from me if that's how you want it.

Hey Jacob,carefull who you back up (these pro gillnetters fans )
let me get this straight,you're fishing for Nates with a light weight spinning rod&reel with no weight and you can't tell when a fish is inhaling you're offering...EDIT*EDIT*EDIT
I'm not ripping his technic....sounds like he needs to work on his....... SKILLS ...my.o2....Os

You don't need to re-enforce my point. This is the first time I've seen him post. Look at it from my standpoint. A guy posts a question asking what he can do so he doesn't injure/kill fish that he wants to release. Rather than answering him by providing information on how to release fish uninjured, I just see people being insulting and shooting off thier mouths. Now, I for one like to see wild fish released and I thought everyone here did as well. That's why I thought it odd that no one wanted to offer any honest advice. I admit that I did not realize this person's background, but if he's being sincere, insulting him will not help the fish at all.