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Posts: 714
Location: Rhinelander, WI | Talk about “Netiquette”! The following is a part of a patent application from 1988, however I have recently heard that a product similar to this is now available. I am wondering what you all think of this? Doesn’t quite smell right to me. If the fish actually has to contact the net MAYBE, but if there is any transmission of the shock any distance from the net I see nothing good about this type of product.
Description:BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a landing net which temporarily disables a fish or other captured animal. In particular, the landing net contains contacting strips capable of emitting a harmless disabling shock to the fish or animal with which it comes in contact.
Landing nets have traditionally been comprised of a woven collecting net, a loop-like frame from which the collecting net hangs, and a handle. This type of net has long been used by fisherman for bringing fish, once hooked and reeled in, into a boat or onto shore. Once captured, the fish typically thrashes about while the fisherman struggles to remove the hook. The fish, as well as the fisherman, often suffers damage during such confrontations. One solution for easier removal of the hook has been to kill the fish in the landing net.
More recently, however, a growing trend has been towards releasing fish back into their natural habitat after they are caught. This modern catch and release method is particularly popular with professional tournament and sport fisherman, and is to be encouraged from an ecological standpoint.
One problem incurred in the catch and release method, however, is that of damage caused to both the fish and the fisherman during removal of the hook from the fish. For example, unnecessary handling can cause saliva loss to the fish, which is known to result in greater susceptability of the fish to aquatic parasites after the fish is released back to its habitat. Also, any damage caused by the hook entering the fish's mouth is compounded while the hook is removed from the thrashing fish. On the other hand, sharp scales and teeth of the fish have been known to cause injury to the fisherman.
There exists a need, therefore, for a landing net which disables the fish so that the hook can be easily removed with minimal damage to both the fish and the fisherman. Entire description is located at the following site: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/4839980.html Anybody other than me see potential ethical problems with this? Especially when considering tournaments. I mean a foul hooked fish doesn't count as legally caught, but you could potential shock them to easier subdue them in the net. I guess the same product is available in a gaff. Nail A Pig! Mike |
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| imho, it's both impractical and non-sporting.
although anything that eases the stress put on a fish during netting/release could be good, i don't see this as a solution. i'd be skeptical that it would work as advertised, plus the use of an outside tool like this to subdue the fish isn't something that i would choose to be a part of my fishing experience.
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | What lambeau said.
Shocking! |
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Location: Lake Tomahawk, WI | True story:
I was in Central Mexico drinking at a local bar, and a local was walking around with an old crank-up battery charger strapped to his chest. For $1 you could hold the 2 leads and he'd crank it up and give you a jolt. Well, I tried it and wow did it give you a real boost of energy for about an hour. Unreal.
Found out later that I could've gone into cardiac arrest, now when I'm down there I politely decline.
Probably wouldn't be good for a fish either.
JS
Gordy also found out it isn't cool to win a bull riding contest and make the local vanqueros look bad.
Edited by J.Sloan 8/20/2008 6:39 PM
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| To each their own, I learned how to use a gaff to release larger muskies in a manner I feel is easier on the fish, than a net is. However you mention gaff and folks that are not familiar with techniques used in other parts of the country go crazy. It is a neat idea but I am more of a purest, even a normal net is too much technology for me:) |
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Posts: 1764
Location: Ogden, Ut | Any time I've shocked fish, unless you really pour the juice to them, they get anything but calm... |
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Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Personally, most times I think it's the angler who needs the shock if the idea is to settle down the recipient. |
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Posts: 4266
| I read about this back in the 70's or 80's in BASSMaster Magazine. At that time they could net their fish during tournaments instead of doing it by hand. Those were the days of stringer tournaments too, but they had a net with wire in the mesh that plugged into the boat battery and gave the bass a mild shock to calm them. Same line of thought though, if it works for DNR guys, it should work for us.
It never made it back then, and I thought that it was dead. I hope it's still in the grave. |
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Posts: 31
Location: Syracuse, New York | I would have to see it used before tossing an opinion either way. However, catch and release is very new (historically speaking) and there are definitely ways in which the fish handling process could be improved. So while this seems a bit impractical, hopefully there are other ideas out there. |
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Posts: 94
Location: Perham, MN | Not to change the subject or anything but Ben, I was wondering if you could explain your gaffing technique. It sounds interesting |
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Posts: 714
Location: Rhinelander, WI | Thanks for the input guys, I am glad I was not the only one think this way about these nets.
Apparently these things are for real and someone is selling them. A person approached the Rhinelander Chamber asking if they wanted to buy a couple to give away as a raffle item during the Hodag Musky Challenge. They said no because there is just too many unknowns.
I have had a number of PM on this topic, one even said that they thought this type of net was illegal. I looked through the fishing regs and didn’t see a word on it, is there anyplace else that it might be defined as such.
A friend of my brought up another point, imagine the B.S. that could happen after a long trip when fishing partners start getting stir crazy. Just as you reach into the bag to unhook the fish, your partner sneaks up behind you and presses the button on the electro-net. Great fun to be had by all, you know it would happen.
Nail A Pig!
Mike
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Location: Athens, Ohio | I can see this product as a benefit to the fisherie guys who need to net and remove fish from the water for weighing and measuring. In some small streams it may be more practical than towing the portable generators they use now. m |
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Posts: 906
Location: Warroad, Mn | I doubt that any net that carries any sort of "battery" will have much effect on most fish. The shocking I've done recently is with a 13,000 watt AC generator that runs through a pulsor that converts the AC to DC and puts out 7.5 amps at the poles (nasty shock). Even at this amperage many muskies escape, as they really don't like the electrcity. I doubt that a net with any sort of electricity involved would be of much benifit, and probably some what of a determent to getting the fish even close to the net. Mostly a gimmick, like many fishing related items you can buy. Doug Johnson |
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| A biologist or medical professional I am not, but one thought came to my mind. Say you are running as fast as you can or are exercising vigorously, and you're breathing as hard as you can. Then some one comes up and tasers you. Do you fall to the ground and slowly regain your breath without an issue, or would the shock impede your oxygen intake and slowly sufficate you until you pass out? I know breathing is involuntary, but the shock is meant to stop muscle control, right? Maybe my thought has nothing to do with this situation, but I don't beleive the DNR shocks fish that are under the stress of fighting on a line. Although I'm probably blowing it way out of context.
In reflection there has been a time or two when a sizable fish thrashed at the net and got away, and I sat there broken hearted wishing I'd had something of this nature. Although my thought had been to be able to push a button on your reel and have the charge emit from your rod through the line directly to the fish. Of course when a thought of this nature arises from a moment of mental and emotional imbalance that these silly creatures can impart upon you, it is usually best to let them drift into the abyss of the unspoken.
Scratch that.
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