Reviving Skippys

[Big Water]

I'm getting the skippys off the hook quickly, handling very little and getting them back in the water quickly, but they're still going belly up. Any secret to reviving them? Tried swimming them back and forth, but that doesn't do the trick either. Is pulling them up from 50' to 80' down a death sentence? Seems like a waste of fish to release them.

Thx Doug

[GAMBLER]

Don't bring them in the boat at all. Releasing them at the side is the best way to get them back quickly and efficiently.

[LongLine]

If you can't release them at the side, gently hold them head first into the current. Do not pull them back and forth. May take a few minutes, but great majority will swim away.

Tom B.

(LongLine)

[Gill-T]

If bleeding... keep them, otherwise, they usually swim away if not dragged for awhile.

[skipper19]

The surface temperature this season has been tough on the fish no matter what size they are. I have had them come up from 100 fow cold water and then into 75 degree water at the upper water column. The shock is too much for them if they aren't brought in quickly. If at all possible if the fish is not a bleeder and you have access to a recirculating live well or a small cooler, try placing the fish in the live well with a fresh pail of water from the lake and add some ice cubes if you can spare them to cool the water a bit. Keep the fish upright and try to move him forward around the water in the live well. I have a 22 gal. round live well built in the transom of my boat and this has saved many fish that were expended beyond a safe release off the side of the boat. Most of all, if it is a little guy, just get him to the boat quickly and try to get him back in as quick as possible. You will have the occasional floater but sometimes it happens.

Mark