releasing kings in the heat of the summer

[BAITNH]

 I have had  some problems   releasing kings in the heat of the summer bringing them up  from  40ish degree water to 70ish  have tried  holding the tail and working the fish.  What have you   done to have success  doing this ? How about a fish cradle  ?

[chesapeake]

I have used a lip gripper, tied off to a cleat. After a few minutes they are usually swimming with or faster then the boat. If not they go in the box.

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[ifishy]

I do the same works well

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[bandrus1]

Water goes backwards holding them by the tail

[mercury25]

X2 on the grip works awesome 99% of fish bolt off after 5 minutes 

[Xxx]

13 hours ago, bandrus1 said:

Water goes backwards holding them by the tail

 

[reeleyz]

It is nice to see people releasing fish instead of stacking them in the freezer only to get tossed in a year.

[Drebs12]

X3 on the grip. found a cheap rapala lip gripper on sale for $6 on Fish USA a while back. I tie it to 6 ft of para-cord and then latch with a carabiner to a eye bolt  on the boat thats close to water level (happens to be the spot my trailer boat buckle attaches). let the fish swim in the oxygen rich prop wash while I clean up and redeploy rig. usually by the time I'm done with that the fish is kickin good and ready to go back down.

[Sk8man]

A main consideration is what you do BEFORE placing them back in the water after bringing them in. Folks often forget about the hot floor of the boat, struggles to net them, bringing in after real long fight on long set-ups, and placing hands or fingers in the gill areas while holding them up vertically for pics and then wonder why they didn't make it. They require care at each step along the way at this time of the year especially and if these things are unrecognized or ignored it leads to poor release results regardless of the method used.

Edited July 10, 2018 by Sk8man

[BAITNH]

good point there the less handled  the better off they are 

[ifishy]

The grip is nice because you can use it to hold without touching the gills also I like to get them towing than clean the deck and set up a pic that much less time out of water

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[ski-dooz]

Where can you buy them?


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[BAITNH]

just about anywhere    your local   bait and tackle  shop   should have something

[rolmops]

 I have had  some problems   releasing kings in the heat of the summer bringing them up  from  40ish degree water to 70ish  have tried  holding the tail and working the fish.  What have you   done to have success  doing this ? How about a fish cradle  ?

For those who get Boat US Magazine, check out page 20 of the 2020 April-May magazine

Cabelas has several fish descender devices. They will allow you to lower the fish to the depth where they were caught and then release them.

 

 

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[rolmops]

On 7/10/2018 at 7:00 AM, Drebs12 said:

X3 on the grip. found a cheap rapala lip gripper on sale for $6 on Fish USA a while back. I tie it to 6 ft of para-cord and then latch with a carabiner to a eye bolt  on the boat thats close to water level (happens to be the spot my trailer boat buckle attaches). let the fish swim in the oxygen rich prop wash while I clean up and redeploy rig. usually by the time I'm done with that the fish is kickin good and ready to go back down.

In the prop wash it will also get a not so healthy dose of exhaust gas

[whaler1]

Lol


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[Drebs12]

11 minutes ago, rolmops said:

In the prop wash it will also get a not so healthy dose of exhaust gas

Perhaps prop wash wasn't the best term. my main motor doesn't run when trolling. the fish is connected to the starboard side of the boat and I run a kicker on the port side... pretty sure my 4 stroke 8hp Yammy isn't poisoning the salmon from the other side of the boat with exhaust fumes. the big motor is still down in the water creating turbulence which oxygenates it.

This is the best solution i have found.

 

I have not tried a descending device

 

 

[justtracytrolling]

If you want more successful releases don't take the fish out of the water to unhook it, then put the fish on the grip and revive.  Having fish flop on the floor of the boat isn't a recipe for fish survival if that is really your goal.  Pictures out of water on hot sunny days don't help with reviving fish...again if that is important to you.  Rubber coated nets are much easier on the fish as well...they suck for netting comparitively.  It's just a simple case of how bad do you want the fish to go back.  Personally, I'd just smoke the ones that I struggled to revive when it comes to salmon, but I like smoked salmon.  On the other hand I've gotten in the water with a tiger to revive it...  

[180ccf]

I use the prop wash trick and it has never failed me. With an outboard you can trim up and make a lot of oxygen. Also, you can trim it perfect to create a giant vortex that pulls that fish way down and they always swim away. I have never kept any of the fish I have caught in the lake. I don't eat them so I would never harm one, 100% catch and release every fish I get near the boat. If it is not a photo fish it never even comes out of the water, un-hook right in the lake.

[TyeeTanic]

Boca grip is the way to go... clip them on the lip, make sure the boca grip is tie to the boat using a rope, drop the fish in the water, and carry on resetting your rods. Fish will be ready to go in a few minutes. Very good response rate.

[ErieBuck]

On 1/8/2021 at 4:54 PM, TyeeTanic said:

Boca grip is the way to go... clip them on the lip, make sure the boca grip is tie to the boat using a rope, drop the fish in the water, and carry on resetting your rods. Fish will be ready to go in a few minutes. Very good response rate.

Tyee -- I haven't had much luck with steelhead using this technique -- I watched about 10 of them float away this morning after they seemed to be ready to be released after towing behind the boat..  Not sure why, maybe they go into shock from lactic acid or ascend from the deep water too fast.  It has worked well with kings and lakers.  Any ideas?  

[TyeeTanic]

On 7/26/2022 at 8:36 PM, ErieBuck said:

Tyee -- I haven't had much luck with steelhead using this technique -- I watched about 10 of them float away this morning after they seemed to be ready to be released after towing behind the boat..  Not sure why, maybe they go into shock from lactic acid or ascend from the deep water too fast.  It has worked well with kings and lakers.  Any ideas?  

 

Steelhead definitely a more sensitive fish ... but on the other hand, they are often in slightly warmer water ... not sure. 10 floating away is a lot. How hot was the water on top? Maybe just a once off thing?

[ErieBuck]

I was catching them 50-60ft down just above the thermocline… surface temp on Lake Erie is 75, below thermocline is 45-55.  Most were caught on the riggers and they rocket to the surface to jump right after being hooked.  Maybe I can try squeezing their bellies a bit 

[thork9]

Given CPR