I have mentioned proper handling catch and release HSB several times on various threads of the PB forum before, but with Theo�s excellent data consolidation of summer mortality of HSB, it may be appropriate to summarize once again.
Two main issues:
1. Use tackle heavy enough to land fish quickly. I use a minimum of 12# leader on a 5wt fly rod and 16# test on a 9wt. This sometimes causes fish to be leader shy but I had rather not catch a fish than kill a fish. The same line sizes would apply to spin and casting gear.
2. Resuscitate your fish in an aerated live well � this is such a simple concept that I took for granted that everyone knew. Every bass/fishing boat manufactured in the last 20 years have aerated fish/bait live wells � some quite sophisticated.
I further cite personal communication from a fly fishing guide friend on lake Texoma about the use of oxygen under extreme hot weather conditions to resuscitate HSB:
�Some time in the mid 90's bait became very scarce and a couple of the guides out of Mill Creek set up an oxygen system like yours. They used big tubs (watering trough's) and super oxgenated the water like you are doing. There goal was when they found shad to catch as many as they could and hold them over for a week or two. Shad held over exceptionally well and were super lively for an extended period. ie. they found them hard to net to take out of the troughs and put in their bait tanks! With the warming trend that started a year or so later, bait became easy and because of the added cost of the oxygen and large quantities of salt and bait saver necessary for the big tanks they stopped using this system. I bet it will work fine to suit your needs. You don't need a large tank, nor any chemicals to rescisistate your hsb's, just a shot of pure oxygen.�
[IMG]
Some times we take for granted that everyone knows simple concepts, but that is not always the case.
I should state my credentials that I have been reluctant to do because HSB in small ponds is a new experience for me and I have been in a learning mode, having benefited from knowledgeable and experienced HSB growers such as Bill Cody, Bruce Condello and others.
My experience lies primarily in salt-water fishing, and when I discovered Lake Texoma, and striped bass became my favorite lake and sport fish.
I am sure that most of you know that striped bass are an anadromous salt-water species that have been successfully transplanted into fresh water reservoirs.
The Red River that composes the western arm of the Lake Texoma, traverses gypsum outcrops and is fed by numerous upstream salt springs. Having a high salt content, it is one of the few lakes that have prolific spawns each year, and is well known for numbers of stripers caught annually.
The Hybrid Striped Bass is a cross between a striped bass x white bass (Palmetto bass) or a reciprocal white bass x striped bass cross (Sunshine bass). The white bass is a hardy species that survives in almost any extreme water condition, causing the HSB to be a much hardier species that it striped bass parent.
Since my experience of some 25 years fishing for striped bass, my HSB program has heavily depended on the striped bass analogy.
I kept records of each trip, sometimes as many as 100/year, some in detail - others not, from 1989 � 2000, noting air temps, near surface water temps, water clarity, numbers and locations of fish caught, kept or released. I soon realized that each year became more predictable and record keeping ceased.
Development of my fly tying innovations and tackle/techniques have been cited in three national and one Australian fly-fishing publication.
My flies and techniques are noted on two national fly fishing websites and one
Australian, and are in use in many places around the world.
These references area available to anyone by personal message.
Pardon the rambling, but I believe it important to document the potential of HSB in small ponds, which are proving to be hard fighting with low mortality, when grown and handled under the correct procedures.
