Targeting Winter Schoolie Holdovers

[big jay]

I started seeing some reports again from certain people going out on a regular basis and hitting 50 or 100 schoolie holdovers a day.
So I'm wondering - is this really a good thing?

When you consider mortality rates of C/R, is this just killing a crazy number of Bass?(keep in mind, I'm talking about doing this on a regular basis) And does tagging all of these fish make it better, or just end up increasing the mortality rate?

I don't know if I'm starting some crap here, but it just doesn't seem to sit well with me.

Thoughts?

[BigFish]

Don't give it another thought......then it won't bother you!



Personally I believe if you crush your barbs and treat them right and release them carefully I don't see where the problem is? Out of 100 fish who are well cared for what do you think the mortality rate might be? I am guessing none if none are hooked deep?

[Vogt]

As Bigfish said, it mostly has to do with fish handling. If you take care to release the bass properly , then there shouldnt be much of a problem.


But then you have the other people, who think that throwing the schoolies 20 feet back to the water is good C&R. (See "brown jacket guy" in the RI blitz thread )

[BigFish]

Bingo Vogt! Most of us here treat them with great respect and I would think anyone out there right now fishing for them would be pretty responsible fishermen in that respect!

[justplugit]

I would think there is a very small mortality rate on winter schoolies.

The cold water temps contain alot of O2 and they are fiesty little critters when released.

Remember reading one time that mortality rate on released steelhead is aorund
20% are larger fish and expend alot of energy compared to a schoolie that is landed quickly.

[flyben24]

As long as you dont loosen up the drag and play them for 20 minutes..... or spend 5 minutes taking the hook out and measuring it and taking pictures.... and then release it while holding it by its gills..... the schoolies will be fine.

[RIROCKHOUND]

I think even if it is fairly low (the release mortality) it still has an impact.
5% mortality = 5 dead fish out of every 100. Do that enough days and you killed a fair number of fish. I agree that most of us handle the fish properly, but it wouldn't surprise me if the mortality rate on the fall blitzing fish (like the pic last week) is 30% or more.

This comes from a known carnivore (me) who has no problem killing fish, as long as they are legal and eaten, so I'm definetly not a C&R only guy, but leave the babies alone!

[chris L]

id rather go trout fishing .

[HESH2]

crush barbs,release standing in chest deep water i see no problem.how about all the stripers killed in gill nets and just thrown back.i think of post last year all the nets boats after ocean hearing throwing large poundage of dead bye catch stripers back.so what are we talking about here.maybe a very few c&r do not make it.i can say i personally barbless standing in water release quite a few and maybe a couple a year are bleeders so i feel almost 100% make it ok.have spent time in ct b&t tackle shop and personally saw bunker sellers come in to sell bait.ask them what else they got and get answer quite a few stripers,when asked what they do with them.they knife through so they sink to bottom so fishermen will not bother their nets.again'st ct law to sell stripers.

[Clogston29]

no different than targeting schoolies in the spring

[RIROCKHOUND]

Thats why I dont fish april either...

[whiplash]

I will chase a few holdovers when the shaknasties get bad but I try and never take the fish out of the water if its a below freezing day . IMHO the gills are very sensitive to freezing air temps that lead to gill damage and a slow death. Just my .02

[Flaptail]

All this talk of school bass fishing and theories of mortality in relation to catch and release is just so much junk science and conjecture. I school bass fish most of the winter when the opportunity presents itself. If the mortality rate is so high you would see evidence in the form of dead fish on the shore. Last Wednesday night a friend and I caught and released 50 or more fish 20 to 26 inches long. These fish were caught on small needlefish or small Yozuris and teasers. All swam away happily, few required any handling. Most were released with a quick twist of the pliers and the crushed barb simply slide out. Of all the school bass I have c&r'd this past year I can recall only two that were questionable to survive the experience and were released to fate.

Crush your barbs, if you like, rig your baits with single hooks instead of trebles or fish jigs with singles both lead or rubber.

More than anything I think the experience leaves an imprint on some fish and makes them a bit warier for the experience. Lord knows how many fish I have caught over the years with the signs of many encounters from which they were released to swim and strike again.

Bass are tough and resilient fish. Consider them crushing surf clams or ripping bunches of mussels from a bank or off of pilings. They are body armored and survive habitat that would crush and kill most other fish. Don't ever underestimate how tough they really are.

Use quick and efficient techniques to hook and play them and likewise C&R techniques that are as efficient, most importantly crush you r barbs. I crush everything from 7/0 to size 6 and in between, besides they hold better and when the odds go in the favor of the fish when they "release themselves" there is little or no tearing.

[PaulS]

I prefer to let them rest up for the fall. I always laugh at the guys who brag about how many fish they get, say that they were catching fish every cast and then brag about what good fisherman than are.

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by PaulS

I prefer to let them rest up for the fall. I always laugh at the guys who brag about how many fish they get, say that they were catching fish every cast and then brag about what good fisherman than are.

And whom might that be directed towards? I tell the numbers to make a point and you don't have to be anywhere near a "good" fisherman to take large numbers of school fish. I do it because I like to fish, need to fish and want to fish. I am not tired yet enough to hang it up and rest til next spring. Best of all no other fair weather fisherman to spoil the fun.

[Clammer]

JEEZ Flap ;;
I agree with you ;;

if fishing is your enjoyment // why is it the same feel it is ok to catch fish from may to november /but not ok to catch from Novenber to April ;;
I love to winter fish /the cold doesn,t bother me & no waiting lines at the boat ramp ;
I,ve been winter fishing for over 40 years & have seen many belly-up .. personally i think it takes more for the fish to revive [sp] in the warmer water // && I KNOW for a fact that the larger fish have more of a problem [coming back] after a battle than a schoolie ;;
Everyone has a right to there opinion / but its B/s to assume it does more damage in the winter ;;
if I really gave a s hit what anyone else thought .. I,d probably go after the surf jockies that fish the town of the breachways /lifting the fish out of water & then flipping them back in /because they are 10 feet up / Or the same but on nice smooth sand ...as the gently drag the fish up on the sand & the release it .. that sand must do wonders to the protective slin that WAS on the bass ;;
On the larger fish >. no matter how had you try / in most places in RI / you are fishing rocky structure with often rolling/breaking swells .. your trying to tell me tour not causing more damage to a bass by fishing that way .. the fish Is tired . so are you & excited / how many times does the fish bouced off rocks / pushed around by rollers & then tried to be released unharmed >.IMO you would be better off to keep it ;;
I have spent way too much time trying to bring the life back in a descent fish than the small ones ;;
that,s one of the reason,s I choose not to target large on a regular basis ;;
to each there own .but don,t try to put down what others choose to do /as you watch football or go hunting :;

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Clammer

JEEZ Flap ;;
I agree with you ;;

if fishing is your enjoyment // why is it the same feel it is ok to catch fish from may to november /but not ok to catch from Novenber to April ;;
I love to winter fish /the cold doesn,t bother me & no waiting lines at the boat ramp ;
I,ve been winter fishing for over 40 years & have seen many belly-up .. personally i think it takes more for the fish to revive [sp] in the warmer water // && I KNOW for a fact that the larger fish have more of a problem [coming back] after a battle than a schoolie ;;
Everyone has a right to there opinion / but its B/s to assume it does more damage in the winter ;;
if I really gave a s hit what anyone else thought .. I,d probably go after the surf jockies that fish the town of the breachways /lifting the fish out of water & then flipping them back in /because they are 10 feet up / Or the same but on nice smooth sand ...as the gently drag the fish up on the sand & the release it .. that sand must do wonders to the protective slin that WAS on the bass ;;
On the larger fish >. no matter how had you try / in most places in RI / you are fishing rocky structure with often rolling/breaking swells .. your trying to tell me tour not causing more damage to a bass by fishing that way .. the fish Is tired . so are you & excited / how many times does the fish bouced off rocks / pushed around by rollers & then tried to be released unharmed >.IMO you would be better off to keep it ;;
I have spent way too much time trying to bring the life back in a descent fish than the small ones ;;
that,s one of the reason,s I choose not to target large on a regular basis ;;
to each there own .but don,t try to put down what others choose to do /as you watch football or go hunting :;

Amen Mike. Words of wisdom. You are real scary when you make this much sense.

[HESH2]

Piemma you said it all

[Clammer]

paul:;
I apologize I won,t let it happen again ;;

&& I won,t send this thread to the men & woman who choose just to ice fish ><><><

[RIROCKHOUND]

Clammer.
Opinions are like A-Holes my friend. I trust you handle your fish w/ care, and I keep a fair share of the large I am fortunate enough to catch in the surf, especially if conditions don't dictate a clean release.
Enjoy, it just isn't my bag bud!

[Clammer]

RIRH

no problem .. I,m not trying to knock anyones enjoyment .. just defending mine ;;;

Bryan >.I,ve hopped a few rocks //many,many moons ago / now I need help getting in & out of the boat ;;
you know when I fish large /they end on someones table ;;;
I havn,t seen you & paul there the last couple of times I,ve gone by >>.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Havent been bothering.
Busy as H here and there, so playing catch-up on on fishing related activities!

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Clammer

RIRH


I havn,t seen you & paul there the last couple of times I,ve gone by >>.

if I ever get off these friggin' airplanes I'll fish again. 6:00 AM wheels up to Pittsburgh tomorrow morning.

[Clammer]

ya I need a fix >.big time

but all the stealing /& reports to follow are killin me :::;

[Slipknot]

I like fishing in the winter with the Clammer
we always get a hoot out there

[Clammer]

GOTTA GOOOOOOOOO BRUCE ><><>><

[PaulS]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

And whom might that be directed towards? .

Its directed at whomever fits what I said - they beat their chest and say they were catching fish every cast and yet say their great fisherman.

[fish4striper]

Originally Posted by Clammer

paul:;
men & woman who choose just to ice fish ><><><

geeze the fish are so cold ,they all must die this way

schoolies seem so resilent, I doubt the rate is that high. I would venture more BIG bass die on release due to the longer harder fight and more effort needed to revive them but what do I know.

If you enjoy it, fish when you want for what you want

[EarnedStripes44]

this has nothing to with the thread other than re-confirming the resilience of schoolies. In the spring, I caught some schoolies out of the Malden River behind an office park on some spoons. That river is a toilet.