There are many variables which seem to affect mortality of caught and released striped bass. But even the highly scientific approaches are subject to skepticism due to necessary methodology and factors which cannot or were not controlled for, salinity, temp both air and water, season, hook type and location, length of fight, bait types, handling time and treatment and more....still these studies involve placing fish in tanks and pens for continued observation after the catch. Not the same as watching them swim away. Cleary there is a lot that goes into the hopper and still we cannot know exact numbers for C & R. But a fish on a scale at the shop is dead. There is no formula or basis to know how many were caught and returned before the angler decided that it was time to weigh one. The fish on the scale could have been the first fish caught or the 20th. God forbid the angler keeps several and culls the dead fish killing several but weighing one. Kill tournaments do produce an incentive for those who are less than honorable. It has been done before.

C& R has been shown in to help manage fish populations and maintain population health especially for trout. Prolly where it has been studied most.

Catching a fish places it at risk. We need to minimize those risks by behaving responsibly throughout the process. C & R is one way to do this. Its certainly a good place to start.
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How about limiting the entries to one per week and have a different code for each day that is used to identify fish caught each day and only allow one catch and release entry per week. That would help limit the amount of fish caught/hooked by each angler.
I have watched the catch and release tournament anglers and have seen first hand how long the fish are out of the water being measured and photographed before release. The time out of the water and damage to the protective slime coat to ensure a proper picture is very disturbing to me. The use of multiple hooks also adds time to the release on top of measuring and taking pictures. Now if the anglers are limited to one entry per week utilizing codes that expire each day/night (maybe noon to noon so over night fishing isn't hampered) I would not object so much.
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Maybe we'll have a cookout one of those days ;)

Definitely going to at LEAST send in a check. I cannot underscore enough how good a job Jim Mckeeough, Steve and crew have done over the years on this tourney :cheers2:


Different Tourney - that is like OTWs. MS Tourney is a great local tourney over a weekend.

I didn't realize it was only 2 days but even being 2 days limiting the amount of fish hooked and possibly injured leading to their death is my goal. Simply put, more fish hooked means more fish dead. Just trying to add to the conversation and possibly save a few more fish.
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Just wondering? With all of your "data" of the mortality of catch and release. How do you personally fish? Keep? C&R? Or just observe?

Also the statement that a kill tournament with one fish caught ending an anglers week of fishing is not valid. Fishermen will continue to fish personally outside of the tournament and there is nothing that can stop this.

It's not MY DATA it is from numerous sources you can easily find on the web.
If fishing a tournament I stop when I have a fish that will compete and head for the scales since every ounce counts. Once I enter a fish I stop fishing until I can enter a fish again unless I need them for the table. The reason I stop is because I don't want to land a larger fish than I have already killed and entered. I eat striper so any fish I take home gets consumed unlike many catch and release fanatics that don't even eat stripers. I also stop fishing when I decide a fish is coming home because I want every fish out there to be in my future. I also NEVER fish light gear and never target undersized fish and anyone who has seen my gear can attest to the fact that ALL of my plugs have a single forward treble hook and my efficiency when landing a fish with my Century 1328 with a Saltiga 6000 loaded with 60# hollow ace and my spare spool loaded with jb hollow 80# will take any striper swimming. I also sacrifice distance and sink rate in order to reduce my impact on the stripers due to a prolonged fight, especually when fish are 3/4 of the way across the ditch and its an hour into a fast moving tide. Plugs that don't perform to my satisfaction with a single hook action wise are put a side until I get the chance to alter them. If I could post pictures of plugs that aren't in my rotation you would be amazed. I throw every plug I have including Strategic anglers (at $75 a pop) which are sitting home waiting for me to either sell them or throw from a boat.
I also NEVER target small fish that I can't take if they are mortally injured. Very rarely do I throw small plugs like an sp minow which once again has a single foward hook. All of the treble I currently use are 4x VMC 5/0 although I just got some mustad 7982HD 7/0 in order to reduce the likelihood a cow will use the exposed hooks to help dislodge the plug on the bottom. I am currently experimenting with steelon 120# leaders from the breakaway to the hook to ensure my fish aren't lost due to my 125 rosco split rings twisting or pulling open along with hook hangers pulling out of the plugs (Sebiles in particular). Another goal is to have the plug not be a source of leverage the fish can use to dislodge my hooks.
I use a Calcutta fish grip which makes handling the fish a breeze and causes less damage than any other fish grip I have seen. I also carry a 60# boga grip and check the tournament standings so I know what size it will take to compete before I make a cast.
I have been fishing the ditch for 40 years and have a pretty good eye for judging a fish that needs to be weighed on site or released immediately. The 30# boga fooled me once because it bottomed out and I thought the fish was larger.
I am also going to build a trough to measure fish up to 60" in order to enter them for catch and release in order to minimize the time necessary for photos to prove it's length. I am just trying to decide how to make it easy for transport (hinged or two piece) on my trike and yet sturdy enough to serve a long time. I have only entered one fish for c&r due to my concern for the additional stress and damage to their slime coat using a tape. I feel a trough will make the process efficient due to not having to reposition the fish or tape to take a photo.
I suppose the thrill is not the same for me due to the amount of time I fished throughout my life including being a mate fishing and living out of the Bourne marina. When there wasn't a charter or fishing on my folks 35 Viking or reconditoning boats I hit the ditch. I have tried it all except for salt water fly fishing (for personal reasons and I won't go into it in order to avoid a war with the fly guys).
You do what you want, but don't try and take my style of fishing and competing away while considering yourself above me or more conservation minded. Catch and release without limitations on gear and number and size of fish caught/entered still results in dead fish and in my case more than I kill and consume.
I know it's wordie but hopefully I have answered all of your questions

Will anyone answer these questions?

WHAT LIMITS DO CATCH AND RELEASE ANGLERS HAVE?

WHEN DO THEY STOP FISHING?

I seldom fish bait due to the lack of being able to minimize the likelihood of hooking an undersized fish. I also only use circle hooks if and when I fish bait. I have fished bait maybe 6 times in three years 98% eels 2% mackerel heads using the rest as chum. The heads eliminate the time spent on small fish and/or bluefish since neither is what I am after. I also don't fish eels to the point they are dead and give them another chance at life by releasing them to appease the fish gods. ;)
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Thank you for your reply, with all of the back and forth, I was interested in your personal take on the sport we all love. Although long, you obviously put alot of thought into what you can do to release fish unharmed.

I am a C&R angler. To answer your questions...I don't put a limit on the number of fish I catch in an outing. When I am out fishing, I will stop fishing when the bite turns off, the sun comes up, I am tired or my work schedule dictates that I stop fishing. I rarely take photos of fish and almost never remove them from the water. Do some of these fish die....of course they do, it happens to everyone; including people like yourself who take a lot of precautions to prevent injury.
I am ok with my approach to fishing and that's all that matters in my book at the end of the day.
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We have five surf casting clubs who will be honoring the 22 year tradition of the tournament by fishing in this year's event under the weigh-in rules.
They are: RIMS, HARTFORD SURF FISHING CLUB, PIONEER BOAT & SURF, RISAA, and WEEKAPAUG SURFCASTERS.

Boss,
I would like to donate a few bucks for the brats at the SB
cookout during the MS/MDS tourney. See you there all my
good fishin' friends.
JohnP :happy:

Whens the vittles??

Ecdoesit: damn dude tldr...


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WOW!! You're a much better person than I am. This is not a personal attack by any means so please don't take it that way, but for me...the day will NEVER come that a tournament keeps me from fishing. ("done fishing until next Monday") :huh: Your theory is quite interesting.
Again, not a personal attack...but feeling the way you do, WHY EVEN FISH? Why even hurt that one fish?

Perhaps my love for fishing far outweighs my concerns for mortality rates affected by my C&R...not perhaps, but definitely.
Sure, I want the generations to come to be able to enjoy the fishery. That being said, I will not sacrifice my remaining years of fishing to help that happen. Call me selfish, but I enjoy fishing, I'm not going to stop OR fish less for their sake. That's why they have regulations, sure they're not perfect, but nothing is.
I love eating fish...but always abide by the rules.
If I walk down that path leading to the beach and find a full-out blitz of 20# fish, I am NOT going to catch one and then turn around and go home. Call me what you like ~ Just sharing my thoughts

Back on target, with this being a Tournament of good reason, it shouldn't be that important which club walks away with the trophy for the year, the winners should always be those affected by that nasty disease and the reason behind this tournament. If you cheated to win bragging rights?? Shame on you -