Releasing BIG fish?
 

Whats the best way to release big fish. I resently caught and kept the biggest fish that I have ever caught[49"]. I don't want to keep any more [assuming I'm lucky anough to get another]. I got the fish to shore fairly quickly, but he had no fight left in him! With smaller fish, I just hold them in the water and give them a swimming motion until they are ready to go, but I not so sure it would have worked with this one. Any advise?? :confused:

Alot of times you just need to be more patient because they need more time to recover. I do the back and forth method which seems to revive them although I've heard from some that this is not good for them. Getting them back in the water relatively quickly is important. A few too many pictures and the bass is dunzo.

Hold them there giving them a swimming motion. Never pull them backwards, it brings water the wrong way over their gills. You'll start to feel her gain strength, dont let go her untill shes kickin. Good luck.

I don't have that problem, the Twinkies I catch seem to do just fine! :laugha:

I'll say this about bass that are released, I never see many if any belly up.

Wet ass many a time standing in the wash ,unhooking and reviving. Some of my best memories are in the wash ,soaking wet with the late ,great Eddie Everett instructing me how to release a big fish and watching swim off with other fish in attendance kind of like circus elephants in a line. Eddie was a great environmentalist and misted by a lot of people. I GUESS WHAT HE TAUGHT ME WAS TO RELEASE THEM WITHOUT LIFTING THEM OUT OF THE WATER AND PUTING A STRAIN ON THERE BELLYS

Double your pleasure. Letting 'em go feels every bit as good as getting them to hit in the first place.

Don't worry about swishing them forwards and back, it won't hurt the fish. Either way, the water flowing over the gills is higher in oxygen content than the blood in the gill filaments. Cross-current ventilation (which works when water flows into the mouth, across the gills, and out the gill openings) works most efficiently, but it will work the other way, also.

i have heard too its not good to hold them by the stomach. think it was because they have like a protective coat there and by holding them there it rub it off.

imo, the only sure way is to use heavier tackle, the shorter the fight the better chance it swims away. just cause it didn't float bellie up doesn't mean she made it, sometimes you can pump them gills all you want that fish is done.