Ethical question: Does anyone weigh live Salmon on a scale then release

I say " why would you" there are so many reasons not to hoist and weigh the fish. If you had the proper training, equipment and did it for science maybe. Like many muski, sturgeon and bass tournaments, those are hardy fish to release, salmon=not so hardy. Just say no, release properly and with least handling so a whale can eat.

HM
 
That is not what were getting at. Taking a fish and hooking it on scale vertically so not good practice at all. No one from a derby is going to agree with that. That was sort of the original post question.

Thank you for pointing out that landing a Chinook with a net and taking a girth and length measurement then releasing it would not be considered unethical .....but hanging it from a scale (by mouth, not cradle) might be hard on the fish.
 
In 1996 it was catch and release in Nootka after July 15th. I made a salmon sling (cradle) similar to one I seen used on Hank and Italo’s old TV show Canadian Sportfishing. Two 4 ft lengths of 1X1 with small mesh netting staples to each so the net hung in a sling shape. I put screw in eyelets into the 1X1 on each side to put the scale hook through. I simply guided the fish into the sling lifted it a couple inches out of the water got the weight and then subtracted the weight of the sling...easy, took little time and never touched the fish.
 
weigh slings have been used for years back in the UK ...
its all C&R
buy em for pike from ebay they will work for salmon
 
Hi Rockfish - your description of the WA reg is more accurate than mine; thanks.
IMO whatever the reason does not justify doing something that should not be done. Salmon should be released as quickly and with the least amount of manipulation as possible.
 
I love seeing some of the most vocal people in proper released steelhead, yet they guide clients into big springs and have no problem bringing them into the boat bear hugging them with a client just to get a pic???
Switch the species....is it ok to bear hug steelhead out of the water on the river?
Absolutely disgusting what people do for multi-media bragging.
Look at almost all of the resorts...bear hugging 30+s is the norm then releasing them. Sickening!
 
I only did it that year because I knew every fish was going back and my customers would want to know the weights. There was no one there that year...everyone pulled out on the 15th...we were the only boat arriving. The most boats we fished with was on the last morning,...7 boats. 35 to 40 springs caught and released each day. To the point where after 6 hours of a 10 hour day most people said enough my arms are sore...time for some drinks. Largest triple header at the Hisnet...in the afternoon and only boat there...38, 36 and 31 pounds. That is a story they can tell for the rest of their lives...that is why. All on plugs and all let go unharmed.
 
I should have been more specific too...not every fish got the cradle lift...only over 30's.
 
So then are all the participants in the Van Classic Chinook C&R derby including the organizers, the many sponsors , those that benefit from the donations (which would include the PSF ) all be considered to be involved with a derby that performs unethical practices? You might even add that because you can win big $ you might lower your ethical standard? I personally believe one can land a Chinook in a 'friendlier' net ( or cradle) and have and experienced person do a girth /length measure....and release a fish with very good chance of survival. Then I look at the derby benefits vs the possibility of mortality. --- The cradle idea I think would be the next step for this derby, personally.

That is not what were getting at. Taking a fish and hooking it on scale vertically so not good practice at all. No one from a derby is going to agree with that. That was sort of the original post question.

Thank you for pointing out that landing a Chinook with a net and taking a girth and length measurement then releasing it would not be considered unethical .....but hanging it from a scale (by mouth, not cradle) might be hard on the fish.

I don't care what anyone else does, it's an issue that most simply need to grow out of. If I'm not going to kill it to eat, then I leave it in the water while I try to release it as fast as possible. If I can't guesstimate the weight or ID it correctly, I release it. I'll never net any fish unless I am certain that we will be killing and eating it. :)

And for your particular situation and purpose that obviously works and kudos to you. I'll assume when you say "leaving it in water" you mean without having netted it first. For those doing Avid Angler program/DNA sampling or those in C&R Derbies it obviously is not quite as simple as that. I should stop myself here though as per Spring Velocity's post above reminded me this is off topic. This thread title refers to whether it is ethical to weigh a fish by scale [vertically] that is going to be released. Apparently we don't want this thread to turn into a C&R method/netting debate thread.
 
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