Striper mortality

[Jenn]

My issue has always been "we dont ever really know" but if your catching and either keeping or releasing you never truly know on the releasing part. If you are fishing and catching / releasing you cant truly know but have to assume some amount of mortality even when releasing. I have caught 20 times more largemouth in my life than stripers so I am basing most of my response on that expertise specifically but I have caught 10 bass in a couple hours on the same lure/ method and release 9 confident they would live no issue but that one ....that one was roughed up and bled more than the other 9 combined......we've all been there and cant deny it happens. Catch and release all you want...make yourself feel good about releasing but fact of the matter is you are weakening every fish you catch in some manner. Some (and maybe most) will survive....but some will suffer. Some may die 15 minutes later and some may not... some will heal, some might suffer infection and die a month later....my point is we cant prove catch and release is a hundred percent survival or hundred percent fatality. some will go one way or other...just like humans in a fight. Some could die in minutes from a blow to the head or some could get so brutally beaten and live against all odds. But don't ever assume every fish you release magically survives just because you released it.

[piemma]

Great post Jenn. EXACTLY!!
This is why I stopped fishing for hold overs years ago and for schoolies years ago. Why do people think that just because they release a fish it lives?

It's stupid to fish for schoolies, in my opinion. All you are doing is injuring juvenile fish. I know, "it's my right and I am within the law." That doesn't make you conservation minded. All you are doing is satisfying a primal instinct to prove you can conquer an adolescent animal with a brain the size of a pea.

I'm sure this post will piss off a ton of folks. Tough ^^%$$&!

[wdmso]

This is why I stopped fishing for hold overs years ago and for schoolies years ago. Why do people think that just because they release a fish it lives?


for the same reason people think just because you CR they Die

.. the best you can do is attempt to minimize the damage you do cause.. type hooks barbs or barbless dont use trebles unhook the fish in the water or dont target them all will help reduce fish moritaly..

but we still allow gill nets seine boats fish traps and pollution all effect this issues but not all equally

[Clammer]

Paul , not getting into any issues with ya .

but why do you hit a little white ball & then go chase it ??????????
I realize its not the same but the reason is …………………………… you really enjoy it . same reasons

Me , I have fun catching schoolies …………….. sometimes I only go for 1/2 a hour .But that 1/2 may be just what I need for the soul .
large I fish from the 3rd week of may & thru June & then if they are there or not I,m done ,
when I,m fishing the dead of night of a flay calm .& a 20" slams a 3" weightless sluggo right out of no where ………… to me that awesome ………….
I know there is no correct answer to this subject …………………. It makes me happy & at this stage …..if I was having fun sitting on glass I would do it ><>

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Clammer

Paul , not getting into any issues with ya .

but why do you hit a little white ball & then go chase it ??????????
I realize its not the same but the reason is …………………………… you really enjoy it . same reasons

Me , I have fun catching schoolies …………….. sometimes I only go for 1/2 a hour .But that 1/2 may be just what I need for the soul .
large I fish from the 3rd week of may & thru June & then if they are there or not I,m done ,
when I,m fishing the dead of night of a flay calm .& a 20" slams a 3" weightless sluggo right out of no where ………… to me that awesome ………….
I know there is no correct answer to this subject …………………. It makes me happy & at this stage …..if I was having fun sitting on glass I would do it ><>

Mike, I understand and my comments were not directed at you.

I have seen guys on the West Wall and the Canal throw fish 30 feet. Bryan and I watched guys kick schoolies back in the surf at the Fire Beach because they were afraid to touch the fish. So my comments were directed at the nitwits who don't know to handle a fish. Sorry if you thought I was directing at you.

[Guppy]

You’d have a hard time convincing me that pulling a shoolie out by the lip , remove hoook and toss him back in is gonna kill him...
I’m not talking taking a bow and a picture just pull the hook and heave him in....

This is from memory,,,, :-)