Why are more fish not released

[Scalloper 1]

I have been on a few charters on LO and fished it out of my own boat for years. I was always surprised whith the lack of CR. As a matter of fact it seems to be the complete opposite where many charter boats keep every legal fish just to box out and head to the doct early. Even if some of the salmon are 20" or less. This makes 0 since to me when that fish will get to be 15+ lbs in another year or so.

[GAMBLER]

  On 3/27/2025 at 1:15 PM, Scalloper 1 said:

I have been on a few charters on LO and fished it out of my own boat for years. I was always surprised whith the lack of CR. As a matter of fact it seems to be the complete opposite where many charter boats keep every legal fish just to box out and head to the doct early. Even if some of the salmon are 20" or less. This makes 0 since to me when that fish will get to be 15+ lbs in another year or so.

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1.  The lake is managed as a put and take fishery.  If we threw everything back, the alewives would take more of a hit.  

2.  Lots of mortality in C&R fishing for trout and salmon

3.  They are spending a lot of money and some people like eating them.  One charter and they have a lot of filets.  

 

As for keeping small fish to box out, I don't believe in it (I'm also not a charter captain) but if it's a legal fish, it's a legal fish.  I would much rather see them box that 20" king than hanging it on a boga grip and taking a picture before releasing it.  At least that 20" king isn't going to be seagull food.....

Edited Thursday at 06:06 PM by GAMBLER

[Gill-T]

I do mostly C&R on trout and salmon and those smaller fish mangle themselves on trebles. I think the smaller ones are more suited for the box. 

[Yankee Troller]

  On 3/27/2025 at 1:15 PM, Scalloper 1 said:

I have been on a few charters on LO and fished it out of my own boat for years. I was always surprised whith the lack of CR. As a matter of fact it seems to be the complete opposite where many charter boats keep every legal fish just to box out and head to the doct early. Even if some of the salmon are 20" or less. This makes 0 since to me when that fish will get to be 15+ lbs in another year or so.

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You give these Lake Ontario charter captains a lot of credit. Take away the cake fishery we've had the last few years and a third of the fleet would be out of business. Sometimes that 20" fish is needed to fill the box. Also, Lake Erie ruined clients from PA and OH. Those greedy bastards are only interested in a limit catch and often ask for the captains and mates limit. If you don't limit with them they find someone else.

 

Just my $.02

[rolmops]

Funny, I always feel bad when I get a small fish and I waste no time returning it, specially in spring when the water is still cold throughout and the fish is caught fairly high up.

I use light rubber bands with my rods loaded as much as I can to still  set the hooks to prevent small fish from becoming hitch hikers.

 

Edited Thursday at 08:54 PM by rolmops

[LongLine]

Haven't kept a fish in over 30 yrs.  I don't believe high mortality rate with salmon.  Just keep them head-first into the current for a minute then push them headfirst towards the bottom.  Stlhd & LTs more "delicate."

[steelydan]

  On 3/27/2025 at 5:13 PM, Yankee Troller said:

 

You give these Lake Ontario charter captains a lot of credit. Take away the cake fishery we've had the last few years and a third of the fleet would be out of business. Sometimes that 20" fish is needed to fill the box. Also, Lake Erie ruined clients from PA and OH. Those greedy bastards are only interested in a limit catch and often ask for the captains and mates limit. If you don't limit with them they find someone else.

 

Just my $.02

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Not all of us from pa. Are “greedy bastards”!

[HB2]

There are 4 boats in my neighborhood that fish salmon . I think I'm the only one that keeps a fish once in a while . I generally keep a smaller Steelhead or coho to eat and the kings that I know won't make it . 

 

I think most guys out there are generally C&R . I also think most stream guys are also . 

 

The state sets the limits.  If a guy wants to keep his limit , I see nothing wrong with that . If you go on a charter once a year , and you like fish , why not take your limit ? 

 

If guys are going to C&R , the fish need to get back I the water ASAP. Not held out for a pic for 5 min then thrown overboard or released back into the stream . 

 

But unfortunately ,mortality is part of the game . Some of the methods used , long coppers ,  etc . , deep taken Lakers , are contradictory to C&R . 

Edited Friday at 09:00 AM by HB2

[marinecrafts]

As a charter captain, I let it up to the customer.  They paid for the trip and it is their fish.

[Missdemeanor]

Catch and release .... Interesting topic...  There are lots of factors that are involved...I guess it all depends on the time of year, water temps, depth of fishing,where the fish was hooked, how long was the fight, did the guest drop the fish on its head when we took the photo? ( I might be forgetting something). 

    I specifically ask guests " Are we keeping fish today" as I am setting the first rod. In a perfect world.... If the reply is no, then I take extra time to ensure the fish is in good condition. If the guest doesn't want a picture, I won't even take the fish out of the net... Unhook, and flip the net over .. so minimal protective slime is lost. If I can tow the fish behind the boat and try to revive it, I will. Sometimes that's not possible ..

    I have no issues with releasing fish.... But I refuse to release fish that are floaters....That is not ethical... 

     That brings up an interesting debate...  If you are out on the Lake ( Charter or recreation)... And you box a limit catch... Do you still remain out fishing? If the answer is " Yes", what do you do if you gill hook a fish and it's going to die? Do you keep it  even though you got a box and now you're over the limit? Do you let the fish float? Is it wonton waste to knowingly let that fish float off dead? I don't know ... Ethically I couldn't let a fish float off only to be scavenged by seagulls... Many ways to look at it.... 

   I know lots of charter captains who still love the sport and love watching folks catch fish. However there has to be tough decisions made on the water to ensure guests have a good time, while ensuring there are more fish to catch in the future.  I don't think it's a business decision, but more of a moral decision.... J.m.o.  

       Be well guys and tight lines

   

 

  

[Salty Nut]

Misdemeanor nailed it!

Great job

[Scalloper 1]

  On 3/28/2025 at 11:20 AM, Missdemeanor said:

Catch and release .... Interesting topic...  There are lots of factors that are involved...I guess it all depends on the time of year, water temps, depth of fishing,where the fish was hooked, how long was the fight, did the guest drop the fish on its head when we took the photo? ( I might be forgetting something). 

    I specifically ask guests " Are we keeping fish today" as I am setting the first rod. In a perfect world.... If the reply is no, then I take extra time to ensure the fish is in good condition. If the guest doesn't want a picture, I won't even take the fish out of the net... Unhook, and flip the net over .. so minimal protective slime is lost. If I can tow the fish behind the boat and try to revive it, I will. Sometimes that's not possible ..

    I have no issues with releasing fish.... But I refuse to release fish that are floaters....That is not ethical... 

     That brings up an interesting debate...  If you are out on the Lake ( Charter or recreation)... And you box a limit catch... Do you still remain out fishing? If the answer is " Yes", what do you do if you gill hook a fish and it's going to die? Do you keep it  even though you got a box and now you're over the limit? Do you let the fish float? Is it wonton waste to knowingly let that fish float off dead? I don't know ... Ethically I couldn't let a fish float off only to be scavenged by seagulls... Many ways to look at it.... 

   I know lots of charter captains who still love the sport and love watching folks catch fish. However there has to be tough decisions made on the water to ensure guests have a good time, while ensuring there are more fish to catch in the future.  I don't think it's a business decision, but more of a moral decision.... J.m.o.  

       Be well guys and tight lines

   

 

  

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Well said

[idn713]

Put and take fishery. So it’s kinda part of the ball game. Also once the summer time thermocline sets up and you look at those fish wrong…..they die. Captains trying to make a living are never going to tell clients no if they wanna take home salmon. 
 

Now what I’ll never understand is a captain letting clients take home lakers. I mean, I’d do it if they insisted….. but not before getting a full explanation of how crappy they are and long lived/full of contamination they are. I’ll see boards full of lakers in pictures and just cringe for those clients hahaha. Finger lake lakers are a different story. 

[Missdemeanor]

  On 3/28/2025 at 12:11 PM, idn713 said:

Put and take fishery. So it’s kinda part of the ball game. Also once the summer time thermocline sets up and you look at those fish wrong…..they die. Captains trying to make a living are never going to tell clients no if they wanna take home salmon. 
 

Now what I’ll never understand is a captain letting clients take home lakers. I mean, I’d do it if they insisted….. but not before getting a full explanation of how crappy they are and long lived/full of contamination they are. I’ll see boards full of lakers in pictures and just cringe for those clients hahaha. Finger lake lakers are a different story. 

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I've actually had guests request Lake Trout... I've eaten the smaller ones and was surprised how they tasted.... Now don't get me wrong, they are not a walleye or a Perch .. but I wasn't expecting how those smaller ones tasted. 

   You're 100% right on when you mention the finger lakes LTs. 

      

[GAMBLER]

  On 3/28/2025 at 12:11 PM, idn713 said:

Put and take fishery. So it’s kinda part of the ball game. Also once the summer time thermocline sets up and you look at those fish wrong…..they die. Captains trying to make a living are never going to tell clients no if they wanna take home salmon. 
 

Now what I’ll never understand is a captain letting clients take home lakers. I mean, I’d do it if they insisted….. but not before getting a full explanation of how crappy they are and long lived/full of contamination they are. I’ll see boards full of lakers in pictures and just cringe for those clients hahaha. Finger lake lakers are a different story. 

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Warmer water doesn’t mean death, even with lakers.  Proper care, they survive.  Most don’t properly care for them and that’s why there are floaters.

[Big fat pike]

DEC has failed to put in slot limits

 

i think some people also don't know about fish recovering from barotrauma and other factors where the fish don't make it

 

I think people are less considerate or worried about the stocked fish species especially considering how focused on the trout salmon the dec tends to be

 

 

[Scalloper 1]

If someone is on a charter and wants to keep their fish then I completely understand. 

Me and a buddy went on a charter 3 years ago and my buddy doesn't eat fish so he had the mate release two. When the captain looked in the cooler and saw that there were 3 fish less then we landed he asked what happened to the other fish. The mate said he didn't want to keep any so he let them go. The captain was quite upset. I understand that not all charter boats are the same but it did seem odd most will keep small 20' kings just to box out.

There is a argument on fish survivability with warm waters and deeply hooked fish, I get it. But as a 35 year commercial fisherman I also understand if you want to release a fish it has far better chances in the lake then it would in the cooler.

 

Edited 2 hours ago by Scalloper 1

[Pete Collin]

I let almost everything go, for a few reasons.  Keeping fish cold and fresh, cleaning them, freezing them when I get home adds to an already long day.  I live far away from the lake, so I only go when I can get a good long day in.  I don't like lake trout no matter how you cook them.  My wife eats salmon, but doesn't like trout.  But there is something inside of me that loves reaping the bounty of the land.  Last fall I went on a walleye trip (my first ever in Erie),  and loved the meals Miranda and I got from the fillets.  That might be where I draw the line.  Any legal walleye I catch is a dead one!

[rolmops]

  2 hours ago, Pete Collin said:

I let almost everything go, for a few reasons.  Keeping fish cold and fresh, cleaning them, freezing them when I get home adds to an already long day.  I live far away from the lake, so I only go when I can get a good long day in.  I don't like lake trout no matter how you cook them.  My wife eats salmon, but doesn't like trout.  But there is something inside of me that loves reaping the bounty of the land.  Last fall I went on a walleye trip (my first ever in Erie),  and loved the meals Miranda and I got from the fillets.  That might be where I draw the line.  Any legal walleye I catch is a dead one!

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So  on walleye  you are strictly catch&filet instead of catch&release