I sent emails to some knowledgable people to get their feedback on this but thought I would post it here to see what kind of response I get. Basically here's the question:

Although it's good to haul fish and handle them when the water is cool due to higher levels of oxygen and less stress, I have at least one source that tells be below a certain temp bluegill and bass are prone to fungus problems if handled and hauled. I believe it's below 50 F.? Anybody ever hear this? Alledgedly their immune systems are not at optimum levels and they have problems regaining slime, fighting injuries etc. from handling.

On the flip side I understand fish are in better shape in the fall after feeding sll summer vs. little or no feeding after a long winter of little or no feeding.

I have someone that wants my large smallmouth now, but I would prefer for various reasons to wait until spring when water temps are a little warmer. Pond temps here are in the 40's and dropping.

Thoughts?

I'm not that knowledgeable, but I know the following...

1. I've never lost any bluegill to my knowledge from cool water hauling over short distances. I've hauled them all the way down to 32 degrees. They were laying almost flat on their sides on the bottom of the tank and all recovered nicely, but this was only for about three hours.

2. My striped bass hybrids were transported in really cool water, and many developed a greenish fungus and died.

Thanks Bruce! As far as losing the bluegils immediately I would think that wouldh't happen with the fungus. It would take several days to weeks wouldn't it?

Losing BG to fungus could take a month or more if the water is close to 39F or lower.

Yes indeed, but these fish went into a pond that I could sample later on, and they all showed up the next year. I would bet that fungus might have been a problem if I would have tried to move them at higher density, or if I would have handled them with a seine. Instead I caught these fish with hook and line and barely even touched them before they went in the tank. Would it stand to reason that the fungus starts in areas where the fish was bumped or jostled in some way?

HI All,

Anyone ever try to follow proven guides for hauling fish?.

People do make a living at this, as there are live fish haulers, along with all of the Aquaculture based farms that do live haul.

Mort's are usually very rare because they cant sell dead fish Unlike Cecil

Oh Gee, I was at one star earlier, went back to three, and probably lost them all. Oh Well

Phil,

There are people here that haul fish and have hauled fish and I contacted them. Bob Lusk, Todd Overton etc. It's just that I just emailed them and it's too soon to get a reply. I thought it would interesting to get this up on the site so everyone could get answers.

That said I have numerous texts that talk about hauling fish. None address this specific issue of hauling or moving bass and bluegills in cold water. However I have seen one pub that talks about fungus issues with handling bass in cold water which is why I brought this up. One fish supplier in Illinois, Mike Robinson of Keystone hatcheries told me once temps get down below 50 they not only stop feeding their bass they will not handle them. But conversely my largemouth supplier in Michigan seines his ponds at ice out and says as long as the bass get some feed before moving they are fine.

And I have hauled fish on several occasions, and some long distances up to 21 hours. Virgina to Indiana. Nebraska to Indiana, Indiana to Missouri, and Northern Wisconsin to Indiana. Aerators and oxygen. Haven't lost a fish yet. So I'm not totally green but I still want to learn everything I can.

Phil,
No one person or proven guideline could have all the answers for hauling fish. A famous pond boss quote I have picked up on is "IT ALL DEPENDS". I know that in my experience with fish, I sometimes prove proven guidelines WRONG.

I could not get HSB this fall because my supplier said they develop fungus too easy once the water temps cool down. I have moved crappie, bass, and bluegill that I have caught through the ice from one pond to the other. About 30 miles, I always figured they all lived because a crappie population was established, but I have no way of knowing if the bass or bluegill survived because they were already established.

I delivered muskie, walleye, trout, and fatheads around central illinois all day yesterday. Here are some pics

Here are a couple of replies to my emails if anyone is interested. I hope Todd and Bob don't mind.


I have very little experience moving black bass in water less than 50F. Our water temps normally don't stay below 50F for long during the winter. I think a lot of it depends on how you harvest and handle these fish.

For example, HSBs are susceptible to fungal infections with water temps in the 50s. We've had significant problems after seining HSBs in cool weather, but we can harvest them rod/reel or with the shocking boat with good results. Just remember to use salt at around .5 - 1% in your transport water.

Yes, the fish should handle better in fall, than in late winter.

Todd

Cecil,
Handling bass in cold water and leaving them in cold water can absolutely lead to fungus problems. If their slime coat is compromised in any way, they can fungus. But, if they are moved from cold water, handled properly, medicated and moved to warmer water, there's not nearly the problems.
Lusk

When I was a young boy my dad took me ice fishing. We would catch a bunch of yellow perch and toss them on the ice where they would freeze solid.

When we headed home we picked them up and put them in a 5 gallon bucket. After an hour drive home we got the bucket out of the back of the truck and dumped them on the basement floor by the drain to “soften up for cleaning”.

After getting out of our sub-zero clothes and having something to eat we headed downstairs for fish cleaning.

I would put a couple of those perch in the 5 gallon bucket with some water and they would un-thaw and start swimming around.

Does this answer the question?

Cecil,
I have been catching trout at a State park for the last 10 years during the winter and hualing them 40 miles in nothing more than a 5 gallon bucket to stock at a relatives farm. I have had very few die over the years from the trip and never seen any dead in the pond after the transport. I guess if you dont handle them too much and mess up there protective slime coating they are fine.

I had another instance that I bought some golden shiners for bait and stored them in the creek in my back yard and within 24 hours they had fungus all over them, within 48 hours they all had expired.

Brian,

With the fungus it doesn't kill fish right away so you won't see any die on the trip. Like Bill said it may not mannifest itself for weeks even months.

As far as trout, I believe since they are a coldwater fish they are more resistant to coldwater fungus. The way I understand it a fish that is being held in water that is much below their optimum metabolism is more prone to facultative pathogens because their immune system is not working full steam.

Like Bob and Todd said though much if it has to do with possible injuries or removal of the protective slime coating on fish.

No.

My post was directed at short term to long term effects vs. if they would just survive the experience. You would not see life threatening fungus on fish right away after ice fishing.

CB1,

Sometimes a loosely related story surfaces from the depths of my mind. Sorry.

Dwight,

No problem. Been there done that with fish after ice fishing. I have to wonder though what their survial rate would be if you put them into a tank. I'll bet one or two days tops. It's just too much of a temp change.

cecil the weather here today is supposed to be a high of 70 and a low of 47. Do you think that weather like this is warm enough to haul black bass or should I wait until spring? Is it warm enough in the late afternoon when it is in the seventies?

What's the water temp? 50 to 70 would be safe i would think.

More importantly, james, why do you need to transport LMB?

Don't you already have enough?

James check your water temps.(in all places keep the temp near = , from - to and moving locations). My guess is they are about 55 F. I agree with CB1 that those temps are good for moving LMB.