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Posts: 392
Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | i was wondering how guys release a ski. what are the steps you do and what tools do you use and like the best? |
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Posts: 311
| http://muskie.outdoorsfirst.com/watch.asp?id=766
Try this. |
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Posts: 89
| Check out this link to the Articles and Tips page of my website http://www.captainjollycharters.com/pages/posts/do-you-have-the-too...
Everyone does things a little differently when it comes to releasing muskys, but this system has worked for me. |
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Posts: 2427
Location: Ft. Wayne Indiana | I have a 2-3 picture maximum rule in my boat. I usually take 1 with my camera, and 1 with my clients camera. If for some reason the pic is messed up, blurry, etc, then I will take the 3rd picture.
Also all my pictures are taken while on a knee. That way after the pic I can simply slide over, put the fish in the water and just hold her there. DO NOT ROCK THEM BACK AND FOURTH. Simply hold them there with a LIGHT grip on the tail. If the wind is blowing, point them into the wind. As soon as she makes one little kick I let go. Even if the fish just wants to lie there on the surface, I let go. The less handling of the fish, the better. |
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Posts: 8820
| I like to think of it as one motion, almost an arc -- lift out of the net, support, pause, and continue towards the other side of the boat to release the fish. Then, like others, I just hold it lightly by the tail until its upright on its own. They kind of let you know when they're ready to leave.
Now here's a question: I've seen guys do this, and I've done this myself a couple times: Smack the fish under the tail to get it to swim off. If you get one that's just sort of sitting there, you can bump it a bit and they usually take off.
But I wonder if that's really a good idea or not. Essentially what you're doing is spooking the fish, startling it and forcing it to take off in a hurry. Sure, the big splash and resulting shower is kind of funny, but it seems to me that more lactic acid and more stress on that fish can't be very good for it. Maybe its better to just let them swim off on their own when they are ready? Those of you who release bunches of fish, what say you? |
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Posts: 32918
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Pretty much what Mike and Addict said. |
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| I don't think tapping them on the tail is bad for the fish. At least it gets them to swim deeper and not laying at the top of the surface where they could get hit by another boat. |
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Posts: 4266
| OUCH!!!!!
Pretty much what everyone else said. Basically, do your best as fast as you can.
When I fish alone, I have a routine that even involves putting them in the live-well with the cover closed so they get good oxygen rich water going through their gills while I prep for the photo. Then I focus on the top of the livewell, hit the auto timer and then lift the fish out of the well and pose for the picture that is taken within 5 seconds after I pull the fish out.
Kneeling is my pose of choice too, so if you do have a fumble, it usually doesn't produce life-threatening injuries.
Beaver |
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Posts: 717
Location: Grand Rapids, MI | Slapping on the tail is a big NO NO in my opinion. The fish is just recovering from "running a 5 mile marathon". Then you slap it, and it forces the fish to exert all kinds of energy. We just took that fish out of the water, into air it cannot breathe. Try holding your breath, then run a mile. That's the same kind of pressure put on the fish.
On a different note, I notice a lot of guys who walk around the boat a lot while holding a fish. For example, they net the fish in the front, walk to the back and bumpboard it, take a pic, then walk BACK to the front of the boat to release. I always net my fish in the back where my bumpboard is, take the pic, and put the fish back down in the back, trying to do it on the opposite side the net is on. |
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Posts: 2024
| A lot has been written on this subject over the years. Rod Ramsell wrote one of the most comprehensive, scientifically sound catch-and-release articles yet published. The recent October issue of MI's MUSKIE magazine contains an article incorporating both science and release tips. Everyone does the process differently, and the above comments are all excellent. There is a study slated for 2009 and 2010 which will attempt to diseminate the most beneficial handling practices for muskies specifically looking at the amount of stress a fish undergoes during an angling event and the effects, if any, on delayed mortality.
Re: Addict and Mallard's comments about tail slapping a fish. It might look good on film, but like Addict said this is the same type of burst exercise you just tried to help the fish recover from. Tail slapping is used to assess max. swimming speed, endurance, and other physiological parameters associated with burst swimming. Doing this after releasing a fish is counter-productive and, IMO, doesn't outweigh the benefits of making sure a fish doesn't get hit by a boat. If that is a concern take it to shallow water or stay in the immediate vicinity for a while. |
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Posts: 392
Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | what kind of tools do you all like and prefer? and as for jaw spreader does anyone think that they may open the mouth to for and cause injury to the fish? its something i always wondered about that ever since i first used them. and what do you do if a hook is deep in the gills or deeper? do you cut the splitring/hook eye and leave the hook?
Edited by jay lip ripper 12/24/2008 10:08 PM
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| the standard jaw spreaders do not put too much stress on the fishes mouth/jaw imo. Get yourself a pair of Knipex for cutting hooks, a few pair of long nose pliers...I like the 11" one with the curved end...you should be set with those tools ...
for unhooking fish at night there is nothing better to have than a BRIGHT headlamp...not cat eyes, but a very bright pair to see inside the fishes mouth in case you hook on deep...have your fishing partners providing light as well...
pliers, jaw spreaders, knipex and a bright headlamp for night...all you need....
Also, imo, cut, cut, cut, instead of tearing up a fishes mouth/jaw...i see too many people wrenching on fish when it takes 1 second to cut a hook at a hook is what maybe 50 cents? keep the fish in tact and put a new hook on ... |
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| never leave the hook in the fish if you can...cut the barb end and you can pretty much extract any hook |
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Posts: 2024
| A muskies gape is fairly large. You'd be surprised by how far they can open their mouths to take down food. I'm fairly certain jaw spreaders don't open up enough to cause significant damage to the fish, but can't be certain of that. The benefit of using it to aid the release process probably outweighs NOT using it if need be.
Tools: straight and curved 11" needle nose pliers, channel locks, Hook Pick, Knipex, jaw spreader, and a large, coated, knotless net (I consider this a "tool" as well). |
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Posts: 392
Location: lake x...where the hell is it? | sean have you used the hook pick? i was looking at getting one if its not just a gimmick, if you know what i mean. does anyone extend the handles on there knipexs so you can cut deep hooks without having to put your hand in the mouth? i am very lery about puting my hand inside there, i know what can happen in a split second if a fish thrases at that moment.
as headlamps mine has a green led light on it and my buddy has a white led and when he would shine his light on the fish in the eye they didnt seem to want to settel enough to remove hooks but my green light seem not to bother them at all. anyone else notice this or is it just me? |
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Posts: 2024
| It's not a gimmick. The video link above shows how to use it. I haven't used it on a muskie yet, but have used it on a barracuda and a reef shark (circle hook in corner of mouth) with good success (couldn't get the circle hook out of the shark's mouth... needed a vice grip for that). |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | Lots of good advise. Here's a tool I used a lot this past year with very good success. http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/links/link.jsp?id=0002085011776a&type=product&cmCat=SEARCH_all&returnPage=search-results1.jsp&Ntk=Products&QueryText=hook+remover&sort=all&Go.y=8&_D%3AhasJS=+&N=0&Nty=1&hasJS=true&Go.x=10&_DARGS=%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcommon%2Fsearch%2Fsearch-box.jsp.form23&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1 I use the 15" model, and it really works well. You can grab hold of the hook and position it for easiest and safest removal or cutting. The long handle keeps your hands a long way from the bad stuff. There are other models of the same thing, but these are a great hook removel tool. This one seems to be very well made, hasn't broken or failed in anyway. Doug Johnson
Edited by dougj 12/25/2008 9:51 AM
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Location: Lake Tomahawk, WI | I'm sure the tail-slap release comments are somewhat directed at me, as we've done these on our videos. Never really thought about it before, but this thread has brought it to my attention. Not sure how big of a deal it is. After a 30+ second fight, I don't know that an extra tail flip by the fish is putting the lactic acid over the edge. Especially since it instantly sends the muskie into cooler, more oxygenated water. I also wonder about all of the fish that bolt out of your hand without the tail slap. Are these muskies committing suicide with such behavior? Definitely something to ponder, along with removing hooks from all lures... 
Yes, I know, its winter...
JS |
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Posts: 929
Location: Rhinelander. | Water release with the help of a hook cutter and your all set. It can't get any easier and best for the fish and an inexperienced angler> No need to bring every fish into the boat for a measurement or photo. To me to do that is just silly.
Pfeiff |
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Location: Latitude 41.3016 Longitude 88.6160 | 4 deep hooked fish get a HOOK PIC,got one last year, great tool to have.
Attachments
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 Hookpickphoto.jpg (8KB - 149 downloads)
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Posts: 193
Location: Mayer, MN | Don Pfeiffer - 12/25/2008 9:40 PM
Water release with the help of a hook cutter and your all set. It can't get any easier and best for the fish and an inexperienced angler> No need to bring every fish into the boat for a measurement or photo. To me to do that is just silly.
Pfeiff
Depends on the fisherman and how many fish he handles in a season. If I caught fourty per year I would agree with you, but I catch four per year and photograph each one. They are special too me. |
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