How to Hold a Fish...

[muskymatt]

Nothing wrong with holding the smaller fish vertical as they don't have the weight to cause damage from the vertical hold. Once they have weight and mass a vertical hold puts too much stress on the jaw and can damage/break it. The vertical hold can also cause the guts to slip to the bottom of the fish causing internal damage..the guts are basically weightless in the water, once out of water and held vertical the gravity on them is too much for them to stay in place.

 

That being said an improper horizontal hold can be just as bad. If held by the head and extreame end of the tail the back can arch and cause damage.

 

The hold imo that makes most sense is a gill plate hold with one hand with the back hand either at the back fins or on a bigger fish a cradle hold..but then slime can be removed....sometimes you just can't win

 

Bottom line is too just try to do the best you can.Limit the time out of water and revive em before letting go of them.

[Greencoachdog]

Nothing wrong with holding the smaller fish vertical as they don't have the weight to cause damage from the vertical hold. Once they have weight and mass a vertical hold puts too much stress on the jaw and can damage/break it... oh yeah?... why didn't that fishes jaw break when he hit that Musky lure at top speed being trolled at 6 mph on no stretch braid on a rod that could be used for a broomstick and a reel that could winch your boat onto the trailer with the drag tightened all the way down for a good hook set?

 

The vertical hold can also cause the guts to slip to the bottom of the fish causing internal damage..the guts are basically weightless in the water, once out of water and held vertical the gravity on them is too much for them to stay in place...Ya don't say?... what happens to that fishes guts when he launches himself out of the water and comes crashing down on his belly?... not once, but repeatedly!

 

That being said an improper horizontal hold can be just as bad. If held by the head and extreame end of the tail the back can arch and cause damage... maybe

 

The hold imo that makes most sense is a gill plate hold with one hand with the back hand either at the back fins or on a bigger fish a cradle hold..but then slime can be removed....sometimes you just can't win

 

Bottom line is too just try to do the best you can.Limit the time out of water and revive em before letting go of them... I agree.

[big guy]

Nothing wrong with holding the smaller fish vertical as they don't have the weight to cause damage from the vertical hold. Once they have weight and mass a vertical hold puts too much stress on the jaw and can damage/break it. The vertical hold can also cause the guts to slip to the bottom of the fish causing internal damage..the guts are basically weightless in the water, once out of water and held vertical the gravity on them is too much for them to stay in place.

 

Ya see, I really don't understand this at all. Where exactly are the guts, or any other internal organ going to go? The last time I filleted a fish there wasn't this big open pocket of nothing in there, it's no different than our own bodies. Everything is connected and has its place, how is it possible that things can shift around?

 

That being said an improper horizontal hold can be just as bad. If held by the head and extreame end of the tail the back can arch and cause damage.

 

The hold imo that makes most sense is a gill plate hold with one hand with the back hand either at the back fins or on a bigger fish a cradle hold..but then slime can be removed....sometimes you just can't win

 

Bottom line is too just try to do the best you can.Limit the time out of water and revive em before letting go of them.

 

I think, somebody, somewhere really needs to do a study on this.

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

a fish expends huge amounts of energy and oxygen in battling vs. an angler.

at the end of this fight the fish is held in a matter in which his normally neutrally buoyant organs and hanging way down, and the fish's heart has to pump MORE blood than it normally does (because the fish has exerted itself), only now it's working against the grain to get it to reach the head/brain. it's just physics really.

 

our body is the same way. that's why they suggest that a person about to have a heart attack/stroke should not lay down...they are supposed to lean forward while sitting in a chair because it puts the least strain on the cardio/pulmonary organs and maximizing blood flow. this alone is reason enough to hold a fish horizontal.

[Toronto_Angler]

a fish expends huge amounts of energy and oxygen in battling vs. an angler.

at the end of this fight the fish is held in a matter in which his normally neutrally buoyant organs and hanging way down, and the fish's heart has to pump MORE blood than it normally does (because the fish has exerted itself), only now it's working against the grain to get it to reach the head/brain. it's just physics really.

 

our body is the same way. that's why they suggest that a person about to have a heart attack/stroke should not lay down...they are supposed to lean forward while sitting in a chair because it puts the least strain on the cardio/pulmonary organs and maximizing blood flow. this alone is reason enough to hold a fish horizontal.

 

 

You're joking right?

[Greencoachdog]

a fish expends huge amounts of energy and oxygen in battling vs. an angler.

at the end of this fight the fish is held in a matter in which his normally neutrally buoyant organs and hanging way down, and the fish's heart has to pump MORE blood than it normally does (because the fish has exerted itself), only now it's working against the grain to get it to reach the head/brain. it's just physics really...So we should hold a fish upsidedown by the tail???

 

our body is the same way. that's why they suggest that a person about to have a heart attack/stroke should not lay down...they are supposed to lean forward while sitting in a chair because it puts the least strain on the cardio/pulmonary organs and maximizing blood flow. this alone is reason enough to hold a fish horizontal... all the heart attack patients I've ever visited in the hospital have been laying dow.

[Raf]

worst thread evar

[muskymatt]

Boy ...I walked right into that one eh!

[Whopper]

Boy ...I walked right into that one eh!

 

Chili is almost done, or should I have said stew

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

You're joking right?

 

There are plenty of "jokes" in this thread alright but they have names.

 

I'm just posing some possibilities as to why handling a fish carefully, when you intend on releasing, is a GOOD idea.

If you don't "get it", next time you want a joke find a mirror.

Edited June 4, 2009 by Dr. Salvelinus

[johnnyb]

I think it's really not a bad thread. Seems that most on here agree that being gentle and releasing the fish as quick as possible is important. I hope I catch a fish big enough that I have to support it with two hands for fear of damaging it!!!

[Toronto_Angler]

There are plenty of "jokes" in this thread alright but they have names.

 

I'm just posing some possibilities as to why handling a fish carefully, when you intend on releasing, is a GOOD idea.

If you don't "get it", next time you want a joke find a mirror.

 

 

Ahh now your posts makes sense..your 12 years old....glad to have that cleared up...carry on

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

agreed. good thread.

although i don't understand how people can be so cynical about the concept of careful handling increasing a fish's chance of survival.

i guess some people don't catch enough (or release enough) to have seen the difference between a successful release and a mort due to handling.

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

Ahh now your posts makes sense..your 12 years old....glad to have that cleared up...carry on

 

 

that's "you're"...

and yes, even twelve year olds make that distinction!

:P

[highdrifter]

There are plenty of "jokes" in this thread alright but they have names.

 

I'm just posing some possibilities as to why handling a fish carefully, when you intend on releasing, is a GOOD idea.

If you don't "get it", next time you want a joke find a mirror.

 

BUURRN!!

 

I'm with ya. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that a certain hold can put a great strain on a fish, especially a larger fish with a longer vertabrae. What's a matter with a little TLC?!

 

Dawg, I'm still waiting for that Collard Greens Recipy. Get on that ASAP and quit trying to stir the pot.

 

HD

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

Here's a neat site for those that aren't cynical of careful fish handling.

 

http://recycledfish.org/home/

[Toronto_Angler]

that's "you're"...

and yes, even twelve year olds make that distinction!

:P

 

[Greencoachdog]

Ok, these are my real thoughts on the subject.

 

The best way to hold a large fish is with both hands!... I'm not a big fan of the one handed gill plate hold... but it's better than holding it by the eyes.

 

This is not a bad vertical hold:

 

 

I am supporting part of the fishes weight with my left hand around the tail.

 

The best hold for a large fish IMHO is neither a vertical nor horizontal hold... but on a 45 degree angle.

 

 

I've held C&R fish both vertical and horizontal and on an angle, they have all swam away none the less for wear and tear!

 

I think the worst thing you can do for a fish if you plan to release it, is to have poor hook removal skills... this kills more fish than anything I know of in C&R fishing.

 

Thanks for all the replies and I'm glad we could keep this discussion fairly civil!

[johnnyb]

Ok, these are my real thoughts on the subject.

 

.....

 

Thanks for all the replies and I'm glad we could keep this discussion fairly civil!

 

 

I never thought I'd read such statements on a post from HogSwaller!!! Well said!

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

i'm still fairly new but it didn't take me long to get his style of ... ummm ... comedy!

i've even learned to appreciate his supreme pot stirring skill!

[MCTFisher9120]

lmao, I'm surprised myself and another angler are not fighting on here like TA and the Dr.

 

Man, thought I was suppose to be the teen here, guess these days the young people are maturing a little quicker. Ah well, for me smaller fish I catch generally are held vertically, and big fish are held horizontal with a hand under the fish.

Edited June 4, 2009 by Mike The Bass Fisher

[johnnyb]

Ah well, for me smaller fish I catch generally are held vertically, and big fish are held horizontal with a hand under there gut.

 

Uhhh... Doc...do you wanna point out that it's "their", not "there", or should I?

[big guy]

agreed. good thread.

although i don't understand how people can be so cynical about the concept of careful handling increasing a fish's chance of survival.

i guess some people don't catch enough (or release enough) to have seen the difference between a successful release and a mort due to handling.

 

 

Why is it that you can not make a statement or argue your point with directing shots? Your above statement is ridiculous and only shows the rest of us the size of your ego. From your pictures, it's obvious that your a fairly young compared to quite a few guys on this board including myself. It's doubtful that you have managed to catch and release as many fish as a lot these people, once again, including myself. So can you do me a favour, lighten up with the snide remarks and argue your points with validity.

 

Thank you

 

Now, having said all that, I have released maybe a thousand fish I suppose and the only trouble I've ever had with possible fish mortality was when too much time was taken getting the fish back into the water for whatever reason. The way it was held, the way it was released didn't seem to matter near as much as the time it spent out of its environment.

Edited June 4, 2009 by big guy

[4thgen]

not sure what is the difficulty in understanding.

 

fish doesn't leave the water & stays in the net, is unhooked with pliers or hook cutters (if needed) or if it's a dink, doesn't even come in the net and gets unbuttoned boatside.

 

unhook pissed off muskie

 

Net? You don't do alot of shore fishing do you? Nets for the most part do more damage than good (aside from the weighty rubber models). I'm talking about shore fishing here. Some people don't have the luxury of a boat and are forced to fish from steep rocky shorelines with four foot waves breaking, piers, etc. What do you propose then? The way I see it, holding a pike horizontally requires two hands, unhooking the pike requires one. Last count, I had two hands, meaning that one is left holding the fish and the other unhooks it.

 

Ever thought of a fish friendly landing net, leaving the fish in the water and removing the hooks with a pair of long offset needlenose? That way the water supports the fish. Works from shore even better than on a boat.

 

By the way, it's hypocrites.

 

Have you ever fished from shore? Do you have any idea what that entails?? Have you ever been to the Toronto islands? I doubt it. Carrying a net while you are hiking 10km+ a day is ridiculous. Keeping them in the water while being unhooked? Try it while you're standing on a 10ft breakwall. Oh, and you're going to correct my grammar after that series of fragments you posted? Do you know what hypocrite means?

 

I've caught more pike than most on this board have seen and I limit the time that they are held vertically and take any pictures horizontally. I don't like to see fish mishandled but as GCD has pointed out, I would like to see some sort of data relating to the negative effects of it.

[holdfast]

i'm still fairly new but it didn't take me long to get his style of ... ummm ... comedy!

i've even learned to appreciate his supreme pot stirring skill!

 

Yup and your pretty good at it too I recall.

 

Now Im being very nice to you, and its so Hard.

Edited June 4, 2009 by holdfast