I hope I’m not opening a can of worms with this question but I am curious if there really is a right way to land and hold a redfish.
A couple days ago I was on folly beach watching these guys catch a bunch of large redfish and they looked like they know how to catch them really well. But when they got them close to the surf this one guy kept putting this fish grabber weight teller thing in their lower lip and then walking down the beach with them hanging on this thing to his cart to take pictures. Then they would let them go. I am not an expert of fish survival but has there been a study done on a fish that big (these were the big ones) hanging like that? Or am I wrong and Redfish are just as tough as they fight? Maybe I’m way over thinking. I just notice for the most part the guys on the pier almost baby them in a way with no weight grabber thing…
I don’t know about the redfish. I have very limited experience with saltwater fish, but I do know that you can break a big largemouth’s jaw by suspending all of it’s weight that way. Also, we catch and release the largemouth as quickly as possible to increase their chances of survival. There are loads of good tasting perch, bream, catfish and crappie on Murray. That’s what I’m after and maybe the occasional striper, or largie gets kept if I can’t catch a mess of panfish. By the way are the reds good to eat or do you fish for them just for fun? I’m serious and curious with this question. I know there is some kind of slot limit on them, but don’t know how it works. I’m also not trying to open a can of worms, just curious.
From what I’ve seen the champs on the pier are very quick to get the fish out and back in the water. If the hook can’t easily be removed, it’s cut. One or two quick pictures and back in the net for recovery.
Common sense and education goes a long way. Lip gripping a huge fish is obviously a bad idea. That doesn’t mean it never happens, but you can be sure it doesn’t on the pier.
I haven’t seen any study on release mortality on this subject and am wondering if there are any? Maybe Barbawang knows? You will hear howls of disapproval when you see people doing it but I don’t know if there is any science to back it up. It sure seems like a bad thing to do. But, lots of people do it. I really don’t think they know any better most of the time. People with conservation in mind will handle them carefully, vent them if needed, get them back in the water quickly, and revive them fully before releasing. I am always careful with my fish, but how much it matters with a redfish, I really don’t know…
Maybe it’s overkill, but we have gotten to the point where we leave the fish on the beach, take a pic there and release it.
Just like in the pic of this 42"er I caught the other day.
That just applies to beach caught fish.
Fish caught at depth, brought into the boat etc are a different matter.
Venting may be required etc.
Do as little harm as possible and get them back in the water ASAP.
“Watch what we do, not what we say.” John Mitchell
Sea Hunt Triton 202
Yammy 150
They are so good to eat that the species was put under severe pressure from overfishing as a result of the “Blackened Redfish Craze” back in the 1980’s.
“Watch what we do, not what we say.” John Mitchell
Sea Hunt Triton 202
Yammy 150
