Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Catch and release fishing deaths

I was reading a few studies that indicated 10-20% of bass caught and released still end up dying. So if in a season on my 4 acre pond if I catch and release 200 lbs of bass I should expect 20-40 lbs of those fish to die.

Do y'all account for this when managing your harvest from your ponds?

I have had very few released fish die. But I also don't release fish that I don't think will make it ( injured fish i.e. Bleeding or deep hooked).

Most of our fishing currently is for RBT. We lose very few, you can usually tell when they're not going to make it and they go to the pan. I stop the fishing for them when the water gets warm, end of July through beginning of September. Stressing them in warm water is much harder on them than when it's cooler/cold. No barbs or trebles here either. Have had a number that swallowed the hook, especially when little kids are fishing. Cut the line and let them go. Quite often will catch them again with the little tag of line still sticking out until the hook dissolves. I guess what I'm getting at it, there are a number of ways to limit loss of released fish.

matty,

LMB of bigger size is more what you should be worried about.... at least I think. LMB of 1 to 5 pounds if put back in the water right away and handled right I think will be just fine... When you start getting into the larger more older fish is when these mortalities start to occur more often... Fish of that size fight like mad and sometimes just get to stressed out and cant make it even though they looked ok when you let them go... And given the fact that you really can't age how old exactly that 6 plus pound fish is... without killing it, it may very well be on it's last leg... Heck you could have some very old 4 and 5 pound lmb that were just stunted and never got to there size potential.... You just never know... I also think in the heat of the summer months they may die easier as well. Warm/Hot pond water and a worn out large fish sometimes equals death...

That's why IMO that when I see folks throwing back record size old fish because they want them to live on well it may make you feel good releasing it and putting a plastic one on your wall but in actuality I think a lot of those fish die anyway you just don't see it.... that's just my opinion tho...



RC

I think a LOT of the mortalities are how the fish are handled. Remove the hook quick, don't drag it around on the bank, don't let it flop around in the boat, wet hands when holding it, don't hold a large bass by it's lower lip like the glory shots on the fishing shows.

30 seconds max out of the water, use 2 hands to support the fish, etc., etc. If it's bleeding, I take it out. I'd rather see it end up in the frying pan than to see it floating a week later.

And limit the time the "fight" drags out while playing the fish. And if you intend to take photos, have a system in place whereby you can release the fish into a cage or tank filled with fresh pond water while you set up the camera, etc.





And don't drop them on concrete.