Anybody get their On The Water yet?

[JohnR]

Not to be a thread killer here but this is good discussion. Anyone remember the specifics of Paul Diodati's mortality study, lo so many years ago? He documented an 8% C&R mortaility on striped ones. If in the process of weighing them and handling them if they handled them in this way, wouldn't the mortality rate go way beyond the 8%?

I have not read the article yet so I can only go by some of what I see in this thread and I have not read anything beyond a summary of Diodati's study and that has been a few years on that..

Just thinking...

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Not to be a thread killer here but this is good discussion. Anyone remember the specifics of Paul Diodati's mortality study, lo so many years ago? He documented an 8% C&R mortaility on striped ones. If in the process of weighing them and handling them if they handled them in this way, wouldn't the mortality rate go way beyond the 8%?

I have not read the article yet so I can only go by some of what I see in this thread and I have not read anything beyond a summary of Diodati's study and that has been a few years on that..

Just thinking...

You are right on John. They had a tank and hooked then released then studied the bass for weeks afterward. And how many time have you caught bass with a leader and a gut hook in it that just ate your plug or, in the good ol days of just last year for many, your herring?

Again, the bass is just a different animal with different physical qualities that make able to survive the stresses of living and feeiding in the very turbulant and rough world of the inter-tidal zone.

[Jenn]

I am still waiting for my issue.......

[spence]

From everything I've read it would seem that it's a pretty complicated equation.

Even taking the 8% number, you could assume that since it represents a lot of "poor" handling of fish...that those who practice good CnR would be much, much lower.

Even weighing the fish, buy the lip or in the gills could have dramatically different results.

I don't think natured ever intented a 40lb bass to be hung by it's lower lip for even a moment...this can't be good for larger fish.

I'll have to read the article so I can comment directly...

-spence

[baldwin]

As a biologist who has taught classes in marine biology and finfish aquaculture, including a good amount of finfish anatomy and physiology, I'd have to agree that holding a large striped bass out of water by its jaw probably WILL inflict harm on the fish by damaging its gill arches. Smaller fish, like largemouth and schoolie stripers. Stripers may be tough, and adapted to harsh environments, but they are not adapted to life out of water, being hung vertically by their jaws.
I don't agree with the supposed Aussie findings of 100% mortality, and know for a fact that small bass do survive nicely (tagging recaptures disprove that 100% thing), but I believe that to safely release a large bass, you should hold it horizontally, and ideally not even remove it from the water. Even a few minutes out of water will dry out the gill filaments, damaging them and not allowing diffusion of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and ammonia through their membranes.
I have experience with fish in a scientific setting, and a good knowledge about the way they work. I'm not just spouting random opinions. Take it or leave it.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by baldwin

I'm not just spouting random opinions. Take it or leave it.

Well if you don't want to impart some of your hard learned uhh learnings, then, err leave it

(That was a joke btw) If you are a professional in this I for one would value your opinion - might not always agree but I will always consider it...

Thanks,

John

[MakoMike]

One thing I think you guys may have missed was that the weighing is a no-no for fish over about 20 pounds. You can weigh anything under that, though its not recommended. There will be some increase in mortality for fish uner 20 lbs that are weighed but it will not shoot up to 100% mortality, For fish over about 20 lbs the increase in mortality from weighting goes up dramatically with the size of the fish. The damage is done due to gravity, from holding the fish by its head while the internal organs are shifting, and tearing at the internal membranes, that normally hold them in place. You wouldn't se this effect in largemouth bass where fish rarely get to the 20 lb mark, and even at the 20 lb mark, the mortality is not 100%. I don't have my research materials here right now, but going from memory, the 100% mortality figure is reached at about the 35 or 40 lb mark.

I'll respond to Sandy's comments seperately.