Posted 1/4/2016 9:51 PM (#798113 - in reply to #798104) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 2015
catch enough it will happen..I will say out of over a thousand muskies in the boat I've only had one the was basically dead when it hit the net. both 7/0's of the mag dawg were tearing both sides of gills out on hard fighting fish, pumping blood profusely in the net, its fate was decided before I even put my hands on a very nice fish pushing 30 pounds. I know a guy that will eat carp with a smile so I gave the fish away and didn't feel bad, nothing I could have done ...I'm sure a few others I've caught over the years died post release but it a very low percentage IMO ..I've caught dozens of fish multiple times and one easily recognizable individual 4 times. Get the best release tools you can and do the best you can. I'll always keep a legal fish before I feed it to the turtles..in the extremely rare case that one won't swim away.
Posted 1/4/2016 9:53 PM (#798114 - in reply to #798112) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
kmonacelli - 1/4/2016 9:42 PM
If i were to put a guess on it most fish die from miss
handling
Not in my boat, or many (if any) others here. This is a pretty advanced conservation minded community. You will figure these sort of things out after a while communicating with the MuskieFIRST crew.
Posted 1/4/2016 10:02 PM (#798117 - in reply to #798102) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
kmonacelli - 1/4/2016 9:21 PM
Its just never happened to me. I cant picture getting a fish in the net and instantly no sign of life. I would do my best to revive the fish.
I've been fishing muskies for over 45 years, and have boated a fair number of 'em, especially when I was guiding full time. I'm well into the thousands now. Not to upset anyone's delicate sensibilities, but when I first started it was expected if you caught a good one, you bonked it. I killed a few....we've come a very long way thanks to Gil Hamm and a wave of conservationists. However, these are still a fish, not baby humans.
It has to do with numbers and bad luck, and it will eventually happen if you catch enough of the critters. I had a 50 jump on a rock bar after ripping off 5 yards of drag after a hook set, and slam itself down on a rock under the power lines in Sioux Narrows a number of years ago. Dead as a stone. It was a legal back then, so I had it mounted and gave it to a good friend who lost a fish very similar to that one the same year. Over the years I have had a very few come back up after release and end up expiring despite my efforts to revive, and some were little squirts in the low 30" class. No excessively warm water, no thermocline, no serious injury, no picture taken, didn't even put 'em in the boat, immediate clean release, no reason I can come up with.
'Do your best to revive' a dead fish, and it's still dead. It's not blasphemy or sacrilege, it just plain sometimes happens.
Posted 1/4/2016 10:08 PM (#798118 - in reply to #798114) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 859
Location: MN
Delusions of grandure. It's impossible to fish and not have some mortality you might not see it but it happens.
Ben Olsen
Posted 1/4/2016 10:18 PM (#798120 - in reply to #796531) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Exactly 3 fish have died in my presence: All three were visibly bleeding profusely before the net was even in the water! All were critical or dead before attempting unhook. That's 3 of over 500! I consider myself and most of the guys posting on here to be EXPERTS! The dataset available on this website is unparalleled in muskie research! Ask questions and pay attention and there is no reason "put a guess on it"! We kill fish. Most that die at the hands of seasoned muskie anglers are mortally wounded by hooks or have a catastrophic health event long before handling becomes an issue...PERIOD. We offset that reality by supporting conservation and supporting stocking efforts that WAY more than make up for mortality. That said...All three were left in the water. I also feel like there may be some super tiny chance they magically recover. Kinda silly but nothing goes to waste!
Edited by Ben Olsen 1/4/2016 10:22 PM
Ben Olsen
Posted 1/4/2016 10:23 PM (#798121 - in reply to #796531) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
P.S. sworrall has been observing this sport since the days when most muskie mortality resulted from a .38 wound!!
Posted 1/5/2016 5:46 AM (#798124 - in reply to #798120) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 14
Ben Olsen - 1/4/2016 10:18 PM
Exactly 3 fish have died in my presence: All three were visibly bleeding profusely before the net was even in the water! All were critical or dead before attempting unhook. That's 3 of over 500! I consider myself and most of the guys posting on here to be EXPERTS! The dataset available on this website is unparalleled in muskie research! Ask questions and pay attention and there is no reason "put a guess on it"! We kill fish. Most that die at the hands of seasoned muskie anglers are mortally wounded by hooks or have a catastrophic health event long before handling becomes an issue...PERIOD. We offset that reality by supporting conservation and supporting stocking efforts that WAY more than make up for mortality. That said...All three were left in the water. I also feel like there may be some super tiny chance they magically recover. Kinda silly but nothing goes to waste!
Understood, I just signed up on this website and the first thing I see are people talking about muskie sandwiches and fish dyeing like its a common occurance.
I can understand 500-1000 muskies something happening, but I dont think most people on here have caught near that many.
Posted 1/5/2016 7:03 AM (#798127 - in reply to #796531) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 20219
Location: oswego, il
I have caught over 500. Like I said earlier you cannot dictate circumstances. Had one break it's upper jaw when it slammed the side of the boat. Had a 36"er hooked in the tongue, no blood, just acted dead untill you tried to grab it. Eventually sank. There have been others too. Can we assume you have not caught 500-1000 muskies?
Posted 1/5/2016 7:55 AM (#798131 - in reply to #798097) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 1405
Location: Detroit River
ToddM - 1/4/2016 10:09 PMYou cannot dictate circumstances. Like I said, had a 48 die on lsc before I started unhooking it. Mishandle? I never handled it! One WILL die on you.
Yep, a lot die on LSC before they get to the boat, mainly those caught by trollers because they take too long to get in to the boat & they drown. Others die because of the walleye & perch fishermen that purposely kill them. I caught a 6.5 LB smallie that died before I got it to the boat because of how it was hooked & it bleed out. At the time it was my personal best smallie but I couldn't keep it because it was during the C & R season. So far I haven't had any musky die on me that I know of but almost lost a 48" that took 20 minutes to revive & it was never taken fully out of the water & was hooked in the corner of the mouth (quickly unhooked) & wasn't bleeding.
Posted 1/5/2016 5:40 PM (#798240 - in reply to #798127) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 14
ToddM - 1/5/2016 7:03 AM
I have caught over 500. Like I said earlier you cannot dictate circumstances. Had one break it's upper jaw when it slammed the side of the boat. Had a 36"er hooked in the tongue, no blood, just acted dead untill you tried to grab it. Eventually sank. There have been others too. Can we assume you have not caught 500-1000 muskies?
No, I have not caught 500-1000 muskies. I just broke the 100 mark. I figured if something were to happen it would have by now but, Im getting some intresting feedback that is new to me from some Veteren anglers. Sorry for the mis understanding.
Posted 1/5/2016 5:55 PM (#798244 - in reply to #798120) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 14
Ben Olsen - 1/4/2016 10:18 PM
Exactly 3 fish have died in my presence: All three were visibly bleeding profusely before the net was even in the water! All were critical or dead before attempting unhook. That's 3 of over 500! I consider myself and most of the guys posting on here to be EXPERTS! The dataset available on this website is unparalleled in muskie research! Ask questions and pay attention and there is no reason "put a guess on it"! We kill fish. Most that die at the hands of seasoned muskie anglers are mortally wounded by hooks or have a catastrophic health event long before handling becomes an issue...PERIOD. We offset that reality by supporting conservation and supporting stocking efforts that WAY more than make up for mortality. That said...All three were left in the water. I also feel like there may be some super tiny chance they magically recover. Kinda silly but nothing goes to waste!
Im not saying a fish hasn't died after i released it. I understand a 50 inch fish is old and it can die even days later. I did have 48 incher that had an entire monster medussa in its mouth, i had to do surgery on the hungry girl. It was only my 3rd fish i ever caught so i had no release tools (at the time). Her gills were still moving, it took almost two hours holding her upright before she swam away slowly. I was just trying to get a couple more people to work a little harder, even if they think the fish wont make it. I understand crap happens.
Posted 1/5/2016 6:01 PM (#798245 - in reply to #798114) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 14
sworrall - 1/4/2016 9:53 PM
kmonacelli - 1/4/2016 9:42 PM
If i were to put a guess on it most fish die from miss
handling
Not in my boat, or many (if any) others here. This is a pretty advanced conservation minded community. You will figure these sort of things out after a while communicating with the MuskieFIRST crew.
Ill keep it in mind. Wasnt sure what kind of people i was dealing with.
Ben Olsen
Posted 1/5/2016 6:34 PM (#798256 - in reply to #796531) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
We like and share the attitude! It is important to acknowledge that we do have an impact on the resource and, the more we utilize it, the more we must do to maintain it! Join MI and support stocking!!
I missed the "legal" part in the original question and I believe Kirby and others are right about wanton waste. I suppose I would call some of my Muskies Inc buddies for advice! Carefully freeze her and see if science or a taxidermist wants it.
Posted 1/5/2016 6:43 PM (#798257 - in reply to #798245) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
kmonacelli - 1/5/2016 6:01 PM
sworrall - 1/4/2016 9:53 PM
kmonacelli - 1/4/2016 9:42 PM
If i were to put a guess on it most fish die from miss
handling
Not in my boat, or many (if any) others here. This is a pretty advanced conservation minded community. You will figure these sort of things out after a while communicating with the MuskieFIRST crew.
Ill keep it in mind. Wasnt sure what kind of people i was dealing with.
The largest Muskie community on the planet. Pretty well educated, and very serious (for the most part) about the sport.
Posted 1/5/2016 6:59 PM (#798263 - in reply to #796531) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek
I've never killed one intentionally. One time we had one deep throat a dawg, and despite our best efforts to revive it, it died.
It was delicious. I've planned for years on taking one (male, 30 to 36) out of a lake that has a ridiculously high population to eat, still can't bring myself to do it, although I've caught plenty that fit the description. Sad thing is, the lake could really use a thinning. Maybe this year...
Anyone who tells you muskie don't taste good either don't know how to clean them or don't know how to cook. And anyone who gives away game that they killed needs to find a new hobby. That goes for the ice fisherman too. If you kill it you should have the nuts to eat it.
Posted 1/5/2016 9:10 PM (#798282 - in reply to #798263) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 2015
Flambeauski - 1/5/2016 6:59 PM
I've never killed one intentionally. One time we had one deep throat a dawg, and despite our best efforts to revive it, it died.
It was delicious. I've planned for years on taking one (male, 30 to 36) out of a lake that has a ridiculously high population to eat, still can't bring myself to do it, although I've caught plenty that fit the description. Sad thing is, the lake could really use a thinning. Maybe this year...
Anyone who tells you muskie don't taste good either don't know how to clean them or don't know how to cook. And anyone who gives away game that they killed needs to find a new hobby. That goes for the ice fisherman too. If you kill it you should have the nuts to eat it.
I give plenty of fish and deer meat away because some nice people I know ask me to, and quite honestly most of these individuals I give meat to are elderly, or just plain poor, ... yes I've ate muskie and yes it tastes just fine, but when you give to someone less fortunate than you its a bad thing? What's wrong with giving a 1/2 dozen bluegill fillets away from ice fishing? Or a nice roast to your neighbor that loves deer meat but cant hunt anymore? .. Cant say I agree with your logic.
Posted 1/5/2016 9:30 PM (#798286 - in reply to #796531) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 526
I agree with IAJ on this one. I get far more satisfaction from giving fish and ducks to my 85 year old grandpa than eating them myself. He and my dad are the reasons I hunt and fish today. It only seems right to give back to him for introducing me to the outdoors...
Posted 1/5/2016 10:25 PM (#798295 - in reply to #798282) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 32886
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin
IAJustin - 1/5/2016 9:10 PM
Flambeauski - 1/5/2016 6:59 PM
I've never killed one intentionally. One time we had one deep throat a dawg, and despite our best efforts to revive it, it died.
It was delicious. I've planned for years on taking one (male, 30 to 36) out of a lake that has a ridiculously high population to eat, still can't bring myself to do it, although I've caught plenty that fit the description. Sad thing is, the lake could really use a thinning. Maybe this year...
Anyone who tells you muskie don't taste good either don't know how to clean them or don't know how to cook. And anyone who gives away game that they killed needs to find a new hobby. That goes for the ice fisherman too. If you kill it you should have the nuts to eat it.
I give plenty of fish and deer meat away because some nice people I know ask me to, and quite honestly most of these individuals I give meat to are elderly, or just plain poor, ... yes I've ate muskie and yes it tastes just fine, but when you give to someone less fortunate than you its a bad thing? What's wrong with giving a 1/2 dozen bluegill fillets away from ice fishing? Or a nice roast to your neighbor that loves deer meat but cant hunt anymore? .. Cant say I agree with your logic.
Pretty sure he didn't mean 6 fillets or a roast, but you may be arguing just to argue. Hard to tell.
Posted 1/6/2016 6:52 AM (#798305 - in reply to #798295) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 2015
Iowa has a great program that many hunters take part in by donating venison (entire deer) to feed those in need. Ok I'll give my entire limit of crappies away if someone can feed their family for three meals... If you kill something it should be put to good use. If that's what he meant I'm sorry for giving a contradictory opinion, but that's clearly not what his last 3 sentences convey.
Posted 1/6/2016 8:06 AM (#798321 - in reply to #796531) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 4343
Location: Smith Creek
There isn't enough fish and game in the wild for everyone who wants to eat it. Maybe the next time the crappies are going good I'll keep my limit instead of stopping at what my family will eat. Or the the next time my freezer is full of mallards or venison I'll just keep blasting away, because I'm sure someone will eat what I kill. Maybe the next deer I kill I'll just drop the carcass off at the local nursing home. I don't care for woodcock or splake, but my dog loves them, and she can't get her own. Kill them too.
Or I can walk into the grocery store and purchase some duck or fish or venison and distribute them to people who would enjoy them and don't have the means to procure their own. But then I wouldn't get the pleasure of killing it. Darn.
Posted 1/6/2016 8:46 AM (#798330 - in reply to #796531) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 1828
Okay now you guys are arguing just to argue. Pretty sure you're on the same page - don't overharvest our resources.
A guy can certainly take advantage of the system and be a game hog, give away a lot of meat, and never exceed his possession limit, but I'm pretty sure that's not what Justin's talking about. There's nothing wrong with sharing some of your responsible harvest with your neighbors or those in need.
Posted 1/6/2016 8:57 AM (#798331 - in reply to #796531) Subject: Re: a fish died on ya
Posts: 2015
Part of your post made sense... dropping off a deer to feed the elderly: http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/Deer-Hunting/Help-Us-Stop-Hunger-HUS... If your DNR sets bad bag limits I guess that's on them, and yes no one should kill just to kill. But sharing the fruits of your labor (hunting and fishing) is centuries old. Don't kill it unless your going to eat it yourself is just selfish. Our DNR wants us to kill 2-3 deer a year, It keeps a healthy buck to doe ratio. I know N. Wisco deer population is really struggling now and that stinks. I'm the farthest thing you can image from a "game hog" , you mentioned a lake that you know is over populated with muskies, go catch a dozen this year and give the fillets to someone that will truly appreciate/needs them - It will make you feel good to help.
