Bear lake lunker

[TheWeekender]

never been to bear, wanting to try to get up there this year sometime to target macs. Are u guys trolling or jigging?
[signature]

[GoAggies]

We were trolling 1.6-1.8 mph with down riggers set at 65-70 feet deep.
[signature]

[wormandbobber]

[quote outdoorsman1]......they also need to be helped out to get revived and moved around back and forth by the tail to get some oxygen in the gills and make sure they can swim away and not just float belly up. It takes alot out of them to catch them.......[/quote]

Just an FYI on releasing lake trout (not just to you but to all):
http://fwpiis.mt.gov/content/getItem.aspx?id=33570

a couple of points:
if the fish is bleeding, keep it
often it is better to plunge the fish headfirst back into the water vigorously
hold the fish horizontally to avoid damage to internal organs
[signature]

[BassHunter1]

Im no bioligist but I thought it was bad to shake them back and forth, they (the fish) don't like water to run backwards through their gills.
[signature]

[Tarponjim]

Yep, just pull 'em forward. You can "tow" them forward with a lipper tool, but avoid using the lipper to lift them. For decompression, you need a LakerSaver!
[signature]

[wormandbobber]

[quote BassHunter1]Im no bioligist but I thought it was bad to shake them back and forth, they (the fish) don't like water to run backwards through their gills.[/quote]

Not true. Read this lengthy summary of the catch and release studies done:
http://www.wildtroutstreams.com/CatchRel...elines.pdf

An excerpt:
• If there is current, hold the fish upright, facing into the current.
• If there isn’t any current, gently move fish back and forth in the water until gill
movements return to normal and it is able to maintain its balance.
• When the fish begins to struggle, let it swim away

Also:
"To release fish that suffer from depressurization a technique known as “fizzing” has been developed to artificially deflate swim bladders by puncturing the swim bladder with a sharp instrument. In a review of “fizzing”, Kerr (2001) suggested that the practice should be discouraged, as significant damage can result from the procedure, and that fishing deep waters (5-6 m) should be restricted if fish are intended to be released. Kerr (2001) also reviewed several alternatives to “fizzing” for releasing fish caught from deep water. These involved lowering fish
back to the depth they were caught at for release, by means of a retrievable weight or submersible cage (Figure 2). While little investigation has gone into determining the effectiveness of these alternatives, they are recommended over fizzing. To prevent potential decompression, catch-and-release angling for species in deep water should be avoided."
[signature]

[CoyoteSpinner]

I was kinda kidding about the arms length thing. That's what Photoshop is good for! [cool]
I'm familiar with the vertical vs horizontal, especially with big fish (like I know ANYTHING about big fish) - what with the sheer weight of their own organs, and being out of the buoyancy of water.
But the thing I wonder about is the slime coat. If you're hugging them against a dry t-shirt/sweatshirt - what does that do for them - unless your shirt is REALLY sweaty! [shocked]

But to not release them if there's "any blood"? I can see if you gut hooked them, and chose to rip out half their esophagus, or gills - yeah - they're done. But a little jaw blood, ripnlips? A fish should be able to mend from a little poking around the mouth. But gills are a pretty delicate organ, no doubt.

I know there's controversy around 'fizzing'. There were some suggested "release" harnesses posted during ice-fishing last year. I know TD had some diagrams for 'helping' Pineview panfish back down to the depths. Basically a wire/weight - and a release mechanism - takes em down, then sets them loose.

As for "shaking" them back-n-forth, my thought would be it's not so much a shake, and a rocking. If the current will move the water - great. But a bit of backwards current shouldn't mess with their gills.

[BassHunter1]

Ok I've only read a couple pages of that report but I have to go get my daily dose of fishing in. I think the key word there is "gently". Might add "patiently" hold them upright to the list.
[signature]