Outdoor Sports

The Old Fishing Hole – Catch and Release

July 15, 2009 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

Smallmouth bass from Center Hill Lake

Now that summer is here, water temperatures have climbed into the 80′s in most area lakes. Warmer water temps. provide less oxygen and fish held in a livewell can become stressed very quickly. During the heat of summer, proper care and handling of released fish is essential to ensure their survival.

Fish survival is very important for tournament anglers in order to avoid penalties for dead fish. Penalties can make the difference between winning a tournament or falling short of a payout. We all have a responsibility to take proper care of released fish to decrease fish mortality. As sportsmen, it is our duty to preserve and maintain our fisheries for everyone to enjoy and for future generations.

There are several steps that anglers can take to improve the odds of survival of released fish. The best thing to do to decrease fish mortality is to return fish to the water as quickly as possible. If taking pictures, have your camera ready and release fish quickly. It’s recommended not to keep a fish out of the water any longer than you can hold your breath.

Poorly handled fish may swim away when released and appear healthy, but will most likely die due to stress or injury. Here are some tips that apply to all species for releasing fish to decrease mortality.

●Land fish without playing to exhaustion
●Handle fish with wet hands to keep the fish’s slim coat intact.
●Use a circle hook when fishing live bait to reduce the number of gut hooked fish.
●Do not attempt to remove a hook swallowed by a fish, instead just cut the line.
●Release fish as quickly as possible.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency offers guidelines for harvesting and releasing fish. See the 2009 Tennessee fishing guide for more information. The guide also provides specific guidelines for harvesting and releasing striped bass (rock fish). Striped bass have high oxygen requirements and are very sensitive to warm water temperatures. When water temps. are above 70 degrees survival is low for released stripers. Smaller striped bass are more likely to survive than bigger fish.

Maintaining Fish In The Livewell

During the hottest days of summer, fish held in a livewell can get stressed quickly. It’s very important to take care of these fish responsibly. Studies done here in Tennessee show a greater than 60% mortality for tournament bass held in a livewell during July and August.

Here are some things that anglers can do to maintain fish in the livewell to decrease mortality of released fish.

●Fill livewell to capacity
●Turn on livewell aerator as soon as you are on the water.
●Leave the aerator on manual
●Chemically treat the water in the livewell before you start fishing
●Check your livewells on a regular basis.

Treating the water with a product like Catch and Release from Sure-Life Labs. is very beneficial for fish caught for live release. This additive acts as a natural sedative that calms the fish reducing stress.

It also stimulates and protects the slim coat, boosts oxygen transfer, removes chlorine and other harmful chemicals, and restores electrolyte balance. One teaspoonful treats 10 gallons of water. Visit on-line at www.sure-life.com for more information on Catch and Release and to view their complete line of products. You’ll also find products for holding live bait (Shad-Keeper) and (Better-Bait) that work very well.

Water temperature in the livewell is very critical. The cooler the water, the more oxygen the water is going to hold. Target water temp. is about 65 degrees. Lowering the water temp. to this level will greatly decrease the oxygen requirements of fish. This will reduce the stress level and improve the odds of survival of released fish. Use crushed ice or freeze water in plastic bottles and place them in the livewell. Monitor the water temp. periodically. I use a floating temperature gauge in the livewell like the type used in a home aquarium.

To maintain adequate oxygen levels in the livewell, many tournament anglers add hydrogen peroxide 3% (H2O2). This common household product saturates the water with oxygen. Add a measured amount, about 1 ounce (30 ml) per 3 to 4 gallons of water. The added oxygen will keep fish alive even if the livewell pumps fail.

By taking these simple steps, we can decrease mortality of released fish and help maintain our fisheries. These efforts will greatly increase the quality of fishing in Tennessee and preserve our fishing resources for tomorrow.

Just a reminder, most boating accidents occur during the month of July. Always be safe on the water and follow safe boating practices. Have fun fishing and remember to practice proper handling of released fish. And please, if you’re going to be on the water, always remember to wear your life jacket.

Good Fishing

By Charlie Campbell