|
|
| Gentlemen,
I have a question. I have heard many stories about Muskie being caught on 6 to 8lb test line with a small lure and they had to fight the fish for 20 minutes. I believe this puts a lot of stress on the fish which can't be good for it.
Does anyone know if you land Muskie to quick (with all the awesome equipment today) will this stress the fish as well?
In your opionions what would the max/min time you would like to land the fish to make sure you can harm it as least as possible?
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 16
| all i know is that if you land one too quick they still have a lot of built up energy and they might end up cuttin your hand in a few places (i know for a fact) |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2112
Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | I am by no means an expert, not like many good sticks on this board, but let me share a story:
My biggest to date, i got up on the surface after a fight of one minute, and just dragged it in like a wet towel on my lure. She came in real nice, until I got her close. I have heard that if you you fill thier mouths up with water, they come in like that. Any way, she went totally bonkers after she got close, and beat the snot out of herself. After cutting the hooks, I held her in the water till she could almost fight again, took her out, got my pics real quick, and put her back in the water, and wouldn't let her go until she REALLY fought her way away. I felt that by bringing her in too quick, I may have made her get hurt too much. I now enjoy the fight, read each fish, and feel better about my releases. By the way, that old girl showed herself to me the next two years, on the same stretch of river, almost laughing at me. When I caught her the first time, she was 45". |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1916
Location: Greenfield, WI | I tend to net the muskies at the absolute first good opportunity. The less stress on the fish the better, especially if the water temperatures are high. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 8866
| Can you land them "too quickly"? NO.
Can a "green" fish thrash about and injure itself or you? YES. I don't think fighting it longer is the answer, however.
They're like a reptile -- stress builds up lactic acid in their system, which is essentially toxic to their organs. In my opinion it's better for the fish to get them unhooked and turn them loose as quickly (and safely) as possible.
I have friends that will put them in the livewell, every time. They say it's better for the fish because the livewell has higher oxygen content, and being in the dark calms the fish dowm and allows it to regain itself. Part of me says "WHAT?!?!?" You put EVERY fish in the livewell?????" But then the thought of the fish quietly regaining its strength in a nice quiet dark place without you hanging over it makes me think maybe it's not such a bad idea after all...
You know, maybe they DO swim off before they're ready because they're scared half to death and you've got them by the ass...
|
|
| |
|
| Net muskies at your first opportunity and it will be best for you and the musky. They can still be green but just let them settle down and quickly unhook them. Just keep the fish in the water the entire time. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 212
Location: Madison, WI | My son asked and then answered this question to me on our last trip to Hayward. It went something like this:
Son "How long do you fight a fish before you net it?"
Dad "Each fish is different. What do you think?"
Son "I think you fight it as long as it takes to get the net ready."
I think I have a smart 7 year old.
|
|
| |
|
| I'm gonna play devil's advocate here for a moment:
I am one who feels that you can net a fish to early. A fish that green (at least in my experiences of 26 years) has a tendency to roll up in the netting (coated or not, square bottom or not) which can potentially restrict itself to the point it cannot keep it's head under the water, and you have a heckuva mess to deal with trying untangle the fish from the net, watching out for teeth, hooks etc.
I have always loosened the drag a bit so the fish can pull line out pretty easy (especially if I pull some with it to release some of the extra stress on the fish) after a fish hits. If they have to really struggle to pull line, they are stressing themselves more than they need to. I only let up enough so that they can pull line easy, but not so much that I cannot reel them back in. Just enough to get two runs or so from the fish and the battle will be over.
I figure if a fight takes more than 3 minutes it's a really nice fish. Most only take about 2 - 3 runs when they see the boat, and those runs are pretty short at that.
I usually try to get them in when the fish is settled down enough I can slip the net under them or guide them in. unhook in the net in the water, and usually, by the time I am ready for picture or for measurement the fish is upright, and breathing well. If I try to lift and it thrashes a bit, I might try one more time. If they continue to thrash, I just lower the net and let them swim out...
Much easier with two people to net a little faster maybe, but when you fish alone (as I do the majority of the time) playing safe and playing the fish a little longer is, in my opinion, better for both fish and fisherman.
Steve |
|
| |
|
Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | I would have to say that I would play the fish out some, not where it out to the point of no return but get it so its not going to rip itself or me up in the net. I would say that, in my opinion, these fish are tougher than we sometimes give credit to....I'm not saying treat the fish like trash, but these fish are tough....I've seen some good scars, even some fish caught with previous gill damage and still fighting hard as ever. I dont think that bringin a fish in quick is bad for it, but enjoy the fight a bit...its what we fish for.
Mike |
|
| |
|
Posts: 829
Location: Maple Grove, MN | Fighting the fish longer can increase the odds of losing the fish. Netting a green fish requires one to be very careful and have good release tools though.
I lost a gigantic fish this year when I couldn't net the fish as soon as I wanted to. I was fishing by myself and had to play the fish out before netting her. Unfortunately, she head thrashed at the boat-side and tossed the lure just as I was putting her in the net. I lunged at her with the net and still almost got her.
If I had a fishing partner that day, we'd have netted her at the first possible chance and I would have had a nice picture of possibly my first 50 lb class fish. The way it was I have a tremendous battle to remember, but no picture and nothing but a story. I'd take the picture over the extended fight any day.
Those big fish are hard to find and trigger. I wouldn't waste time netting the fish if you don't have to.
Just my thoughts.
Edited by Herb_b 9/22/2005 9:48 AM
|
|
| |
