Catch and Release....er feed.

[bitesetreel]

Went trout fishing this morning and the bite was GOOD. Guy next me kept releasing gravely injured fish in hopes of getting five big ones. Bothered me at first but then three osprey showed up. they swooped in on the floaters and gave everyone a crazy show. The circle of life includes fisherman, birds, and a bit of greed I guess. Weird day but nonetheless awesome.

 

[OnTheFly]

Went trout fishing this morning and the bite was GOOD. Guy next me kept releasing gravely injured fish in hopes of getting five big ones. Bothered me at first but then three osprey showed up. they swooped in on the floaters and gave everyone a crazy show. The circle of life includes fisherman, birds, and a bit of greed I guess. Weird day but nonetheless awesome.

Yeah. I suppose if that guy were to throw them up on the bank, he would be feeding the racoons too. The point is, not everybody knows how to release a fish properly unharmed. Fish can die even days after release if done carelessly. I would have schooled him right there on the bank! What if he was releasing native Steelhead? Anyway, I'm really happy to hear you had a productive fishing day bitesetreel and I hope you get a lot more of those days. Perhaps we can attempt to educate some of the people that don't respect the sport as much as we do.

 

[GrillMaster]

Agree

Agree

I agree, take a few minutes and if your heart is in the right place most people will respond positively. I know over the past years other anglers have taken the time to show me tons of things and I am most grateful. We all learn from one another, that is what is so cool about this site; everyone is so generous with there help. You don't find this type of site out in cyberspace very often, I know I have tried and more often it has been a cheap imitation of OFF.

GM

 

[qwapaw]

Just an interesting note: Saturday when my Son in Law and myself were fishing at the J C Pond the were up to 8 Osprey fishing the pond too. We know there were quite a few fish there because they had about a 50% sucess rate. That was so cool to see them hit the water going so fast and coming out with an 8-10" trout. Just another neat part of fishing. Tight lines, Dan

 

[bitesetreel]

In my most non-confrontational tone I told the guy that probably the only fisherman that appreciate the release of gravely injured fish were the ospreys. He chuckled nervously and kind of gave me a sideways look. I was fishing with a small spinner and showed him several times that it's easier to get a clean c+r hook set when a fish strikes hardware rather than swallowing hook and bait. I think he got the point and without any hard feelings. Like I said it was (over-all) an awesome day!

 

[Green_Tackle]

I was fishing with a small spinner and showed him several times that it's easier to get a clean c+r hook set when a fish strikes hardware rather than swallowing hook and bait.

That's good advice. We try to encourage using a spinner, spoon, or other lure over the "powerbait method" to c&r trout fishing. However, since it is SO very common, we have been working hard to fine-tune this method to get the survival rate up on released fish. So if anyone is interested, a lure is the better choice, but, the thing that has been working for us is described below:

1. We use the Gulp! Floating Salmon eggs since a) they are biodegradable and b) they stay on the hook better allowing for a single hook as opposed to a treble hook often used with dough baits. This bait is the same powerbait scent and is just as effective as typical powerbait... if not more so. We use a pink/red in warmer/visible water and chartreuse/fluorescent orange in colder/darker water.

2. We use very small, thin wire circle hooks. I was skeptical about the effectiveness of circle hooks for small species at first, however, they really work. We use a #10 Eagle Claw L702 circle hook with two Gulp! floating salmon eggs (you need 2 to float the hook properly). Our rig is your typical egg sinker, swivel, leader, hook.

Using the above method, we have been hooking a MUCH higher percentage of the pellet heads shallowly in the mouth instead of the gut. I don't have numbers as we have only been doing casual experimentation, but, it's noticeable right away. Those circle hooks really have made a difference for us.

 

[GDBrown]

Circle hooks!

Circle hooks!

Where can one get circle hooks in the Hillsboro Area? I've never tried them but would like to. I usually use spinners or flies for trout but occasionally I'll bait up. I sometimes just bend the barbs in on trebble hooks to make releasing easier if I get one that is too small.

 

[Green_Tackle]

The only place I've seen small circle hooks "locally" is at Cabelas... which isn't very local. However, you can buy them online at several places. We'll be stocking them at Green Tackle within the next week or two, however, we don't just yet. We do carry the Gulp! floating salmon eggs as do most local tackle shops.

A Google search for "Eagle Claw L702" will pull up several results of online retailers carrying them.

 

[Finneus Polebender]

c& r J C ponds, alton baker etc.

c& r J C ponds, alton baker etc.

The fish that are stocked to most of these local holes I believe are lucky to live more than a few days once released . what the fisherman,Osprey,and other critters dont get the water will kill in less than a week . been more than one time watched old recycled steelys and tired ol brooders floppin and gaspin till the birds come get em . Guess It gives those who cannot penetrate the wilderness a chance to catch a fish too ,just dont seem much like real fishin to me. the fish released into river systems seem to at least have a chance at living . Have caught 14-16 inch fin clip trout that had pink orange meat so you know theyd been feedin naturally for a while, probably 1 year hold overs but only in the rivers

 

[bitesetreel]

Just a thought......

Just a thought......

"Guess It gives those who cannot penetrate the wilderness a chance to catch a fish too ,just dont seem much like real fishin to me."

Really?

Kids learn on these waters and occasionally evolve into full fledge concientious stewards of sport. Old timers often spend the better days of their retirement not to mention their mobility on these waters. That's about as real as it gets.

 

[FishSlayer420]

I would fish the canal that runs behind my house if i knew there was fish in it. Anywhere I can throw a line is a good spot for me.

 

[Slap A Fish]

Zac's flip gun

Zac's flip gun

I have a solution for you fish murdering people lol . Its called a Zac's Flip gun fish hook remover. I have set free fish that have swallowed it deep and they swam right off. I would say I save 9 out of 10 deep hooked fish. If you have not seen this tool look into it, its the BEST tool EVER invented. I must warn you they are hard to find. Maybe try fishermans in oregon city or at delta park in north portland. Trust me I dont even like to catch if I dont have one now, it WILL amaze you!

 

[halibuthitman]

I think these stock ponds are awsome! a great use of goverment dollars that truely returns to the people. I grew up fishing native rainbows and cuts, probably didn't catch a stocker before I was 18, some of the guys I fish with I don't think have ever caught a WILD trout.... kinda sad, I kinda think thats why a lot of the traditional hardware doesn't seem to work as well, natives are way more predatorial, and there is less of them in oregon than ever. Keep up the good work fish and game! And as for your wilderness..... if you are on a river in oregon, anywhere.... you can probably still see the toilet paper my dad left on the banks in the 60's so put the jerimia johnson crap back on the shelf. I know that about 1 in 3 trout that are released end up dead, keep your pliers on ya and don't touch them if you don't have to, and if a bait hook is swallowed deep, cut the line as short as possible but remember, fishing with bait is giving up your right to high grade.... I catch 15 or so fish a year with hooks in them that are almost healed, especially steelhead and halibut so don't worry about the free jewlery, the fish will be ok. Good Fishin-

 

[OnTheFly]

I think these stock ponds are awsome! a great use of goverment dollars that truely returns to the people. I grew up fishing native rainbows and cuts, probably didn't catch a stocker before I was 18, some of the guys I fish with I don't think have ever caught a WILD trout.... kinda sad, I kinda think thats why a lot of the traditional hardware doesn't seem to work as well, natives are way more predatorial, and there is less of them in oregon than ever. Keep up the good work fish and game! And as for your wilderness..... if you are on a river in oregon, anywhere.... you can probably still see the toilet paper my dad left on the banks in the 60's so put the jerimia johnson crap back on the shelf. I know that about 1 in 3 trout that are released end up dead, keep your pliers on ya and don't touch them if you don't have to, and if a bait hook is swallowed deep, cut the line as short as possible but remember, fishing with bait is giving up your right to high grade.... I catch 15 or so fish a year with hooks in them that are almost healed, especially steelhead and halibut so don't worry about the free jewlery, the fish will be ok. Good Fishin-

halibuthitman I couldn't have explained it better. Well said:clap:

 

[bitesetreel]

Catch and release is much more possible when that is what you set out to do. That said if you are fishing a system that has nates in it or some other off limit fish you should always err on the side of caution. I NEVER use treble hooks and try to use the appropriate size hook for the fishery. I've caught my share of steelhead smolts on # 4 spinners while after their ocean going elders. I carry a pair of metal snips specifically for this situation. The smolt stays in the water, I barely need to touch it while I snip the barb off, and they swim off with some temporary punk rock hardware. Like halibuthitman said, I too have caught many fish with with signs of proper C+R.

 

[OnTheFly]

Glad to hear we're all on the same page:clap: