At Last!

[Victor]

It's been over a year since she was out, but with the new 48lb trolling motor it's off to the lake. I plan to fish for my dinner occasionally. Now I need some kind of reference on how to prepare what I catch. The plan is to throw an invitation in the water and eat whatever responds, because otherwise I'm just killing one of God's little critters for the hell of it, and even catch-and-release has a 50% mortality rate.

Perhaps the thing to do is to post about whatever creature I find myself trying to eat at the moment, and hope for useful responses.

[Paul Pless]

and even catch-and-release has a 50% mortality rate. With a little thought and some extra care the release survivability number can go much higher than 50%.

Tell us what you catch, I've got dozens of fish recipes, and I know others here do as well.

Most freshwater species fry up pretty well. I like a dry batter: fine cornmeal, cayennee pepper, black pepper, and salt. Dust the filets lightly with lemon pepper and than place in a bag with the dry batter and shake. Fry in a high quality oil (peanut) over medium high close to high heat. Enjoy with french fries, cole slaw, and cold beer.

smile.gif

[ 08-08-2004, 10:39 AM: Message edited by: Paul Pless ]

[NormMessinger]

If Donn is around he can tell us the name of the hook that almost assures a lip hook and thereby a live release. It was developed by longliners, I think, since it also requires no jerk (as in a sharp tug not as in a certain type of fisherman) to set the hook.

[Donn]

Circle hook. Doesn't snag the fish's innards or gills, but catches the corner of the jaw. No hook set required at all. Just reel in.

http://www.anglerdepot.com/htm/tackle/tackleImages/bigeye1.jpg

[Paul Pless]

Circle hooks are good choices when deadsticking live or dead bait. They work by allowing the fish to tighten the line and when the hook slides across the fish's mouth it lodges in the jaw, usually in the corner of the mouth. I've had some luck with them on limb lines and trot lines as well. They will not work if you try to set the hook.

There are three main factors affecting freshwater species mortality rates. They are species, length of fight, and post landind handling of the fish.

1. Some species are simply better able to handle being caught than others. Bass and catfish are notable for being able to withstand quite a bit of abuse, while trout tend to bequite delicate.

2. The longer a fish is 'played' the more strain the fish is placed under with regards to its ability to convert oxygen to energy. Using too light a line is the number culprit in long fights. This is particularly true with trout fisherman that use fly fishing gear. In this situation you now have a delicate fish being played to excess, whereas a bass fisherman tends to use hell for stout gear and lands a relatively robust fish quite quickly.

3. Another important factor is how the fish is handled after being landed. In the best case scenario, the fish would not be removed from the water and the hook would be removed quickly. This is not always possible. It is important that the slime not be wiped off the fish. This is why bass fisherman 'lip' their catches. Handle the fish gingerly and get it back in the water as soon as possible so that it can begin to 'breath' again. Some species will require the fisherman to revive the fish by puling it back and forth in the water to get water moving over its gills. Never touch the fishes gill plates.

Paul

[Wild Wassa]

With catch and release, don't throw the fish into the water, gently place the fish into the water in the direction that the fish will swim. The experts say it has something to do with the way water flows over the fish's gills, that will help improve their chances of survival ... the fish's survival not the expert’s survival.

Warren.

[Meerkat]

I saw a segment on an outdoor show about fishing - they cautioned that one should get one's hands wet before handling the fish to avoid removing the slime if it's going to be released.

[NormMessinger]

That's the one, Donn. From what I've heard about the hook I wonder why anyone would use anything else. Ignorance?

[Paul Pless]

Norm,

Fisherman have as many or more hard opinions than boatbuilders. ;)

Circle hooks certainly have their place, but they also have limitations. They are only good for bait fishing, can't be used on lures or when trolling. Some bass fisherman have tried them with plastic worms with mixed results. Its worth remembering these hooks were not developed with conservation in mind, but rather they were developed by some of the world's most savvy comercial fisherman.

In my opinion, while some fish do die due to hook injuries, the majority of released fish deaths are due to improper fighting and handling of the fish, per my above post.

Paul

[Victor]

The only thing I caught today was my propellor, and boy did it put up a fight!

[Paul Pless]

Alas,

I've no recipes for propeller. :D

Reminds me of the time when I caught my line in the bow trolling motor on my boat. I didn't know it was wrapped and I was vertically jigging. I adjusted the boat position through the foot pedal and had about the hardest hit I've ever had. I mean the 'fish' practically jerked the rod out of my hand. I rared back set the hook and broke my damn line. Only then did I notice it was wrapped around the prop and I had fooled myself. I tried real hard to act nonchalant and prevent my buddy from figuring out what I had done, but it didn't work.

Paul

[George G]

Victor, if you are worried about conserving fish then use smaller hooks and go for the small ones. Most fish are r-strategists; in other words, the overwhelming majority of their huge spawns, as well as juveniles and young adults, are meant to be eaten by something. Might as well be you ;)

Plus, the small ones taste much better ;)

For freshwater fish, try broiling with fruit - sweet fruit is best, like cashews or mangoes - salt, no pepper, maybe a bit of cilantro. Don't overcook, and keep it on ice between hook and pan, because freshwater fish flesh and flavour decay fast.

[Nicholas Carey]

Originally posted by Victor:
…otherwise I'm just killing one of God's little critters for the hell of it, and even catch-and-release has a 50% mortality rate.Catch-and-Release has a high mortality rate due to two big things.

</font> wounding, and</font> changes in blood chemistry due to stress</font>This page &mdash; http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/factsheets/catch-release_fs.html &mdash; puts it pretty succintly: Why Do Hooked Fish Die?
<span style="font-family:serif;">Fish that are caught and released may die for several reasons, but the two primary causes are stress and wounding. Stress results from the fish fighting after being hooked. Internally, the physical exertion causes an oxygen deficit in the tissues, forcing the muscles to function anaerobically (without oxygen). This causes lactic acid to build up in the muscle tissue, and then to diffuse into the blood. Lactic acid acts as an acid in the blood, causing the pH of the blood to drop. Even slight changes in pH can cause major disruptions of the metabolic processes, ultimately killing the fish. If the fish is quickly released, its blood pH usually returns to normal and the fish will be unaffected. Some fish, after a long tow, may appear to live once released, but the imbalance in the blood chemistry may kill them as late as three days after being caught. In most cases, the means of preventing this type of mortality is to not keep the fish in action for a long period of time, unless the intent is to keep it.

The other primary cause of mortality is wounding by the hook. Injuries caused by hooks can range from very minor to lethal. The degree of injury is dependent on the location of the hook wound. Higher mortalities will occur in fish that are hooked in the gill or stomach areas, while lower mortalities occur in fish that are hooked in the lip, jaw, or cheek areas. Baited hooks are more likely to result in a gill or stomach hooking that artificial lures. Treble hooks, for obvious reasons, will result in more puncture wounds and subsequently higher mortalities. Barbless hooks facilitate release and decrease "out-of-water" time, but for reasons yet unclear, may not significantly reduce mortality, especially when used with bait.