Insane Perch Fishing at Pineview

[Ticklestick]

Not being harsh, but when the fish are that deep you might as well keep them all.

Catching them at those depths blows up their air bladders and they die even
if they swim away.
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[catchinon]

It's good to remind us all of the bladder deal with perch, but I didn't read anywhere that he said they returned any.
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[TheOtherSide]

I didn't see any fish returned when I watched the video. Definitely something to remember when fishing deeper.
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[Cowboypirate]

Ticklestick - It's good advice and noted. Cookie and I talked about this very thing while fishing

We kept almost everyone one caught on this trip. Filling the freezer with the final ones we needed for summer catfish cutbait was the plan for any perch caught on this adventure.

You will note I said almost. I am guilty, on occasion, of tossing a few back if I dont see the air bladder. I know that i am likey fooling myself if i do, but i still will on occasion. My logic, rather poor I admit, is they are dead either way. In my freezer, frying pan or in the lake, still dead.

Ya I know....we can rationalize about anything....

Cheers
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[Wando59]

Sounds like good times i haven't fished pineview this year glad you got in to them thanks for the video [cool]
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[dubob]

[quote Ticklestick]Not being harsh, but when the fish are that deep you might as well keep them all.

Catching them at those depths blows up their air bladders and they die even if they swim away.[/quote][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]First, congratulations to Cowboy & Cookie. Always nice to see successful fishing reports. I got a text from a friend stating similar results on Pineview from yesterday.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Now, I’m going to voice an opinion that will not be very popular and probably garner some less than civil comments. I can handle it. [][/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Perch in Utah are almost an unmanageable fish species. They have been in the past, are today, and will be in the future, a boom or bust population. It matters not how many you catch and keep, it is not possible to completely eliminate them from a body of water from fishing. They are just too prolific.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]That’s one of the reasons the DWR increased the daily limit from 20 to 50 a few years ago. Idaho has NO limit on them state wide. The daily limit in Wyoming is also 50.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]Releasing perch brought up from over 35 will likely have an inflated air bladder. Releasing them immediately (say, within 10 seconds) will likely see them swim back towards the bottom. Some WILL die. But there is absolutely NO valid studies that say the mortality rate is 100%.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]So releasing perch brought up with an inflated air bladder may, or may NOT, actually kill that individual fish. So what? What is the real downside to having a few perch die? I know for a fact that other fish feed on yellow perch and have seen rainbow trout swim by my fishing hole in the ice and eat a 4 inch yellow perch that could not get back down to depth and was visible just to the side of the hole still moving its gills. The ones that don’t survive can and do become sustenance for other fish.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]The bottom line for me is that releasing a fish that may die from being caught and brought to the surface will not go to waste. It will in all likelihood be consumed by some other fish, bird, or mammal.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]I will not keep any yellow perch under 8”. Any under that length will be released as fast as possible and over 90% of them immediately swim back towards the bottom. Some will die; some won’t. I have no problem with that at all.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]I also don’t have any problem with anybody else not releasing any fish they catch because they may die anyway. I do believe that the oft stated myth that any perch caught with an inflated air bladder will die if released is just that – a myth. There is no hard evidence that will support that myth. Keep them or release them; it will not matter at all to the overall general population of this fish species in Utah.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000][size 3]That’s it. I’m done with it. And just so you know Ticklestick, my comments above were not meant to demean or disrespect you in any way, shape, or form.[/size][/#800000][/font]
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[Fishhound]

Agreed ! I'll go ahead and be unpopular of opinion right along with you on that Dubob. Also agree that fish eat fish dead or alive - its what fish do - thats also why dead bait fishing works.

While I also do release most fish I catch in most places I also know that some end up as eats somewhere in the food chain somewhere in the water column - sometimes they are even taken away by airborne predators from above as they float belly up or struggle on the surface. Everything that lives has to eat something.

If a person is determined to attempt to help one of the deep denizens survive there is a device called a "Fish Descender" that has a remarkable survival assistance percentage capability. I generally try to bring a descender and use one on those rare occasions that I am intentionally targeting fish in really deep water. But more often than not I would probably keep those fish if possible. I am one of those people that likes to eat fish of all kinds.
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[wyoguy]

A person can also prick the air bladder with the point of his hook and it will enable them to return to the depth, think its called fizzing. They do this is salt water when fishing deep, it increases the survival rate. And it's always nice to have one in the hole to keep it from freezing, lol.
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[Cowboypirate]

Fishound

I am glad to hear from ya. Been a while since I have seen a report from you and was wondering how winter was treating ya. Was worried that you might have hiked into the Atwood basin, chasing a winter bite, and got snow bound. Had considered launching a flyover to drop in some m&ms and Dr Pepper, just in case.

Dubob,

I had hoped to run into you this winter but I seem to be always fishing your secret spot the day after you left. One of these days we will tangle lines at the same place/time and sort out the worlds problems or at least complain about them to each other.


As to your comments above, I will simply say PV needs thinning in a bad way to get any size going. That bottom was crawling with Musky morsels. I sent my Brother-inlaw there today. With his tribe of kids in tow, he will make up for my throw backs and redeem my sins on the water whist I sit like a gentleman in my tie, on the pew, itching to get back out.

Crap Cookie caught me texting - better at least try to hum the tune..

Cheers
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[dubob]

[size 4][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]I'm thinking Pineview tomorrow and maybe Echo on Wed or Thu. Anniversary Tue and Valentine's Day on Friday. Busy week coming up. [][/#][/font][/size]
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[Cowboypirate]

DB This week sucks for me to get out. Big project we are wrapping up the bid proposals on. My brother in-law offered a run to the Gorge Tues. I am trying to adjust meetings so I can go, but if I do its likely the only run for me this week.

My BIL just texted. Sounds like a bit slower on PV today. They got about 18. Maybe the big moon had em tired
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[dubob]

[size 4][font "Comic Sans MS"][#800000]Thanks[/#][/font][/size]
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[sagedave]

We had a group of 7 there on Saturday, landed about 150 perch and a few crappie. Great day out on the ice, first time perch fishing and first time at Pineview
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[Cowboypirate]

Be careful...them little yellow monsters will get in your blood and drive ya to missing work, calling fishing a birthday gift for your kids, and claiming fish tacos are a vegetable when you see your heart doctor.

Glad you had a great time at PV. It has made a lot of people this winter.
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[packfish]

Your opinion is an informed knowledgeable thought. Perch are their own worse enemy in Utah. Every time I go the back road into the grocery store I am happy to see so many anglers on Hyrum but as the video you saw earlier they wont dent the population. Seagulls need food also.
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