Posted 2/4/2009 12:23 PM (#358979) Subject: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 281
Location: ROckford IL
Here is some head cam footage I shoot of Me and Jerry musky fishing when we forgot our net, we had to hand land a few skis that day until our net arrived later. I don't recommend anyone doing this on a regular basis, its very dangerous and can turn a good day into a bad one. Jerry had to hand land a fourty incher for me that day, the hooks were real close to where he grabbed that one. I did not get that on film because my batteries for the head cam died on me. Anyways I just thought I would post this to help some of you get you some relief from Cabin Fever. We handled the fish with care and released her as quick as possible after a measurement and a quick photo, she swam off strong.
Posted 2/4/2009 12:45 PM (#358984 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 462
Location: Antioch, IL
Ha! nice vid. It's fitting that the ad before the video is for stowmaster! You should see Bill Sandy grab mid forties pike by the head. The dude could palm a disco ball.
Posted 2/4/2009 12:48 PM (#358985 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Location: The Yahara Chain
Lake 'X'
lambeau
Posted 2/4/2009 1:38 PM (#358988 - in reply to #358985) Subject: Re: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
that fish was out of the water for less than 45 seconds, which included unhooking it, taking a picture, and measuring it.
supporting the fish horizontally the entire time would have helped, but overall that's a pretty dang good job minimizing the time out of the water.
Posted 2/4/2009 1:52 PM (#358990 - in reply to #358979) Subject: Re: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 281
Location: ROckford IL
We really wanted to make the process of unhooking, taking photos and releasing the fish as quick as possible, I usually have the net but it was one of those days where I would have forgot my head if it was not attached. We did get my net later that day from a friend that was coming from Rockford to fish, he stopped by my place and picked it up. once we got my net a few hours later the fish just stop biting, I wish I had the footage of the fourty that day, it was a nice looking fish also, Jerry did a amazing job hand landing that one also. All fish were unharmed and swam away strong
Posted 2/4/2009 3:50 PM (#359023 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 619
i hand release all fish, in the water, pop the hooks, see ya, unless its a monster, then i net, or if hooked real bad, then i net it...only too unhook badly hooked fish or a monster to photo. Works well, and IMO good for the fish!! Peace
Posted 2/4/2009 6:41 PM (#359049 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 929
Location: Rhinelander.
Lucky thing for me that I always have a cradle in my storage compartment. I think we all forgotten the net at least once. The cradle is a nice tool to have as long as the guy fighting the fish keeps the rod tip down and does try to lift the fish at all. It is for sure teamwork.
Posted 2/4/2009 7:38 PM (#359060 - in reply to #358979) Subject: Re: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 145
I measure every musky I catch, I don't like to guess.... If I said I got a 25" fish it was not nearly 25 it wasn't 27 it wasn't 23 it was 25. People like to guess and think they have a trained eye but I bet they are not as accurate as they think they are with thier fish and they have proably been lying to thier wives for all these years with some of thier other measurements.
Posted 2/4/2009 8:20 PM (#359065 - in reply to #358979) Subject: Re: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 717
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
First off, great job, Bigman. That was very quick. I've had muskies in my net still in the unhooking process longer than that before!!
Second, I too measure every muskie that comes to my boat. Ok, almost every one. Only one last year didn't get measured. I caught about a 20"er or so while bass fishing. But besides that, I measure them so I don't cheat anyone else or myself in the MOFC in Muskies Inc.
Posted 2/4/2009 8:52 PM (#359069 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 2691
Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin
Good fast catch and release. I will hand land muskies if the hooks are not all over. Once you can slip your hand in the gill plate they are controled with a tight grip. Getting the hooks out will be easy because you have control of the fish.
This is the same thing you do once they are in the net anyway. I believe the net will cause more harm than good sometimes. Fish will roll up in the net and the hooks get all wrapped up. Cutting hooks and getting the fish out takes time. Also fin damage can happen while in the net. Water release is best with a quick hook removal while boatside.
Most fish will roll on their side somewhat at boatside when tired. Easy time to get a jaw bone grip. Hand landing is not something that is safe. Sooner or later the hooks will find your hands. I have been lucky to only get hooked once while removing hooks from a fish. This was a big fish at night in a huge net.
Posted 2/4/2009 8:55 PM (#359070 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 20248
Location: oswego, il
It only takes one time to forget the net. I did once with my gradfather in the boat he hooks what is his biggest fish to date a 38' pike. With no net I had to hand land it which I was not looking forward to but knowing it was his biggest fish ever so grabbed her. Great video.
guest
Posted 2/4/2009 9:12 PM (#359077 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Give the "Grab-It-Tool" a try. Very handy and safe for unhooking muskies in the net and out. Safer for you and the fish. It allows you to very easily water release any muskie you don't need a picture of without having to net, and or grab the fish. This is a tool that EVERY musky fisherman should own. You owe it to yourself, and especially the fish. This tool is more useful than any type of pliers made. Other than a net and a bolt cutters this tool is all you need. Check it out at Pastikas online store. It's the only place I can find them for sale.
Posted 2/5/2009 12:30 AM (#359101 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Nice release guys, really fast, this past year was really a heart ache seen a particular guy drag a fish across a bar in 78 degree water temps to get a picture, then this same guy was seen catching a muskie and calling his buddies on the cell before releasing the fish after 20 mins in the net, I can't imagine how many fish he's killed, I heard of a 49 from silver lake that died in his care.
Posted 2/5/2009 7:57 AM (#359119 - in reply to #358979) Subject: Re: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 281
Location: ROckford IL
The only reason we measured the fish is for muskies inc contest. We don't want to cheat and say the fish was bigger or smaller. I wish I could catch tons of fifties so I don't have to worry about it but the fact is that I still have not broke the 50" mark yet, maybe one day the musky gods will bless me, 47 is my biggest so far
Posted 2/5/2009 8:09 AM (#359121 - in reply to #358979) Subject: Re: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 2024
Great job and sweet footage! Given the limited tools you had available (i.e., net) you guys did a great job handling that fish. You shouldn't have to justify measuring the little guy... *eye-roll*
Guest, Cabelas makes a very similar tool out of stainless steel ("unconditionally guaranteed for lifetime). Look up "fish hook extractor" on their site.
Posted 2/5/2009 8:21 AM (#359124 - in reply to #358979) Subject: Re: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Location: Apple Valley
Nice shoot Bigman!!!! How many Minnesota trips are you making this year? PM me if you are coming through the metro. Maybe we can hook up for a few hours this summer in the metro.
Brian
Guest
Posted 2/5/2009 8:27 AM (#359126 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Overall a great job bigman, but i too would recommend a fish hook
extractor tool. One other thing, i would use more than one finger
in the fishes gill place to hold him up. One flop and the fish is in the
bottom of the boat and you possibly would have a broken finger.
Posted 2/5/2009 11:48 AM (#359156 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 793
Location: Ames, Iowa
Looked very smooth all around- you guys have obviously been taping awhile. As asked earlier, what type of head cam do you use? Would you tell us about that?
djw
Posted 2/5/2009 1:44 PM (#359174 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin
We hand land a fair % of our fish out of necessity. A couple years ago, my friend hand decided to try one of the spring loaded devices that lock onto a hook, and hooked one up to a 51"er one day up in Oneida Co. WI. The thing almost tore his arm out of the socket when it decided to bolt, no b.s. Might be a better tool for a netted fish, perhaps. Also heard of them locking onto hooks and not being able to be freed. I know the one he tried was an off brand and not the 'Grab It' brand, and that one might be just fine. Just giving as perspective from another hand lander that did not care much for that tool.
Posted 2/5/2009 6:15 PM (#359208 - in reply to #358979) Subject: Re: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 281
Location: ROckford IL
im ready to break that mark, its going to happen sooner or later, Vermillion would be a great place to do it. That memory would be in my brain forever.
Edited by Bigman 2/6/2009 4:22 AM
guest
Posted 2/9/2009 12:29 AM (#359706 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Reef Hawg, I have not experienced the Grab-It-Hook Remover ever locking onto a hook as explained in your post. It has always worked flawlessly for water releases, and working with a fish in the net in my experiences. Hopefully it was a different brand in your situation. I finally found out who makes them...Bob Patterson at bp products. Check out his website at muskie.com
Thanks,
guest
(you know, the guest in this thread with a lowercase g)
Posted 2/9/2009 8:13 AM (#359718 - in reply to #358979) Subject: RE: Video: Hand Landing muskies when you forget your net.
Posts: 3518
Location: north central wisconsin
Correct, it was definately not the Grab It, but another brand. I hand land a fair % of my fish too, and had some issues with the same tool. Thanks for the recomendation on the Grab It though, as I won't write off that type of device now, and will consider giving it a try.
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