
Posts: 5874
| MJ,
I'll tell you about the eye thing. You pull that fish out of the hole, and it gets an eyefull of YOU. Permanently ingrained in it's pea brain. Then, when you're fishing that next year from the boat, and you get a follow, that fish sees you again, and flips you the fin! Off she goes!
Seriously, I've released several muskies through the ice. They've all given powerful tail thrusts when they hit the water, and disappear. Can't say for sure if they are hurt or not. But it's gotta be better than taking a spear through the back! I think you should just release the fish as quick as possible, and hope for the best. Maybe wear a mask next open water season on that lake. |