catch and release fishing on lake O

[spoonfed-1]

Use barbless rubber hooks !!!

Although maybe good ideas, how realistic is setting up fish reviving stations with multiple coolers, ice on a hot summer day and maintaining water temps. Christ. I wouldn't have any room or time to catch um with all this going on.

I also don't see driving 4 hours after work on a Friday to go out and quit fishing after 45 minutes Saturday morning so I don't hurt any fish.

Besides, I really enjoy hurting fish.

Don't take this post personal just getting back to reality here.

Now, do dead Salmon sink or float?

Glen

[Raaven]

I also don't see driving 4 hours after work on a Friday to go out and quit fishing after 45 minutes Saturday morning so I don't hurt any fish.

Now, do dead Salmon sink or float?

Glen

I have dropped a few at the dock while unloading the cooler...EVERY ONE SANK.

There is no reason you have to quit FISHING after limiting out quickly. you could always change species, techniques, location ?

If you are spring shoreline brown trout fishing, you can go out and target salmon? Mid summer salmon fishing, go in and target browns, or head out to deep blue and try to find some steelhead? Late fall staging salmon...catch and release as many as you want! They are all dead anyway.

Or keep going through your numbers and catch 70 brown trout releasing them all , and killing more than you would admit.

[panfisher]

"Very interesting. Keep the fish cool and oxygenated prior to release. And handle carefully. Now. To get everybody else on board....That's the toughest part."

See what I mean.........?

[spoonfed-1]

I also don't see driving 4 hours after work on a Friday to go out and quit fishing after 45 minutes Saturday morning so I don't hurt any fish.

Now, do dead Salmon sink or float?

Glen

I have dropped a few at the dock while unloading the cooler...EVERY ONE SANK.

There is no reason you have to quit FISHING after limiting out quickly. you could always change species, techniques, location ?

If you are spring shoreline brown trout fishing, you can go out and target salmon? Mid summer salmon fishing, go in and target browns, or head out to deep blue and try to find some steelhead? Late fall staging salmon...catch and release as many as you want! They are all dead anyway.

Or keep going through your numbers and catch 70 brown trout releasing them all , and killing more than you would admit.

Your thoughts are all well and good Raven.

If I was in a position to wander down to the lake and fish whenever it suited me they would makes sense.

There are always two sides to every discussion and in my circumstances yours are not realistic.

Please email me your waypoints for the 70+ Browns thing.

I want to stay away for those areas.

Thanks in advance.

Also curious as to how "YOU" would know how many fish are not surviving after release and that it would be more than I would admit?

Please educate me.

Don't know about you but I would have a hard time finding a crew to split the fuel bill if I drove away from a hot bite because we were catching to many fish.

At times the fishing is almost to easy but that kinda would make up for the times there aren't any around wouldn't it?

Fuel is also a huge consideration here.

Let see, I can stay in tight to port and catch Browns with the hopes of weeding through the small ones and tagging a trophy of a life time or I can point the boat Northwest and burn all kinds of fuel in hopes of finding a few salmon, and in my area of the lake during spring and summer, probably 2 year old fish which by the way will battle every ounce of energy from there bodys.

And when and if I find them should I drive away from those fish so I don't hurt them?

Good fishing.

Glen

[Has Been]

Raven,take it from a guy who knows, save your fingers. For some guys on here, it's all about the numbers.

[Raaven]

Also curious as to how "YOU" would know how many fish are not surviving after release and that it would be more than I would admit?

Please educate me.

And when and if I find them should I drive away from those fish so I don't hurt them?

Good fishing.

Glen

I consider EVERY FISH that is hooked, battled and released, as having the potential of dying. No matter how careful we are handling them. Would you feel different if there was proof every fish released died? I don't have the proof, just like no one has the proof THEY ALL LIVE.

Take the emphasis off CATCHING and get back to fishing!

If every pass a certain item is catching a small fish, do you take it out of your spread? Maybe a magnum lure will only target the trophy you are looking for? Maybe only going out a little deeper will find the bigger year class? If you have limited out, and are just weeding through the dinks, you already have those fish figured out! Why sit there and keep catching and releasing ? Just so you can brag you caught three or four times your limit? Would you be bragging you killed three times your limit, and can't wait to go out and do it again tomorrow?

You can always "pull off" the fish, change your whole spread, and target a trophy ! Then you won't have your rods firing EVERY pass...but you might educate yourself into being a better fisherman, not just a game hog.

[spoonfed-1]

I consider EVERY FISH that is hooked, battled and released, as having the potential of dying. No matter how careful we are handling them. Would you feel different if there was proof every fish released died? I don't have the proof, just like no one has the proof THEY ALL LIVE.

Take the emphasis off CATCHING and get back to fishing!

If every pass a certain item is catching a small fish, do you take it out of your spread? Maybe a magnum lure will only target the trophy you are looking for? Maybe only going out a little deeper will find the bigger year class? If you have limited out, and are just weeding through the dinks, you already have those fish figured out! Why sit there and keep catching and releasing ? Just so you can brag you caught three or four times your limit? Would you be bragging you killed three times your limit, and can't wait to go out and do it again tomorrow?

You can always "pull off" the fish, change your whole spread, and target a trophy ! Then you won't have your rods firing EVERY pass...but you might educate yourself into being a better fisherman, not just a game hog.

Now I'm a game hog. Just so I can brag.

Interesting.

Since you can't dispute my previous statements and you can't prove yours you start with the name calling. Sweet.

You a liberal by any chance?

Again you start with the move out of the fish, change your spread, your killing all the fish and then dream up some hypothetical situations that fit your argument to a T which could or couldn't hold a dam bit of merit.

You want to run all over the lake so you don't hurt fish, good for you.

Do what ever the hell you want.

And make no mistake about it I fish to catch fish.

You spout off like this is something I should be ashamed of.

Take up knitting pal.

I got no further use for you.

And Hasbeen, thank you for another extremely intelligent addition to the conversation.

"Do dead Salmon sink?"

Ya thats why they call them FLOATERS.

[kremer01]

Be careful of the generalizations you make. I have fished with Glen and know firsthand that he is not all about the numbers, matter of fact he is all about the big fish. We passed up a bunch of small fish on a recent outing and went to target larger fish because it was too easy catching the little ones. Another trip we targeted Kings for a few hours because they are bigger and fight more than the browns we were catching the day before. Again, looking for larger and tougher to catch fish. Until the DEC makes rules due to a problem with overfishing and mortality rates, I think I will attempt to catch all I can, especially when it costs as much as it does to go out.

And just to make it clear in my own mind, are you really saying we should TRY to catch LESS fish?...on a FISHING website??...set up to help people catch MORE fish???...that is sponsored by fishing companies????...that supports and promotes fishing tournaments?????...sorry just attempting to understand.

[spoonfed-1]

Thanks for the backup Rod.

Glad you didn't tell this friggen guy we had to weed through about 30 or so average Browns to get the three trophy fish we got that were mixed in with the smaller ones on our last outing.

You would have become part of the GAME HOG crew and give us a bad reputation.

I'll be doing alot of fishing during the spring LOC if you want to get out.

Plan will be to find um, dial um in and hurt as many as we can.

Glen

[Gator]

This thread seems to have gotten to a few people, so maybe a cooler head can interject a couple of comments. No offense to anyone, as all opinions are equally valid...not necessarily right (either factually or ethically), but valid nonetheless.

To be honest, most days on Nothing but Net we don't have to worry about whether we've killed more fish by releasing them than taking home our limit, if you know what I mean? But on those occasions where the fish were snapping, it's certainly possible that post-release mortality killed some portion of our catch. And I don't feel good about it...who feels good about dead fish that nobody else can enjoy...but I don't get too worked-up either. We do what we can to release them safely, and accept that we're not always going to be successful. The cooler full of ice water is a great trick to revive the fish, and I know that Jason from Trout-N-About uses the technique successfully.

And yes, we've motored off fish that were biting well because of undue stress we were putting on them, mostly juvenile salmon/skippy, but we've also stayed on a hot bite for hours, just enjoying the strike and the bend of the rod. Those are the days that I live for. I don't think this makes me a bad person, but I'm not going to claim Conservationist of the Year, either.

I think that the best we can hope for is that everybody just considers their actions, considers the consequences to the fish, and does their best to minimize their impact, while still having a great time and enjoying this amazing fishery.

Gator out.

[Big Dave]

I know that Glen cares alot about our fishery on Lake Ontario that is Proven all the time.

Do salmon float? I say yes. We stop and check floating salmon for " road kill " flashers and flies. in the fall. Net them take the hook out and they swim down , not sink down. As long as the gulls don't get to their eyes they will catch their breath and take off. Usually after you make the turn to check on them . We all have caught fish with " hook damage" . The fish are tougher than they are given credit for!! We only keep the ones that won't make it , or ones that we have invited to supper

[ray koziatek]

Ohh pass me the bucket of popcorn this movie is gettin good......

arggh that stupid guy from Mass. just got a low blow but he comes back with the right hook in the jaw then he releases...

kremer taggs in and is pushed outa the ring in a hurry pretty good fighter but lackin the 1000's of hours glen has under his belt...

\

the reff doesnt take sides and sends em back to the water .....

then THE BIG DAVE gets tagged now big dave ant big cause he tosses the fish back so he has to rely on his "roadkill" experiance.......

Oll BALD EAGLE has passed gas and sees no reason to waste any more time

their is one thing oll "Larry The Cable Guy " says cant be fixed forgot what it was but im shure as this post goes on it will come to me ,and the other 10,000 fishermen on this site,who are chuckling to themselves hmmm

Rats my soda is empty BRB.....

[LongLine]

I heard someone took a quick poll…

[ray koziatek]

Thanks its nice to put faces with the names......but you left ME out!!!!!!

[john1947]

The professional bass tournaments now use oxygenated water in their tournaments.Regular fish well water usualy hold about 4ppm of oxygen.The kits now avalable supercharge the holding tanks with pure oxygen.to 15 ppm.

The fish are also transported in oxygenated holding bags till weight in. After the weight in the fish are kept in a central holding tank (15ppm oxygen) till ready to release.Even then the fish are released in a high oxygen discharge.

This results in a 100% survival for bass released held under these guidelines.

Maybe this method could also adapted for trout and salmon if needed.

[spoonfed-1]

You guys crack me up.

Thanks for the kind words Big Dave.

Glen

[Raaven]

You guys crack me up.

Thanks for the kind words Big Dave.

Glen

Glen, don't get me wrong...I don't know if YOU are a game hog, or not....

I pull off the dock every morning with full intentions of catching/killing my clients their LEGAL limit every day. Of course, this doesn't always happen!

But if after a few passes of rods popping, and the box almost filled, I have to make a decision...either make another pass and be limited out in two hours, of a six hour charter..OR PULL OFF THE FISH. The clients are more than willing to try for a few bigger fish...and we can always go back in there and box out later in the trip?

Meanwhile.....I see other boats JUST POUNDING on those fish all day every day...and releasing...thinking they are doing good by letting them all go...

How many die? I don't know. EVERY ONE IN MY BOX IS DEAD. That's a fact.

I also release A FEW fish on a real good day...but won't sit there and C&R EVERY ONE I can get to bite.

I find it more challenging to target a different species, or a trophy...and sometimes you get them!

[muskybob]

Just a quick note from the ref. This is an interesting topic & helping to understand different views but PLEASE don't let it get out of hand and resort to breaking the rules of this forum. Thanks guys & remember:

"Be Kind • Be Courteous • Be Respectful"

[Raaven]

I think that the best we can hope for is that everybody just considers their actions, considers the consequences to the fish, and does their best to minimize their impact, while still having a great time and enjoying this amazing fishery.

Gator out.

I agree.

This mornings charter was a prime example of "my opinion" on this subject.

Three guests show up at 6 am. Two adults and a 14 yr. old autistic kid.

Well the wind was howling in Oz and it was cold! So we waited at the dock an hour, and started fishing at 7. First pass down the beach pulling smithwicks on planers, three riggers set shallow at 1.8 -2.0 mph produced 14 fish on, boated 9 browns and a northern pike! We released 6 of the browns, 3 were hooked bad so we boxed them. The northern of course was released. Did we turn around and make another pass? NO. As far as I was concerned, we could have kept all nine browns and had our daily limit.

Instead we talked about the rare abundance of spring kings we have been catching in Oz this spring! These guests have been coming up for years, brown trout trip every spring, back again mid summer for kings.

"Let's go try to catch one" responds the client!

Ok, pull the boards, pull off the beach, drop in some wire dipsys with spinny's and flies, switch up the riggers to stingrays and magnums, bump the speed up to 2.7-3.0 mph...and troll out to 50 f.o.w.

Well wouldn't you know it, we bang an 8 lb. brown on a rigger in 25 f.o.w. on route! Box that one. Nice fish.

It didn't take long for the kings to play...all five stations took a salmon, and we lost a couple more also in the next two hours!

Now we are limited out.

Or are we? Legally, we can still take some lakers...The kid has never caught a lake trout before? Perfect.

Slide out to 70 f.o.w. Put on some small spoons on the riggers, lengthen the leaders on the flies...slow the boat down to 1.2 -1.5 mph....send everything down!

It took a while to find them....But we were enjoying a sandwich anyway!

Pretty soon a dipsy fires....HEAD SHAKER...yup it's a laker! ohhhh noo ! It come off just before it hit the net! Darn it. The kid really wants one now.

Another pass or two on the numbers, and what's that? Rigger bouncing funny? Hit the release......a few minutes later, this kid is ecstatic about his first ever LAKE TROUT!

Father said "We had a great day! Take us in"...back to the dock at 11:30.

Gee, and to think we could have turned around and pounded on small brown trout all day...catching 30?-40?- 50 ? more AND RELEASING THEM ALL... How many would have died?

[spoonfed-1]

Very nice morning trip.

Conratulations on some happy customers.

Got to ask.

You know those salmon where there when you left those Browns or did you take a chance and go out and find them?

Anybody else on those fish or were you alone?

[Raaven]

Very nice morning trip.

Conratulations on some happy customers.

Got to ask.

You know those salmon where there when you left those Browns or did you take a chance and go out and find them?

Anybody else on those fish or were you alone?

Been running charters since April 6 th ! Earliest season start I can remember. (Been chartering full time out of Oswego since 1978...Misty Blue way back then.) Glenn, we found the kings IN THE HARBOR on the first trip this year, Ran over a dozen trips so far this month, and caught kings EVERY TIME I fished for them. Best day was 9...biggest of the season so far, 23 lbs. So to answer your question.. NO, I didn't just take a chance.

To answer your other question.....TK and Hattrick, and Proteus, and Lucky Dutchman and Salmon Tracker were all around me today, as well as some rec guys. As far as I know they all caught some kings today? As well as other days THEY FISHED FOR THEM.

You don't catch them on the beach with the little browns.

[spoonfed-1]

What I figured.

The Kings were mixed in with the Browns earlier in the year.

At least in the Bay

I been in since the first weekend in March.

Very unusual to be able to target Kings this early.

If they weren't there, or if they were there and you didn't know it, you would have beat up on the poor little Browns.

Don't make you a killer.

Just putting your customers on fish.

Leaving those Browns to target Kings you knew were their don't make you a hero.

Your probably a good guy and a good fishermen.

Best of luck to you this season.

Glen

[Raaven]

Very unusual to be able to target Kings this early.

If they weren't there, or if they were there and you didn't know it, you would have beat up on the poor little Browns.

Glen

I haven't heard any reports of kings back in Mexico Bay...but Kenny has been getting them on the buoy line, and heard a rumor someone had a great day in the Trench...Good reports all up the south shore this year! If you go out and look for them, you will find them! All my "spring king" charters are booked on Waterwolf on weekends out in Wilson! We start out there in two weeks. Boat is still in Clayton from last falls musky trips.....Got to move her on the 15th..Kevin won't let us have our slip until after the Invitational.

Where do I sign up for those knitting classes you are teaching?

[spoonfed-1]

Kings were in front of Catfish 3 or 4 weeks ago mixed in with the browns.

Not alot but enough to take a couple three fish in the morning on Brown trout stuff.

Didn't have a Salmon rod in the boat.

Last time I fished there were a few in at the buoy line.

The wife and I usually go out to the Bar for the LOC every spring, usually fish Canadian water, but the price of fuel has forced us to stay east this year.

Plan is to target a big brown for the derby in the mornings and mosey out a bit for salmon late morning.

Could spend a day or two up north.

Who knows. A big LOC King might just come out of the east this year.

Knitting classes don't start until late October when the boat comes out.

I'll keep you posted.

Glen

[traveling man]

I've seen seagulls feeding on dead salmon on the surface a few times before.

I've accidently dropped a couple dead ones in the lake getting ready to fillet them.

Circled and netted them back up.

They floated.

Was out with Chris (Traveling man) one day and we both wanted meat so we kept our three salmon a piece.

Water was like glass.

He was handing them to me and I was cutting.

When we got done there was 6 equally spaced carcusses over about 1/4 mi or so, all in a nice neat line with a slight turn that the boat took.

All six were floating

Dropped a dead Brown in one day taking a picture before filleting and that one sunk.

Certainly not any hard core evidence, just what I've seen over the years.

Glen

That was a pretty neat sight, The auto piloit did its job, nice and straight.