I've found that the Ketchum Release is a handy device for de-hooking fish without even touching them. Just run the tool's cylindrical tip down a taut leader and tippet until it slides over the hook shank, twist, and the fish is released.
Jim's comments about using light gear raises what I think is a much more intriguing issue: using a rod/reel/line setup that's appropriate to the type of fish being targeted. I have a client friend whose been a flyfisher for years. He proudly boasts that he only owns one rod - a 9 foot 8 wt. IMHO, that size and weight rod makes great sense when fishing for salmon, steelhead or bonefish. But using it to target cutts in the MF of the Snoqualmie or even eastern WA triploids doesn't seem to make much sense. Kinda reminds me of Willy's earlier post comparing fishing rods to golf clubs. Sure, you could use a driver for a chip shot. But why, when your bag can hold so many more clubs? Given the choice, I'd much rather fish with lighter gear than heavier. Makes the catching so much more fun. For Washington trout, I'll take 3 wt gear anytime, 4 or 5 wt in the wind. Kent Lufkin >I'm one of the people that is mentioned using very light gear much of the >time. I own an Orvis 1 oz. (6 1/2' 2 wt. full-flex) and a Cortland GRF-1000 >(9' 4/5 wt. mid-flex). > >I fish the 2 wt. on small streams and rivers, and even on the Yak if the >wind is down and I'm not throwing anything big or heavy. I've found that I >can land fish very quickly on my 2 wt. - I think the largest was 23 inches >at Rocky Ford, and a 17 inch fish on the Yak in the canyon. The first time >I fished that rod at the Ford I was concerned that it might be too light to >land the hogs quickly but found after a couple good size fish it didn't seem >to make a difference. I think it's more HOW you play the fish than WHAT >you're playing it with... so the rod is bent in half... I can still pull >that sucker back and reel in line while lowering the tip - the same way I >used to play fish when I trolled the Puget Sound as a kid. I haven't fished >for steelhead or salmon, but I imagine that my "light rod / quick landing" >theory would break down pretty quickly with these fish because they are so >powerful as a result of a life at sea. > >I've found that because I don't like to play a fish for long most fish I >bring in are still very spunky and "ready to go". My favorite type of >release involves not touching the fish at all, simply disengaging the hook >and watching the fish swim away. Beyond that, I think the next most >important thing is to make sure you don't touch the fish with dry hands >since this causes a good deal of the protective slime to be removed. I >don't care how cold it is outside, it can be 10 degrees and I'll still stick >my hands in the water before I touch the fish. I also like the "net-only" >release - net the fish (pre-wet the net), remove the hook from it without >touching the fish or holding it out of the water, make sure the fish isn't >tired and simply swish the net backwards to invert the net and release the >fish... > >guess that pretty well covers my 2-cents on C&R > >-tight lines- >Jim Speaker > >-----Original Message----- >From: rderedfield [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] >Sent: Friday, December 21, 2001 1:05 PM >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: P E T A (maybe we should have a Catch & Release >discussion?) > > >Back when we had the "Lurker" discussion, someone mentioned that we should >possibly have discussion on the correct catch-and-release techniques. > >To me, one of the first and most important items about releasing a fish >properly is to get the fish to hand, and back in the water, as quickly as >possible. I'm sure there will be discussion on the merits of handling/not >handling fish, netting the fish, etc. But, what I'm talking about is >minimizing, as much as practicable, the time in playing a fish. > >In our discussion about Fantasy Rods and/or what we like to use for what >species, there were a number of folks who seemed to use rods that I feel are >too light to land the fish quckly. Sure, I can catch a Lenice 23" rainbow >on a 3 weight, and although it's a lot of fun to catch a fish that size on a >3 weight, I think it unduly and unfairly stresses the fish. I would rather >get the fish in as quickly as possible and minimize the stress, and get it >back to its environs. That doesn't mean I would use an 8 weight, but >something like a 5 or 6, again in my opinion, would be more appropriate. >Need to use the right tool for the job . . . > >This is particularly true as the water warms up in lakes and rivers; as the >oxygen levels in the water lower as the temperatures increase. Remember, >fish don't have as efficient and as intricate circulatory systems like ours >to get oxygen back in our system to clean out any lactic acid accumulations, >so therefore they don't recovery nearly so quickly. So, adding up the long, >exhaustive fight on a light rod, a less intricate circulatory system, and >lower-than-normal oxygen levels in water, as well as physical mis-handling >by the fisherperson, fish mortality percentages go way up. Minimizing one >of these factors, the rod size, is easy for us to control. > >Mis-handling a fish also is a big cause of fish mortality. I've seen many >fisherperson, including some experienced fly fishers, when fishing local >saltwater for coho drag the fish onto the beach. The fish usually is >flopping around rather vigorously, so the next step is a knee on the fish to >pin it down in order to extract the lure or fly. The fisherperson then >sticks their fingers under the operculum/gill plate, then moseys back into >the salt to release their prize. > >I see the above sequence repeated by about 50% of the saltwater >fisherpersons, gear or fly, that I encounter. To me, if you can wade out >into the water to cast to catch the fish, you can stay in the water to land >the fish. Dragging it up onto the sand damages the fish's exterior. The >scales come very, very easily. Out in the water, you won't likely use the >knee-hold on the fish when releasing the fish, which is obviously is a good >thing. And, it obviates the need for the 'gill plate carry', and also helps >to minimize the amount of time the fish is out of the water. Heck, you get >back fishing faster, too! > >Anyway, just I thought I'd toss this out there, and wait for the arrows to >fly. <grin> > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Gary Meyers" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Friday, December 21, 2001 11:02 AM >Subject: Re: P E T A > > >> Well, I'm probably going to creamed on this one, but... >> >> Let's be honest. The fact is, we DO torture and maim and wound fish. And >> with C&R techniques, repeatedly. I'm personally convinced, particularly in >> heavily-fished waters, that we contribute to early mortality rates. We've >> all seen released "floaters." Not to mention we raise and kill specific >> animals for their fur and feathers so we can fool, catch, and release more >> fish more often. >> >> Fly fishermen, as a whole, tend to be a little sanctimonious about our >> conservation and preservation sensibilities. We cloak fly fishing in >poetry >> and mystical Norman McClean-shadow-casting-kumbaya. But it doesn't change >> what we are fundamentally doing in the water. >> >> I think we're a bit hypocritical. >> >> Myself? Yeah, I enjoy fishing. A lot. I love hammering 'em. Do I recognize >> that my enjoyment of same is may at the expense of another of God's >> creatures suffering? Yes. Am I a hypocrite? Likely. But, I'm personally >fine >> with it. >> >> My teenage daughter is a PETA member. I see the propaganda that comes into >> the house. And the fact is, much of what they espouse makes sense. There >IS >> horrid mistreatment of animals around the world. Much of it institutional. >> C'mon, can you really be against taking a look at the abuses prevalent in >> areas such as poultry-farming and livestock production? >> >> Does PETA opine a bunch of fringe nonsense, as well? (E.g., banning >fishing >> in parks?). In my opinion, most definitely. Of course, that's the stuff >that >> makes headlines. And that's why they do it. GreenPeace did the same thing. > > Extreme positions make news. It generates publicity. It's effective PR. >> >> But to think they are really going to get sport fishing banned anywhere is >> in my opinion, ludicrous. It ain't gonna happen. >> >> Rip lips >> >> Gary Meyers >> Kirkland >> >> >> >> >>
