|
|
Posts: 408
Location: MN | The recent Maina video had some good points about minimizing handling. I typically bump every fish as I like to keep records via the lunge log, but very often don't take holding pictures of small to medium sized fish. Most of these fish wouldn't have to leave the water if I had a quick and reliable way of measuring length in the net.
What do you you all suggest for length in the net?
I use a retractable tape for girth (in the net), have tried once or twice for length but it was kind of awkward. Do those floating rulers work well? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 341
Location: Western U.P. | Most of the fish caught in my boat never leave the water. Net them (keep net in the water), remove hook(s), let them rest for a bit in the net, hold them (usually in front of the tail), & remove net. Measure with a floating ruler, and hold them until they're strong enough to swim away. I have a small, flat, rectangular pc of plastic sheet attached to the end of a floating ruler to act as a bump. The plastic pc doesn't have to be very big... just enough to bump the fish's nose, and NOT be too heavy as to sink the floating ruler. The pc I have mounted is approx 5" long x 2" wide x 1/8 thick. At that point, the fish are usually pretty sedate, and you can get a relatively accurate measurement. If you put them on a bump board & pinch the tail, the measurement will typically be slightly more, but it's a close enough measurement for me. I don't need 1/8" or 1/4" accuracy, but if you do it this way a lot, you'll get pretty close. If you need a pic, take it while holding the fish's tail in the water prior to release. I fish primarily by myself, and just prefer to minimize handling along with any other potential trauma to the fish.
Edited by Cedar 2/3/2024 9:30 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 1194
| I've fished with guides where you catch a fish around 30" (the old legal from days gone by to the Muskies INC 4 pointer) it got the full measurement and just to add to the numbers to like last fall we got three fish as the guide would put it call them 39"-41" none of them got measured. My fishing partner was not happy about this. When I hire a guide I'm looking for large fish. It's fun to catch fish when trying for the next Trophy. We didn't get the big girl this trip but I was happy I got two of the three.
|
|
| |
|
Location: PA Angler | I don’t really measure them anymore if I get a big one I probably will. Agree on not taking them out of the water as I take a pic of them in the water now instead of holding them. I know it may be a pain but what about a wood measuring board or even a plastic ruler that folds out. Just an idea. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2280
Location: Chisholm, MN | I recently picked up a frabil cradle. Most, if not all, fish that I care to measure will go in this. I probably won’t bother unless it’s 47” plus. Less handling is better but I just don’t see a need to know the length of most fish unless I’m curious for some reason. |
|
| |
|
| Kirby Budrow - 2/3/2024 10:53 AM
I recently picked up a frabil cradle. Most, if not all, fish that I care to measure will go in this. I probably won’t bother unless it’s 47” plus. Less handling is better but I just don’t see a need to know the length of most fish unless I’m curious for some reason.
Kirby, what about a newbie guide client? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2280
Location: Chisholm, MN | I will measure any fish a client wants for sure. It’s a good learning experience for how to measure them as safely as possible. |
|
| |
|
Location: Athens, Ohio | At my chapter meeting last weekend I was talking to one of my friends who is in his 80's. He told me he got to go out with a buddy a few months ago and caught a 32 inch muskie. He asked that it be measured and that he get a picture with it. His buddy said 'we don't usually do that with these smallfish', to which he replied, 'yeah, but it may be the last one I catch!" He go his pic. m |
|
| |
|
Posts: 408
Location: MN | Cedar - 2/3/2024 9:28 AM
Most of the fish caught in my boat never leave the water. Net them (keep net in the water), remove hook(s), let them rest for a bit in the net, hold them (usually in front of the tail), & remove net. Measure with a floating ruler, and hold them until they're strong enough to swim away. I have a small, flat, rectangular pc of plastic sheet attached to the end of a floating ruler to act as a bump. The plastic pc doesn't have to be very big... just enough to bump the fish's nose, and NOT be too heavy as to sink the floating ruler. The pc I have mounted is approx 5" long x 2" wide x 1/8 thick. At that point, the fish are usually pretty sedate, and you can get a relatively accurate measurement. If you put them on a bump board & pinch the tail, the measurement will typically be slightly more, but it's a close enough measurement for me. I don't need 1/8" or 1/4" accuracy, but if you do it this way a lot, you'll get pretty close. If you need a pic, take it while holding the fish's tail in the water prior to release. I fish primarily by myself, and just prefer to minimize handling along with any other potential trauma to the fish.
Thanks for the detailed explanation. The main thing that stands out is if the fish swims off before you get a measurement you are SOL. Have you tried that process in the net? I have a Frabill 8425, 32x41 hoop with big bag. It's pretty big, but I feel a 60" long item might be hard to maneuver inside the bag. I could cut the ruler down to 48 I suppose, and use the standard bump board above that. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 408
Location: MN | Kirby Budrow - 2/3/2024 10:53 AM
I recently picked up a frabil cradle. Most, if not all, fish that I care to measure will go in this. I probably won’t bother unless it’s 47” plus. Less handling is better but I just don’t see a need to know the length of most fish unless I’m curious for some reason.
Are you planning to net them and then transfer to the cradle in the water, or actually use the cradle to land them? Have you tried that out yet? With one end closed and a ruler printed on it, looks promising. I'd be curious to see how hard it is to get the fish positioned with its nose right on 0 and then look at the length. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2280
Location: Chisholm, MN | nar160 - 2/6/2024 1:30 PM
Kirby Budrow - 2/3/2024 10:53 AM
I recently picked up a frabil cradle. Most, if not all, fish that I care to measure will go in this. I probably won’t bother unless it’s 47” plus. Less handling is better but I just don’t see a need to know the length of most fish unless I’m curious for some reason.
Are you planning to net them and then transfer to the cradle in the water, or actually use the cradle to land them? Have you tried that out yet? With one end closed and a ruler printed on it, looks promising. I'd be curious to see how hard it is to get the fish positioned with its nose right on 0 and then look at the length.
I'll still net them first then transfer to the cradle. I have tried landing one with a cradle when I was young and never tried it again! It was not easy and don't suggest it.
As far as accuracy, I think it won't be the best but I will probably keep the bump in the boat in case there's a PB contender that needs a replica (fingers crossed). I think a floating stick would be difficult to get a decent measurement on a long fish but the cradle will be close enough for me.
I haven't been able to use it yet but I've been wanting one for a couple years now so I was happy when my uncle had it laying around the garage and just gave it to me. |
|
| |
|
| Many years ago, saw a Pete Maina video where he used a cradle to land a fish. The guy reeling in the fish was an experienced musky fisherman. Together, they made it look easy, peasy. Hooks came out with minimal movement on part of the fish, etc. Pete just lowered and tilted the cradle and away it went. Unfortunately, don't think it would work like that for most of us. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 517
Location: WI | I used a frabil cradle to land fish with the rig I had when I started musky fishing. If solo measuring, u probably need to add an “ish” to the end of your measurement. If you have someone to keep the nose on the 0 it should be accurate enough. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 3782
| If the priority is preventing trauma to the fish don't hook them in the first place. There are people who have decided they respect muskies so much we'll just leave them alone. Changed from boat and hook to swim and look.
Edited by Ranger 2/6/2024 7:20 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 341
Location: Western U.P. | delete.
Edited by Cedar 2/7/2024 9:21 AM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 341
Location: Western U.P. | nar160 - 2/6/2024 1:24 PM
Cedar - 2/3/2024 9:28 AM
Most of the fish caught in my boat never leave the water. Net them (keep net in the water), remove hook(s), let them rest for a bit in the net, hold them (usually in front of the tail), & remove net. Measure with a floating ruler, and hold them until they're strong enough to swim away. I have a small, flat, rectangular pc of plastic sheet attached to the end of a floating ruler to act as a bump. The plastic pc doesn't have to be very big... just enough to bump the fish's nose, and NOT be too heavy as to sink the floating ruler. The pc I have mounted is approx 5" long x 2" wide x 1/8 thick. At that point, the fish are usually pretty sedate, and you can get a relatively accurate measurement. If you put them on a bump board & pinch the tail, the measurement will typically be slightly more, but it's a close enough measurement for me. I don't need 1/8" or 1/4" accuracy, but if you do it this way a lot, you'll get pretty close. If you need a pic, take it while holding the fish's tail in the water prior to release. I fish primarily by myself, and just prefer to minimize handling along with any other potential trauma to the fish.
Thanks for the detailed explanation. The main thing that stands out is if the fish swims off before you get a measurement you are SOL. Have you tried that process in the net? I have a Frabill 8425, 32x41 hoop with big bag. It's pretty big, but I feel a 60" long item might be hard to maneuver inside the bag. I could cut the ruler down to 48 I suppose, and use the standard bump board above that.
I'll only measure bigger fish (upper 40's +) if I feel like it at the time, but do try and get a good measurement of fish into the 50's. Fish that size are "usually" not that feisty, and haven't had one swim off before getting at least some type of measurement, but if it is strong enough to swim off before a measure... that's OK. I'll still remember the catch, and be relatively confident that fish will survive our meeting just fine. I have a big Beckman net, and can slide my 60" measuring stick thru the net bag holes if I had to measure there. The measuring stick is from the Musky Shop. It's basically a pc of PVC tubing (1.25" ish diameter) with a ruler decal, and plugged on either end. It should work to measure inside your net bag if you need to, since you can pull the bag wider where needed. Always make sure to anchor the net before starting to work on the fish. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 408
Location: MN | Ranger - 2/6/2024 7:18 PM
If the priority is preventing trauma to the fish don't hook them in the first place. There are people who have decided they respect muskies so much we'll just leave them alone. Changed from boat and hook to swim and look.
The main priority is keeping the fish alive and relatively uninjured so it can be caught again.
A secondary priority is a quick release. If the fish are going, I'd prefer not to be babysitting a recovering muskie. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 76
| I used a cradle in the '90s and liked the results. It does take two guys. Then I met Herbie at a show and he told me I was going to get a Suick in the face doing that and it freaked me out. Went just to hand landing. I was young and immortal back then. Twenty-some years later getting back in to it and I use a net now. Fish could be measured in the cradle back in the day. Have not measured a fish since 2001 and likely will not unless a possible new PB which is not likely. My thoughts are and always have been if it is smaller than what you have caught before why measure? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 408
Location: MN | Cedar - 2/7/2024 9:20 AM
I'll only measure bigger fish (upper 40's +) if I feel like it at the time, but do try and get a good measurement of fish into the 50's. Fish that size are "usually" not that feisty, and haven't had one swim off before getting at least some type of measurement, but if it is strong enough to swim off before a measure... that's OK. I'll still remember the catch, and be relatively confident that fish will survive our meeting just fine. I have a big Beckman net, and can slide my 60" measuring stick thru the net bag holes if I had to measure there. The measuring stick is from the Musky Shop. It's basically a pc of PVC tubing (1.25" ish diameter) with a ruler decal, and plugged on either end. It should work to measure inside your net bag if you need to, since you can pull the bag wider where needed. Always make sure to anchor the net before starting to work on the fish.
That seems doable in the net. I've never held one of those floating rulers, just looked at pics online. Seems like it'd be reasonably easy to DIY. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 3782
| nar160 - 2/7/2024 2:18 PM
Ranger - 2/6/2024 7:18 PM
If the priority is preventing trauma to the fish don't hook them in the first place. There are people who have decided they respect muskies so much we'll just leave them alone. Changed from boat and hook to swim and look.
The main priority is keeping the fish alive and relatively uninjured so it can be caught again.
A secondary priority is a quick release. If the fish are going, I'd prefer not to be babysitting a recovering muskie.
So, it's not about the welfare of the fish. It's about being able to keep the fish alive so it can be caught over and over? I understand and participate, but not so much lately. It's starting to bother me to traumatize an amazing creature I've come to love just so I can take a picture with it and then let it go. Those are my evolving values, and I don't think others must believe the stuff I believe or act the way I act. But in the end the best way to protect the health of a fish is to not hook it in the first place. Last, I love eating perch and walleye, always will. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1203
Location: Walker, MN | We used the floating stick back in the day, worked okay...give or take an inch. Pretty clumsy in waves. If a big fish was green and ready to go, you might not get a measurement.
I've had one of those green cradles for 30 years, haven't used it in 29. Awkward as heck getting a fish in, and keeping it in. Dangerous to try and land a fish into (even with 2-3 people), who wants to be that close to the hooks? If you are netting, and then just putting them into a cradle to measure, seems like extra handling and slime removal to me. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 2280
Location: Chisholm, MN | Ranger - 2/7/2024 4:56 PM
nar160 - 2/7/2024 2:18 PM
Ranger - 2/6/2024 7:18 PM
If the priority is preventing trauma to the fish don't hook them in the first place. There are people who have decided they respect muskies so much we'll just leave them alone. Changed from boat and hook to swim and look.
The main priority is keeping the fish alive and relatively uninjured so it can be caught again.
A secondary priority is a quick release. If the fish are going, I'd prefer not to be babysitting a recovering muskie.
So, it's not about the welfare of the fish. It's about being able to keep the fish alive so it can be caught over and over? I understand and participate, but not so much lately. It's starting to bother me to traumatize an amazing creature I've come to love just so I can take a picture with it and then let it go. Those are my evolving values, and I don't think others must believe the stuff I believe or act the way I act. But in the end the best way to protect the health of a fish is to not hook it in the first place. Last, I love eating perch and walleye, always will.
This has nothing to do with the subject of this thread. |
|
| |
|
| Just a thought, but some time ago we had a veteran fisheries tech do creel surveys on the chain where I live. He was not a musky fisherman, liked to focus on fish he could eat, but had some thoughts for handling muskies. He had helped with thousands of muskies taken out of nets used for surveys and he said what they did was to put the fish in a tank of water and gently move it against the side of the tank. He said there was something about being against that solid object that would calm the fish down and allow them to do their measurements.
He also said to revive a fish, don't move back and forth in the water, rather hold it upright and use the trolling motor to move the boat forward and at the same time bring water through the gills. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 3782
| Kirby Budrow - 2/8/2024 3:03 PM
Ranger - 2/7/2024 4:56 PM
nar160 - 2/7/2024 2:18 PM
Ranger - 2/6/2024 7:18 PM
If the priority is preventing trauma to the fish don't hook them in the first place. There are people who have decided they respect muskies so much we'll just leave them alone. Changed from boat and hook to swim and look.
The main priority is keeping the fish alive and relatively uninjured so it can be caught again.
A secondary priority is a quick release. If the fish are going, I'd prefer not to be babysitting a recovering muskie.[/QUOTE
So, it's not about the welfare of the fish. It's about being able to keep the fish alive so it can be caught over and over? I understand and participate, but not so much lately. It's starting to bother me to traumatize an amazing creature I've come to love just so I can take a picture with it and then let it go. Those are my evolving values, and I don't think others must believe the stuff I believe or act the way I act. But in the end the best way to protect the health of a fish is to not hook it in the first place. Last, I love eating perch and walleye, always will.
This has nothing to do with the subject of this thread.
Yea, yer right. Sorry. Edited by Ranger 2/8/2024 4:19 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 368
Location: On the River | I use a floating ruler and I don’t net fish, haven’t used a net in years.
Fish seem to stay calmer when they are not in the net. It can be a challenge in the wind specially when fishing alone
If you get a floating ruler replace the end caps with rubber plugs, the plastic plugs crack over time. One of mine is laying on the bottom of Lake of the Woods. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 490
Location: NW WI | wisriverrat - 2/8/2024 5:38 PM
I use a floating ruler and I don’t net fish, haven’t used a net in years.
Fish seem to stay calmer when they are not in the net. It can be a challenge in the wind specially when fishing alone .
Please explain your process.
Kinda akin to yourself and what No8 said; I've done both in the Kayak, running single hooks typically. Plenty of little pike just get the neck hold in the water, if they thrash ill pick em up to control em. A few big pike and medium muskys like No8 said, get em Kayak side and I can cradle their belly gently and keep em kinda against the Kayak, and they chill out, than just pop that single hook, release your belly grip, and away they go. I only do this if I get an easy fight/if they don't freak out Kayak side. If it's a battle and they're fighting like hell when they get Kayak side than they're getting netted. I myself would have no confidence in trying netless out in the boat.
Edited by 7.62xJay 2/8/2024 7:50 PM
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 368
Location: On the River | When I get the fish to the boat I use a glove on my left hand to grab the line about a foot above the leader, hit the free spool (just a precaution) then grab the floating ruler put it in the water next to the fish with my right hand while not putting to much pressure on the line in my left hand. Increasing the pressure makes the fish thrash around more. Some fish do not want to remain still long enough to get a ruler along side them, those fish I grab in front of the tail with my right hand until they settle down. Once measured I use my hook remover and release them.
Once in a while a fish will throw the bait while I am holding the line but not very often.
Just an FYI I have gotten some nasty line cuts when I forget to put a glove on.
I fish alone 90 percent of the time. 2023 I released 102 Muskie Inc.legal fish which means above 30” so I do have quite a bit of experience with this method.
|
|
| |
|
Posts: 490
Location: NW WI | wisriverrat - 2/9/2024 12:33 PM
When I get the fish to the boat I use a glove on my left hand to grab the line about a foot above the leader, hit the free spool (just a precaution) then grab the floating ruler put it in the water next to the fish with my right hand while not putting to much pressure on the line in my left hand. Increasing the pressure makes the fish thrash around more. Some fish do not want to remain still long enough to get a ruler along side them, those fish I grab in front of the tail with my right hand until they settle down. Once measured I use my hook remover and release them.
Once in a while a fish will throw the bait while I am holding the line but not very often.
Just an FYI I have gotten some nasty line cuts when I forget to put a glove on.
I fish alone 90 percent of the time. 2023 I released 102 Muskie Inc.legal fish which means above 30” so I do have quite a bit of experience with this method.
Huh, interesting, I might try that. Gatorrolled messes I feel terrible and with no net that can't happen. What do you do with say deeply hooked and or multiple treble hooked messes? |
|
| |
