Landed a springer with an ambiguous adipose

[just1nook]

Was draggin herring near coon island on the multnomah channel fri dawn til about 11. Only saw about two caught, besides the one I got to my buddies boat. Looked like it was clipped til we got a closer look. It wasn't a normal looking adipose for a nate, it was very small, and had some scar tissue around it. Sorry I don't have a pic as we erred on the side of caution and kept her in the water. So what is the rule as far as "misclipped" fish go, anyone have an opinion or know what the law is?

Was great to land one but kinda wish I bonked it in retrospect.
Also anyone have an opinion about trollin on Thursday, Selllwood vs the Channel? Seems like the bite on the Willy has been great the last two weeks on THurs.

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

Killll the mis-clips. If it is for sure a mis-clip. Do bonk 'em. a lot of times hatchery employees just barely hit the adipose when they are fingerling, leaving a full adipose, minus a little healed over, straight cut scar on the top of the fin. It is noticeable, and you can keep them if they have any amount of adipose fin missing, and healed over.

 

[just1nook]

-expletive-, that's what I thought.
Although this adipose mostly looked small, don't think there was any scarring on the fin itself, more around it, like it got clipped and grew back a little.

 

[Mike123]

-expletive-, that's what I thought.
Although this adipose mostly looked small, don't think there was any scarring on the fin itself, more around it, like it got clipped and grew back a little.

Caught a steelhead on the the Alsea this year that had one like that.
I bonked it. A native fish should have no defects in it's adi fin at all.

 

[Kodiak]

Be carefull

Be carefull

I've seen tickets dolled out for half an adipose. I believe it's wrong however it happens. If I were gonna bonk a mis clip I would also look for a missing maxilary or another fin missing. It was happening on the nestucca a lot last year, full adipose, clipped left maxilary, guys keeping them were given tickets. A couple of guides and a conservation group said they would put up the money for anyone to take it to court, but I'm not brave enough to do that...I don't know of anyone else who was either. Anglers there warned OSP it was comming but they insisted that the adipose had to be fully clipped. Just my two cents.

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

Yeah, and once clipped, the adipose will almost never grow back in any sense. It may be a type of disease that the fish had, and it got over it, or it could have been seal damage to. But if there is any, noticeable clippage of the fin, kill it. If it is questionable, release it. I think you probably did the right thing Chris. And if so, you will be rewarded. Trust me.

 

[fishndad]

ive seen a few of those and they are usualy from damage of improper handling is what the fish and wildlife told me.........but hey i released the ones i seen like that! id rather play it safe then sorry

 

[Snagged]

I've seen tickets dolled out for half an adipose. I believe it's wrong however it happens. If I were gonna bonk a mis clip I would also look for a missing maxilary or another fin missing. It was happening on the nestucca a lot last year, full adipose, clipped left maxilary, guys keeping them were given tickets. A couple of guides and a conservation group said they would put up the money for anyone to take it to court, but I'm not brave enough to do that...I don't know of anyone else who was either. Anglers there warned OSP it was comming but they insisted that the adipose had to be fully clipped. Just my two cents.

It used to be illegal to bonk anything but a clean clip. I had a friend of a friend get a ticket for exactly that about 5 years ago. They have since changed the rule. Now it reads any clipped or partially clipped. I released a summer steelhead last year for the same reason only to remember at the last minute when it was too late the law had changed.

 

[Troutcatcher]

Can someone tell me what the deal is with adipose fish.

 

[metalmania]

Can someone tell me what the deal is with adipose fish.

Fish that are hatchery raised have there adipose fin clipped to identify them as hatchery stock. This way there is a difference between hatchery and the native wild fish. Some hatchery fish have the adipose and one of the maxillary fins clipped also.

 

[Troutcatcher]

Thanks for the explination Metalmania.

 

[fish_4_all]

Up here it is simple. The fin has to be clipped and healed over. Any fin that has any bend to it is considered a wild fish. A ventral fin clipped is the same way.

And they must be completely, naturally healed. I have seen tickets written for fish kept with scared/healed but not skin grown over Adipose fin.

When in doubt, put it back. Enforcement laws up here could be changed here pretty soon to consider the taking of a hatchery fish when it is closed as poaching. A simple possession ticket is not too bad but a poaching ticket is definitely not worth any chance of mistaking a fin as clipped.