I have mine set to release at 50' and send it down on a rigger. You can see the fish pop off and swim away on the sonar. I just keep it with the pliers at the back of the boat. It's a well made product.
How are these studies conducted? Seems to me that it would be hard to prove that a fish has died after release unless something was placed on it to track it, and that act could increase mortality. I am sure there is some level of mortality, but if we are honest, we all know that these fish are not breeding, and that stocking is the only source of champlain lakers. I would not go to maidstone and try to catch 30 fish in a day, but on champ they are all stocked, and will eventually die. They are not continuing the species in the lake, and I enjoy the fight, and a day on the water.
Kind of depressing article? But, I have my doubts about death in 50 degrees surface water since most of the lakers are coming up from 50 degree water. I do believe that 60 and 70 degree surface water can do serious harm?
Dick
Kind of depressing article? But, I have my doubts about death in 50 degrees surface water since most of the lakers are coming up from 50 degree water. I do believe that 60 and 70 degree surface water can do serious harm?
Dick
Dick, I agree depressing. I had no idea. I have not fished cold water fish in lakes much. But I am trying to get into it. You gave me some food for thought, when I do get there.
First, I need better and proper gear. This site seems to have some good information on helping me get started. I also liked "Cas" informative post about things we can do.
Good new seems to be the weather buoy report that Champlain surface temp. is 66 and temp at 55 ft. is 65 degrees. Wouldn't seem to too harmful until lakers move down to water that is in the 50's??
Anyone have an idea when that might be?
Dick
1 million lakers in Champlain is a guess and jokingly of course. We don't target lakers by bouncing bottom and at times try to speed up or move out of an area if were catching them before they settle into into a summer pattern at depths below the thermocline.
I have never jigged for them.. but I have heard a lot of times they are snagged by anglers jigging for them over a pod of fish laying on the bottom with big cod jigging treble lead type lures at 1-2 oz.
I keep a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket in the boat I can quickly fill with water and when we net a large salmon we will put it immediately head first in the bucket of water after taking the hook out in the net. Grab it by the tail and put it in the bucket. When we have a camera ready we will again grab it by the tail and hold it horizontal under the head get the photo and release it. Swims away almost every time. By keeping the fish in water immediately reduces handling.
I never had trouble with lake trout mortality, I never even fished lake trout because we had a good salmon bite through August last year. It was you who questioned our ethics about fishing salmon deeper than 40 feet. I think you like to beat your own drum and use the cover of being an outdoor writer as somehow making yourself some sort of expert. While I don't doubt your sincerity about fishing ethics, let's hear more about your actual fishing adventures, and less about your opinions.
C-Hawk wrote:I never had trouble with lake trout mortality, I never even fished lake trout because we had a good salmon bite through August last year. It was you who questioned our ethics about fishing salmon deeper than 40 feet. I think you like to beat your own drum and use the cover of being an outdoor writer as somehow making yourself some sort of expert. While I don't doubt your sincerity about fishing ethics, let's hear more about your actual fishing adventures, and less about your opinions.
I have to say it's rare to have a floater when releasing LT if they aren't handled is the key in Summer months. Needle nose pliers and no netting. I am not sure that data of mortality was due to fish handling and netting. Once the fish move down in that upper 40 degree water in the thermocline we don't catch too many targeting salmon in the summer months. I am not sure everyone is going to buy those widgets to send them down 50 feet to release them.
Once again as C-Hawk has said this topic has become a moot point.
C-Hawk wrote:I never had trouble with lake trout mortality, I never even fished lake trout because we had a good salmon bite through August last year. It was you who questioned our ethics about fishing salmon deeper than 40 feet. I think you like to beat your own drum and use the cover of being an outdoor writer as somehow making yourself some sort of expert. While I don't doubt your sincerity about fishing ethics, let's hear more about your actual fishing adventures, and less about your opinions.
Ok! I'm out of this?? C-Hawk your July post of 2016 mentioned that you "where having better luck with lake trout survival"?? I've never said anything about "our ethics of fishing for salmon deeper than 40 feet" ?? I'm only a part time outdoor writer and I've never used it to make myself "some sort of expert"?
I carefully research information from qualified fisheries professionals. You seem to have a hard time excepting that information , which indicates that you have set yourself as the "expert"? I hope you aren't representative of too many Champlain trollers? Sorry to have set you off on your vindictive tirade?
Dick
Dick you had an entire 4 page thread last summer that was this same argument about summer salmon ethics, where you argued that fishermen who catch and release were basically immoral for the fact that they could be killing fish. I don't think anyone has a goal of attacking you or your ideas, but your posts on this subject often come across as holier than thou. Below is a reminder of the thread from last year.
