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Posts: 138
Location: Utah | On a fact finding mission.
So here goes: Whatcha all feel about put'n a 40" plus Musky or Pike in a livewell to release later?
Don't shoot the messenger, just asking the question. |
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | Are you talking about essentially using it as a release tool? Unhooking the fish, helping to revive the fish, etc.? What would the purpose be? If you aren't working on the fish or in the process of releasing it, any CO will see it as possession.
Aaron |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | If you do it in Utah it will be considered possession I'm guessing. I can ask a CO tomorrow, but I wouldn't do it here especially since it is immediate C&R |
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Posts: 138
Location: Utah | Okay here's the story.
http://utahwildlife.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=19861
I'm just asking folks who fish for Musky, Tiger Musky, and Pike a whole lot on your professional opinion...that's it.
We release all Tiger Musky as soon as the hooks removed and couple of pics are taken. Our livewell wouldn't hold a 40" plus fish. So I'm just curious as to how folks in Musky, Tiger Musky and Pike waters would see this.
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Works good. Since it was a pike, no problem by me. A calm, dark place with oxygenated water can make for a nasty green fish when you try and grab it again. Watch out, they bite! |
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Posts: 1887
Location: syracuse indiana | actually i would say not to do it.. thats why i use frabill's big kahuna.. for one it keeps the fish in their own envioroment and is not a possession issue if you are letting her revive in the net for a while.....bill |
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Posts: 203
Location: Alexandria, Minnesota | I only use it as a last resort but I have had to put many fish that I have caught trolling in the livewell to get them fully revived. These fish either came up to fast and needed time to release air. Or the were hooked very deep and I needed to cuts hooks that were in very dangerous area's for the fish. I do recommend it if you are trolling by yourself in high winds. A few years ago a buddy of mine had to help a guy try to release a fish in 30mph winds that hooked into a giant that was hooked badly. They guy was dragging the fish in his net because he did not have a good set of hook cutters. Once the fish was free of the hooks the guy tried to release the fish in the wind it kept flipping over because it was getting knocked by the waves. My buddy went over and grabbed to the fish and tried to put it in his livewell to save it, but It was too late.
I only recommend it if you have a livewell that is large enough to accomadate a muskie. I personally have a 54'' in my boat. |
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Posts: 1243
Location: Musky Tackle Online, MN | Good point by Dave on the wind factor. I had a similar situation as he described happen to me a few years ago. I filled up the livewell with fresh water, put the fish in there, and went about 100 yards to a more protected spot out of the wind. I honestly feel without doing this I would have had a dead fish on my hands. Instead, this 49.5"er lived to see another day and hopefully I'll catch her again when she's 54"!
Aaron |
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Posts: 4266
| I've done it twice. Both times the fish had multiple hooks in them and I was alone. I cut all of the hooks and put the fish in the livewell with the aerator running. It was easier on the fish, and it was much easier on me not having to bend over the side of the boat and having back spasms. I see nothing wrong with it. In fact both fish that I used the live well while getting out hook parts and cutting hooks were in better condition after spending some time in the oxygenated water. I think your livewell can be a great release aid especially if you are fishing alaone.
Beaver |
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Posts: 774
Location: South East Wisconsin | I use my net to revive. If faced with wind I would try to get to a protected area.
S.Killips |
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