What to do with dying shorts?
 

So, what's the general way to deal with a short catch that swallowed the hook, gagging up blood and is obviously going to die? I usually only keep what My family and I are going to eat, with exception of trophy fish if that ever happens... That being said, I don't like feeding the dogs and drawing attention either.
I am guessing to the DFG a short is a short though?

Dan

good question, i never know what to do with the short rock fish with their eyes bulging and swim bladder swelled out
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bait

I asked that very question to a warden about 30 years ago and he said to let it go anyways because if it didn't make it, it would feed the crabs and other scavengers. Not sure what their take on it is nowadays.

Their response is still the same. Release it to feed the circle of life. The food chain is what it is.

Shorts are good to keep as long you are willing to pay the fine that's goes with them.
They here every story in the book so back to the seals they go...

usually the seagulls will pick at them till a pelican chokes on it (so much for being smart). just throw it back. it sucks but i'd rather watch a pelican choke like a dumbass than get a $700 fine i cant afford.

You got that right and it's no joke!!!

If the DFG let people keep short fish just because they swallowed the hook you'd see sacks of short fish coming in all the time with jerks claiming every fish they hooked was mortally wounded.

If you can reach the hook take it out, if you can't then cut the line and leave it in. If it's bleeding release it anyway. It's now chum.

It kills me. I caught a 25" wsb off my board last friday. It swallowed the swimbait and was gut hooked. It wasn't in too good of a shape when I let him go and it killed me. Good thing cause the DFG was standing on the rocks when I paddled in.