Catch and release-is it the way to go?

[Charter Tofino]

I know alot of guys on this board fish all the time. I can bet i was lucky enough to get around 50 days in just june,july and august last year. At the end of the year i had a freezer of fish again like most on the board. This summer i dont plan on keeping more than i need IE maybe 10 fish. I still want to fish alot is C&R the way to go? Whats the morality rates on chinooks? Id feel bad letting go 5/10 dead chinooks

 

[Nimo]

Undoubtedly there's mortality with catch and release, there's also the seals that take 1 in 4 off the lines. It's hard to find any absolute answers other than to not fish at all - which is not much of an option. DFO looks very carefully at mortality rates when considering allowing continued C&R when closing species.

Back about 15 years ago on the west coast the trollers were stopped from targeting and keeping Chinooks. They continued to fish Coho or some other up north. The number of fish that we saw out of Nootka that had clearly been caught and released by the fleet was surprising - a huge number of our catch that year had holes in the sides of their faces (it seemed like 1 in 3, but I didn't keep track.)

How many died as well? Who knows. It really opened my eyes to the number of chinook that I wouldn't have been catching that year if the troll fleet was allowed to continue.

I would guess if your fishing 50 days a year you'd have the experience to release the chinooks with a good survival chance. Their chances are zero in our freezers - good on you for the voluntary cut-back.

 

[Nimo]

quote:Originally posted by Nimo



I would guess if your fishing 50 days a year you'd have the experience to release the chinooks with a good survival chance. Their chances are zero in our freezers - good on you for the voluntary cut-back.

I have also comitted to a voluntary cut back, but will probably not fish as much.

I would imagine a stronger main line and leader and sticking to larger single hooks (say minimum 4'o) would reduce the time on the line and reduce the gill / throat hookups. The debarbed trebles are still brutal.

 

[scott craven]

If the average fisherman could get his annual limit and continue
to fish "catch & release" , i'll bet DFO would shut it down.
The temptation to keep a trophy fish after already filling a limit
would be too great, and policing it would become a nightmare.
In principle catch and release is good, but the end result is a
further loss to the salmon stocks.

 

[likwit]

kelly

CR is most successful if you keep the fish in the water. a biologist friend told me the studies show each second a fish is out of the water its chances for survival are decreasing exponentially...

this means if you want to catch and release and are sincere about the best chance for the fish to surive, you should let it go while its still in the chuck. if you don't know how to pop the hook out with a gaff ask someone to show you... thats the easiest way IMO, and half the time the fish doesn't even realize its out... occasionally, you might have to use pliers, (as mentioned trebles are far worse for this) but the gaff release is really effective once you learn how to do it. its pretty satisfying to see a spring swim away knowing its got a good chance for survival.

if you know you are gonna catch a lot of fish this summer (from what i've read you did pretty well) think about keeping just the fish that are badly hooked... hooked in the gills and/or bleeding? hooks buried down its gullet? keep it. if its easy to release then do it...

 

[Trent - Guide]

There are many factors to catch and release. If you fish 50 days of the year then chances are you know how to fish effectively.
You shouldn't be getting too many down the gullet, that indicates slow reaction to the bite
Bleeders are always keepers!
Definetely do not net the fish, a lot of people net C & R, this takes scales off that protect the fish.
When you tail a fish you have to be careful not to pull, this seperates the tail creating air which does not let the fish swim properly.
Uh better get back to work, maybe someelse can fill in the rest...I'll be back after work.

 

[gimp]

might cost you a bit more money but buy cheaper hooks if you know you are going to C&R. I user a rhye davis teaser and just cut the hook off with the fish in the water. THe hook will rust/electrolisis out in a bit. No touching the fish and they never get out of the water. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Last Chance]

Eagle Claws are sharp, strong, and rust out VERY fast, as I am reminded every time I leave a bag open for more then two weeks.

Half the battle to improving mortality rates with salmon is to not touch them, when we get heavy into feeders/wild coho on the bank, I just grab the plug, and turn the hook upside down with pliers.

 

[Rum Buddies]

quote:Whats the morality rates on chinooks?

Its 12-30% I have posted links to the studies several times previously when talking about the guys who catch 20 winters in a day.

 

[Degree of Freedom]

I guarantee the mortality rates on fish released is lower than on fish that get bonked and thrown in the cooler. That being said, as PS suggests, it is possible to kill more fish in a day practicing c&r than just killing the first 2 and heading home.

 

[haverodwilltravel]

^ I'm with Backatit

 

[Charter Tofino]

Thats what i figured. I released a few fish this year and tailing a 25lb was hard as hell unless its played out more than whats healthy. To actually grab the hook out while it sits docile never happened i ushually let them shake it. I think ill drop down a hook size and use the gaff idea.Most of what i catch is small(10-15lbs) though which helps as i can control them alot easier and i wont feel bad poppin them off without pics. thanks for the ideas

 

[Nimo]

quote:Originally posted by r.s craven

If the average fisherman could get his annual limit and continue
to fish "catch & release" , i'll bet DFO would shut it down.

I totaly agree. To kill the currently 30 allowed in a year and then continue to C&R for the rest of the year, a person could wipe out the equivalent of last year's Sooke River return. Neither DFO or common sense would allow this.

I think Kelly was referring to killing perhaps 10 for the year and then going C&R.

When I said I'll be fishing less , I meant less than I usually do, which is maybe 20 times / year. Once I've killed 5 for the year in 2008 I'll stop fishing chinooks altogether and look for something else to keep me entertained - maybe get out and volunteer at the local hatchery or restoration program.

As mentioned, not fishing isn't much of an option, but until we know where the stocks are at for sure (not DFO sure, we've been on that slope for too long,) I can't risk unnecessary mortality. The last couple years' returns to the south island rivers are disturbing to say the least.

At least if we start thinking C&R we shift focus from our interests to that of the stock. From there we can recognize and acknowledge our impacts. Once accountable to them instead of exploiting the stocks we can move forward with a manageable plan. Clearly there's no guaranteed plan that involves continued fishing, but we need a balance.

I was starting to think that there was no hope. This thread and the general attitude towards responsible fishing as seen in the more recent halibut threads leads me to believe that we may in fact side with the stocks.

More of these voluntarily imposed restrictions (including C&R) will lead to responsible management and our voice will be that much stronger. Imagine a fishery managed from the West Coast governed by concerned anglers, is it possible?

Thanks

 

[new generation]

I agree with backbait.But... I have also been out on swiftsure bank trolling for springs,throwing back 15lbrs looking for 25lbrs.Whats a guy do do,you hit swiftsure bank and it's like glass,happens maybe a couple times a month.You want to fish all day if you can.Using tomic plugs will help with the long line releases.

 

[Nimo]

quote:Originally posted by new generation

I agree with backbait.But... I have also been out on swiftsure bank trolling for springs,throwing back 15lbrs looking for 25lbrs.Whats a guy do do,you hit swiftsure bank and it's like glass,happens maybe a couple times a month.You want to fish all day if you can.Using tomic plugs will help with the long line releases.

Here's some food for thought:
It would be interesting to know what the actual difference is between a 15 and a 25 pounder (besides the obvious 10 pounds[]) In terms of meat on the table we're maybe looking at 5-6 pounds? The 25 pounder has presumably been swimming for another year, and has undoubtedly consumed more feed itself - thereby increasing the pollutants that it carries. The 15 pounder likely tastes better, maybe keep the smaller ones?

 

[new generation]

Totally agree with you nimo,the better eating fish are the smaller ones and are more healthy.A nice 5-6lb fish will easily feed a family dinner.I think it's a mind set.Maybe we are to greedy for our own good.If we get a 10lber we want a 20,if we get a 20 we want a 30lber and so on.You go back to the dock and see a guy with a couple of 20's,and you got a couple of 10's,you want what he's got.I must say,I like fighting the bigger fish,it is fun.Maybe fisheries should come up with a rule,the first 2 legal fish landed is yours,and call it a day,no throw backs.I'm no marine biologist,but I'm sure the death rate of salmon is much higher,maybe 80% death rate.The longer the hooks in the water fishing, the more damage.Look at the big picture.How many salmon that strike the line tear off,how many eyes and parts of fish mouth come up on the hook,or how many are hooked in the gills by a trailer hook and tear off or are lost buy the boat?Those fish are crab bait.

 

[Rum Buddies]

quote:More of these voluntarily imposed restrictions (including C&R) will lead to responsible management

Careful with this, in the Dec. issue of Sportfishing magazine there was an article about the Gulf of Mexico.

Sport fishermen voluntaryly imposed stricter limits on their catch and what did the government do? The gave the surplus the commercial guys since the sporties weren't taking the fish.

Just look what happened with the Cowichan steelhead program - they took it away because anglers were releasing fish.

I'm not saying don't limit your catch, just some food for thought.

 

[cammer]

we might not have enough openings this year to have such luck and opportunity to get fish so readily, can you say FORE

 

[Nimo]

quote:Originally posted by Poppa Swiss
[br
Sport fishermen voluntaryly imposed stricter limits on their catch and what did the government do? The gave the surplus the commercial guys since the sporties weren't taking the fish.

What do we propose then? Status quo will have the salmon stocks finished, increasing our efforts isn't an option, so what do we do?

The commercials couldn't now pay for their fuel (without the offset of EI) if they were allocated the chinooks that are left.

How do we vote in this situation? What can be done to provide conservation and protect our own recreational interests (which is in fact what conservation is about - conserving for tomorrow so we can fish again.)

What if we were to start with all commercials that are granted chinook quota. We buy them out and tell DFO to skip the D.

It's huge but let's geat creative. What can we do?

 

[Little Hawk]

Howdy,

Great thread!

I used to keep tropical fish years ago and I do believe many of the same physical properties apply to both fresh and saltwater species.
It would be nice to have a fish-pathologist/biologist step in here to validate.

As soon as you remove the slime-coating (by touching) from the body of the fish it becomes vulnerable to a host of pathogens, ie. bacteria, fungus, virus's, pathogenic protazoa etc. A fish's slime-coating is the same as what a condom is to your schmangee.

As a couple of the boys pointed out, if the fish bleeds - it's done. Fish have no coagulants in their blood.

Oh yeah... Hey CR, don't forget the WSA!

Soon, we too, will be among those who chart the direction of Wild Salmon conservation on our coast.

Cheers,
Terry

Wild Salmon Alliance