Pond Boss Forums MANAGING AN EXISTING POND Evaluating and adjusting fish populations Evaluating New Pond and New Fish

Good fish farmers tell me some fish species handle a lot better in cooler or cold water compared to warm water 60F-75Ftemps. They also say some species tolerate handling better in warmer water 60+F to 74F. There should be a list of this type of information on PB Forum.

Boondogg says "I think handling fish at low water temps would be a stressor for them with impacts to the slime coat on the fish."

IMO the colder the water the less active the invader bacteria and viruses are for colonizing the body area that lacks slime. Bacteria and virus are a lot less active in cooler conditions - thus the refrigerator. Bacterial infections are one of the big causes or contributors of fish deaths.

Anytime for what ever reason when a fish is removed or pulled out of the water there are new types of stressors upon that fish. Fish are weightless animals while in water and when out of water they are influenced by gravity and being slapped on the ground is probably highly stressful for them. When fish are handled there is always some form of slime removal from slight to rubbing, dropping or laying that fish on the ground, dock, or boat bottom. Those out of water surfaces contain murids of bacteria waiting for a host.
Slime is the immune system for fish. Removal any form of body slime exposes the area to bacterial / viral invasion. As noted above temperature influences activity of bacteria. Careful handling of fish out of water hopefully removes a minimal amount of slime that can usually be fairly quickly replaced by a healthy well fed fish. Sometimes big fish are left in the water as they are unhooked and released. IMO holding and unhooking a fish in a net while in the water would cause the least amount of stress. I am told rubber landing nets are best for careful handling of fish and not getting hooks caught in the netting. One idea for sampling your LMB would to take the most care for the larger individuals that you catch during sampling measuring efforts. Less acre can then be used for smaller fish. The more the fish are exposed to the effects of angling the more hook shy they become.

I had a visitor Saturday catching TP. The topic of TP & fish getting hook smart came up. The angler has a dog. I asked her what would happen if she imbedded a hook in a chink of hot dog and the dog ate it and then she drug or jerked the dog around by a cord attached to the hook. What type of positive or negative experience would this impart to the dog?. How soon do you think it be eager to eat another chunk of hot dog?

Tuesday I will try and call my best and smartest fish fish grower to get his opinion and experiences for the best temperature/s for handling LMB.