Posts: 439
Location: Lake of the Woods, Morson, Ontario | With some hot sunshine, water temps are rising and it seems like a good time to offer reminders for some safer handling techniques during the heat of summer. Feel free to add any other ideas/tips to this thread as it is not an exhaustive list. Good fishing everyone.
SAFE FISH HANDLING TIPS FOR WARM WATER PERIODS
If you fish and have friends that fish, PLEASE pass this info along to everyone you can. Please consider the following when fishing while surface temps are high (high 70’s, 80’s.)
1. Land the fish as quickly as possible. Put away ultra-light rod combos when walleye fishing and use good heavy duty muskie rods for muskies and pike. Minimize the fight to limit the amount of lactic acid burn.
2. KEEP THE FISH IN THE WATER. Use landing net, cradle or hand land and unhook fish while the fish is in the water, with extra caution used to keep the head in the water. You should never bring a fish into the boat to work on hook removal. This is not a good practice at any time of the year.
3. Allow the fish to recover in the water before any photos are taken. Use cradle, large nets that allow the fish to sit upright and recover from the trauma of the fight.
4. Consider water releases & photos with fish just up out of the water for a moment before putting it back in.
5. Have all camera gear ready and functioning properly before fish comes out of the water. Be prepared for 1-2 very quick photos and get the fish immediately back into the water.
6. Support your fish horizontally under its belly at all times. Vertical holds have been proven to damage a fish’s skeletal structure and should always be supported with both hands in some way while holding for photos.
7. Hold the fish still while release it. It’s no longer suggested to move the fish forward and back during a release. Allow the fish to sit upright and monitor it after release if it stays on the surface. Any fish that appears it will not make it should be harvested if it is of legal size. Any fish not of legal size must not be harvested regardless of whether or not it will die upon release.
8. If you can, fish early morning periods and late evening periods to avoid the heat of the day. If you don't HAVE to fish, wait until the water temps cool down some.
9. Go barbless. Hooks are much easier to take out when the barbs are pinched down or filed off. This will also save you all kinds of trouble if you end up getting stuck with a hook during the process of unhooking your fish.
Thank you for taking extra caution with our precious natural resources. Safe handling techniques, particularly during warm water periods, will significantly improve the future of our fisheries.
Cheers.
J-Man |
Safer Warm Water Handling Tips