|
|
Posts: 335
Location: Orland Park | I know this is a sore subject, but shouldn't a plus 40 inch fish's bellly be held up?
Don't hang em from the gill plate
Edited by Commanche Jim 9/16/2005 11:04 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | There are several ways to do just that, including holding the fish by the jaw and just above the anal fin with the center of the fish supported and the tail centered towards the camera, supporting the fish with the hand the camera can't see. A total horizontal hold which causes contact with the angler more than the former is anothe roption, but one needs be careful not to rub too much off the fish's hide. If the fish is supported, it'll be OK. If I hold you by the butt and the mouth, suporting you from a hand on the old wahzoo, the pressure on your yap and your midsection will be minimal. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 335
Location: Orland Park | total horizontal hold would be good, as long as the angler doesn't hug the fish. As you can see in the pic to the left of my 50"er, I'm supporting the belly with only my hand on it's belly and the other hand in it's jaw. No contact with it's body and protective slime. Hanging the fish with gravity pulling it's insides toward earth isn't good. I've seen many a pictures out there with no hand under the WAZOO, instead wrapped around the tail. Not good! No support for our delicate resource.
Great release as it swam away in less than a minute.
Edited by Commanche Jim 9/16/2005 11:30 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 1023
Location: Lafayette, IN | "...suporting you from a hand on the old wahzoo, the pressure on your yap and your midsection will be minimal."
C'mon Steve! How do you expect us to learn anything when you use those highfalootin' medical terms?
 |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Holding the fish above or just below the anal fin, which is exactly where one can support the fish with a hand out of the camera's view. I've held literally hundreds of fish in tha fashion, tagging a fair number over the years and recapturing many, so I'm pretty sure it works and is even listed by MI as acceptable. I suggest the fish sagging in the middle is no worse off than supported along the entire length. Congrats on a great release. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32958
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Sorry S dawg beer tonight in Kansas, just a couple while I upload the daily pictures. Makes me talk funny. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 51
| I think something even more important is to be conscious of how does the fish get to the position it is in for the picture? If she is held by the jaw while in the water and then the angler uses his other hand to help push himself up while bringing the fish over the side by just the jaw with one arm before getting the other hand under the belly, the harm is already done. The fish's entire weight was put on the jaw/spine while she was hauled over the side. At that point it probably doesn't matter how it's held for the picture unless it was kept horizontal all the way from the water to the photo. With high sided boats or big fish this is a hard thing to do and remember. sorry to add my 2 cents, (or sense) |
|
| |
