I caught some YP last week and when I pulled em out they were very pale. However after they laid out on the snow for awhile they regained their color. Is this just because they have been deprived of sunlight (we have had heavy snow cover for at least 6 or 7 weeks) ? Also interesting is that it was in the low 20s and they froze quickly. When we brought em in I put em in the sink full of cold water to thaw em out to fillet and several of em started to swim around. Now these fish were froze for an hour or so. Bob-O
When I lived in Rhienlander WI I used to catch Walleye that would freeze solid within the time it took to rebait my tip-ups. I would take them into the house, throw them in the sink and in about 10 minutes they would be flipping out of the sink. Tonite I caught 7 nice perch within 15-20 minutes took some pics and put em back in the hole nose first. Every one swam down, no problem. The first winter my pond was filling I would bring home 7"-10" bluegill and red-ear from a state pond in 2 5 gallon buckets and all of them to my knowledge survived the 3-8 hours between catching them and releasing them in my pond. Of course never put more than 6 or 7 to a bucket. All the big granddaddys in my pond are from the stockings that first winter.
( The granddad bluegill that is) These big girls are here thanks to Mr Cecil Baird
