Whitefish and rockfish from La Jolla on Sunday

[Oolie]

Originally Posted by dsafety

Given the current fishing conditions, I plan to target bottom fish the next time I go out. The problem is that I always release fish that I do not plan to eat.

With that in mind, I would like to ask the question... are you able to effectively release most of these small fish, assuming that you want to?

I remember years ago fishing deep off LJ and having fish come up nearly exploded. I released most of them but I doubt that many survived.

Are there any guidelines about how to make sure a deep fish can returned home? I know that some people send them to the bottom lightly hooked and jerk them free at the appropriate time.

If someone has a tutorial to share on this subject, that would be welcome to me and probably others.

Excellent question, and yes it is possible.


If the Fred Hall Show is not cancelled, there will be a booth there with experts on the subject, who can answer just about any question regarding barotrauma.


To extremely simplify, it is very possible to release fish successfully, the key is to minimize handling and return them to depth ASAP.


There are a number of methods which can do this, the best of which will all utilize weight to overcome the buoyant overinflated air bladder. By using weight to pull fish to deeper water, they are able to return to equilibrium and stay at depth, which is critical to their survival.

[BenCantrell]

It's pretty easy to descend fish with a homemade descending device and a heavy sinker. Here's the one I made for when I fish deeper than the allowable depth for rockfish. A 1+ lb sinker will have no problem taking small to medium fish back down. Bigger fish would probably require 2+ lb sinkers.



With that said, I think you can tell some of the fish aren't going to make it no matter how gently you handle them or how quickly you send them back down.

[summers in kuwait]

DIY Devices will work, as featured above.
The milk crate works well, but can be challenging on a kayak.

Also, you can request a free device here.

Consider donating to support this good organization.

[FISH11]

I use a DIY set up as above using an old large jig head with the barb pinched closed a short line with swivel at the top and a snap clip at the bottom so I can change the weigh size depending on the size of the rock fish. I attach the upper swivel to any of my rod lines that have a snap clip to attach jigs or different leader normally. Holding the rock fish in my palm I put the jig head hook of the back of the gill plate going inside so the weight will pull the fish head first to the depths. Having the reel spool open and the rod in a rod holder or even under one of my legs. I put the weight in the water first and allow it to pull the fish out of my hand and down into the water. Once I think the weight has reached approx 50' or more I engage the reel and pull up fast on the rod to have the jig head come out of the gill plate and the fish is now free to head down the rest of the way down. Here is a Utube video from the Alaska Department of Fish and game showing the same basic procedure using a larger device. On a kayak I prefer the DIY hook or jig head, because it take almost no space and makes it easier to have with you at all times and utilize weights you provably already carry.

[Landlover]

light over hand knot threw the lip of a fish send it down to depth and the a little tug to slide the knot apart

[deptrai]

In Oregon, OCEAN provide these Shelton devices to us for free. They used to ship, but not sure they do anymore.

https://oceaned.org/request-devices/

Dave

[matthew7!]

Originally Posted by Landlover

light over hand knot threw the lip of a fish send it down to depth and the a little tug to slide the knot apart

Do you have a picture? Not sure how to do that?


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[baileybikes]

A single sided shoe-lace knot.

Originally Posted by matthew7!

Do you have a picture? Not sure how to do that?


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