oates Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 Was at the Thames other day, wife landed 3lb bass, 5 mins of fighting then beached it, I unhooked it and it promptly died. Later on, I nailed a 15" 4LB guy on a tube, unhooked him, then he died too. Never seen anything like that before, both fish gave great fights, wern't bleeding (from what I could see) and died within 2 mins of being out of the water. Has anyone experienced that before? I'm very careful in handling fish, hate the idea of people being rough and ignorant in handling them - I just don't know how they went from being big, healthy, and taking my reel for a spin and then dying. Any ideas guys?
TC1OZ Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 2 Mins.. maybe they were weak and 2 mins was just too long.
MuskyBill Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 2 minutes out of the water seems like a LONG time to me. How'd you do if I held your head under water for 2 minutes? I would expect the same result.
wask Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 Wow - that's really strange. Never heard of that one before. One's a fluke, if its two, that seems like something else going on. The chances of how you handled them are very slim. Some other variable there. Did you catch any that lived? Was at the Thames other day, wife landed 3lb bass, 5 mins of fighting then beached it, I unhooked it and it promptly died.Later on, I nailed a 15" 4LB guy on a tube, unhooked him, then he died too. Never seen anything like that before, both fish gave great fights, wern't bleeding (from what I could see) and died within 2 mins of being out of the water. Has anyone experienced that before? I'm very careful in handling fish, hate the idea of people being rough and ignorant in handling them - I just don't know how they went from being big, healthy, and taking my reel for a spin and then dying. Any ideas guys?
Headhunter Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 I would guess that the mighty Thames is just too warm for any amount of time out of the water. But again, just a guess based on the info you provided. HH
oates Posted August 14, 2009 Author Report Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) Didn't get a single bite in 5hrs of fishing other than the 3lber and the 4lber we caught and they both died. As for 2mins being too long, I have had Walleye and Bass that I have kept show life 20 mins out of the water (my buddy went to get ice for his cooler), sometimes they won't die! I was hot, 29 degrees out if that means anything, pool was large but only 2-4 ft in depth with hot sun blasting on it. Edited August 14, 2009 by oates
friarfish Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 A five minute fight is a long one for a bass. If your tackle was too light, you might have played them too long. That, coupled with 2 minutes in the 29 degree air might have finished them off. Like others said, just a guess based on what you reported.
oates Posted August 14, 2009 Author Report Posted August 14, 2009 6lb test line 3" tube. Good to know, I felt like I had to wear him down, even if I reeled him back, he would pull out more line, if I increased the tension I think he would have broke off. Hmm...tough one.
RobHall Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 Was at the Thames other day, wife landed 3lb bass, 5 mins of fighting then beached it, I unhooked it and it promptly died.Later on, I nailed a 15" 4LB guy on a tube, unhooked him, then he died too. Never seen anything like that before, both fish gave great fights, wern't bleeding (from what I could see) and died within 2 mins of being out of the water. Has anyone experienced that before? I'm very careful in handling fish, hate the idea of people being rough and ignorant in handling them - I just don't know how they went from being big, healthy, and taking my reel for a spin and then dying. Any ideas guys? How deep did you catch them? The only thing i can think of is rapid de-pressurizing. The most obvious effect of rapidly de-pressurizing bass is an expansion of their swim bladder and their inability to swim vertically and submerge. Fish use their bladder to provide the additional buoyancy necessary to remain neutral (not sinking or floating), by removing from or adding gas to this organ as they move shallower or deeper. If it was caught in shallow water, then your guess is a good as mine. FOTB
Victor Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 If anything I think it's because of those 2 minutes, you rarely hear that a fish dies because of a prolonged fight other than for muskies. If you planned on release the fish, it only takes 5 seconds to remove the hook, and another 10 seconds to take a picture. Even if you double that and it's still only 30 seconds :S
RobHall Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) died within 2 mins of being out of the water. Any ideas guys? Didnt see this important info. Try holding you breath for 2 minutes and let me know who you make out. Why can't fish out of water survive? Among other things, it is because the fish gill tissues are thin membranes that allow oxygen-bearing water to move between the layers and enable oxygen to diffuse into the fish's bloodstream. When the fish is removed from water, the surface tension of water draws the layers into contact with each other. This greatly reduces the gill surface area accessible to oxygen bearing water -- under such circumstances, the gill tissue has only two sides. Thus, the fish suffocates because its breathing apparatus has been tremendously compromised by the adherence of the gill layers. This accounts for the practice of catch-and-release fishermen who (in preparation for the release) sometimes hold a fish in the water while moving it back and forth. The purpose of this procedure is to create a turbulent flow of water around the gills, thereby encouraging the gill layers to separate from each other and enable the traumatized fish to regain its ability to breathe. This combined with the lengthy fight killed your Bass IMHO FOTB Edited August 14, 2009 by fishinonthebrain
TC1OZ Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 If anything I think it's because of those 2 minutes, you rarely hear that a fish dies because of a prolonged fight other than for muskies. If you planned on release the fish, it only takes 5 seconds to remove the hook, and another 10 seconds to take a picture. Even if you double that and it's still only 30 seconds :S I am with you on that one...maybe he is just poorly over estimating on the 2 mins....if not I think you are 100% correct... 120 mississippi's is a long time for any fish to be out of the water.
Harrison Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 (edited) Tie yourself to a pole outside today in 29 degree temps and run as hard for your life as you can for 5 mintues. Then have a nap for a couple minutes in an oven while holding your breath. Edited August 14, 2009 by Harrison
Roy Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 I think that Oates probably got the hint by now folks. These kinds of things happen to all of us at some point in our 'careers'.
TJQ Posted August 14, 2009 Report Posted August 14, 2009 Thats correct Roy. I imagine of the water was warm, they dont do as well.
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