Muskie Catch & Release Procedures
By:
Andrew Ragas
Date Posted: October 30, 2012
Every
once in a while, I receive reader
feedback pertaining to past stories,
write-ups, video, and photos. One in
particular, which was received earlier
this morning, is my underwritten topic
concerning the catch and release aspect
of musky fishing. The procedure of a
quick catch-photo-release and the
necessary care given to the release of
your delicate catch is a subject that I
have never deeply written about in any
of my blogs or articles.
Message
received from Bill M. of Massachusetts,
as follows:
Proper
muskie netting – handling – release
process
“I’ve been fishing muskies for years
in WI before moving to MA.
A
few weeks ago, returned to Iron
County Wisconsin and caught a few
muskies on a Shimino 4000 FJ
spinning reel loaded with 50#
Cortland Master… Yep, I’ve been
reading your articles on line etc.
Anyway, like I was taught, I netted
my muskies, hauled them into the
boat where they bashed all over the
place, until I could get ‘em settled
to remove the lure, take a snap, and
release them… one of them took about
ten minutes of nursing in the water
till he stayed upright on his own
and finned back into the depths….
left me thinking, has to be a better
way to protect them after netting
them.
I
looked at your galleries, and
noticed how you keep the Frabill net
over the boat’s gunnel and control
the fish with your left hand wearing
a mesh glove and using pliers with
your right hand to remove the lure
while the fish is in the net still
draped into the lake water… has to
be easier on the fish.
It would be really useful to shoot a
video on your netting-lure
removal-fish lift for pix, and
release process… it would really
promote protecting muskies from
being mishandled and injured before
release.
Just an idea to consider.”
I could
make a video, but usually when I land a
musky, my boat is in pure mayhem as we
try to stay organized and work quickly
with the fish in order to get it back
swimming. Instead, all I can do about it
is write a response.
Catching
and releasing large fish isn’t rocket
science. ALL species of fish require
different levels and methods of care to
ensure successful release. This includes
small ones, large ones, and even world
records. Because this subject has been
written about so extensively by world
renown musky experts and anglers of all
skill levels, each individual angler’s
methods and procedures may differ. The
steps and answers you may have read
about proper catch and release might
have been based upon the angler’s
personal experiences and opinion. My
procedures of catch and release aren’t
much different as they only differ in
tactics and style that cater to myself
and the survival of the muskies I catch.
In my
opinion, there is no right or wrong way
to release a fish. The common objective
of every catch and release musky angler
is to make sure the fish survives being
caught, and survives following release.
To me, the only methods that matter in
the successful release of the catch is
minimal handling. This includes avoiding
fin damage due to the net and mishaps,
never lifting the fish out of water and
into the boat for anything but bump
board measurement and photograph, and
over-excessive photography. During the
catch and release procedure, both the
angler and fish are on a time limit.
Minimal handling and fast, efficient
release ultimately prevents delayed
mortality (including lactic acid
buildup), the silent musky killer, from
taking place.
Without
making myself look like the musky
police, and to give readers a better
understanding of how I quickly and
carefully get my fish back into the
water without harm, I would like to
share the most common steps I do to
ensure the adequate release of these
freshwater sea monsters.
Be
prepared. Have a plan.
1 –
Minimize fight. Net head-first.
51
inch musky netted with Frabill Pro-Formance
Net – Teardrop Tangle Free Weighted
Nylon.
Muskies
are frequently lost at boatside due to
improper netting. Likewise, muskies can
also be harmed when poorly netted as,
depending upon net type and material,
fish are prone to tangle themselves thus
making hook removal increasingly
difficult. This is frequently common in
cheap aluminum and mesh nets that offer
fish and their fins ZERO protection as
they thrash themselves around in the
bag.
Mesh
nets are awful. Burn them or dispose at
your convenience.
A good
net job is the first step to ensure a
good release, and both steps work
together hand in hand. A good net job is
as good as a successful release. Be in
control of the fight and the way you
will handle the fish. Always net the
fish head first as it minimizes hook and
fish tangles, and prevents fin and
bodily damage. Until the fish is
completely unhooked and ready for quick
photograph, always keep it in the water.
For
anglers who wade rivers to muskies,
leave the nets in your boat, for they
are unnecessary. A Boca Grip or any
comparable fish gripping tool is
efficient and essential for a good
landing job as the fish can still be
kept in the water at all times.
2 – Have
ALL release tools available, and
conveniently located.
Majority
of my musky fishing takes place in boat.
Sometimes it also takes place while
wading rivers and shallow lakes. I
always keep my release tools
conveniently located within arms reach
of my casting deck, or in a small carry
on bag while I wade.
Such
tools to consider for musky fishing are
long-nose pliers, needle nose pliers,
bolt/hook cutters, jaw spreaders, and
handling gloves. With the exception of
handling gloves, all of these tools
should be requirements to have.
The
worst mistake any catch and release
musky angler can make is not having
these tools available for hook removal.
Being unprepared is every angler’s worst
nightmare.
Without
pliers, the fishes jaws may become
damaged during hook extraction…… Without
a good pair of bolt cutters such as
Knipex ($45+), that fish might as well
die from hooks penetrating through its
gills….. And without jaw spreaders, good
luck accessing past the fishes sharp
jaws in order to reach into its mouth.
All of
these tools are kept in my boat at all
times. I even bring them with when
wading too.
You will
notice that I frequently sport a
handling glove on either my right or
left hand as I remove hooks and then
pose for a photo. Although they aren’t
bullet-proof towards sharp hooks and
preventing hook injuries from taking
place, they are important to me as they
preserve my hands and prevent me for
receiving cuts against sharp teeth and
gill rakers. If these gloves come with
palm and finger grips, they may aid you
in holding and gripping the fish.
However, usually the slimy nature of
muskies will deny you of that. For those
of you interested in handling gloves, I
recommend the Bass Pro Shops “Offshore
Angler” brand which are available in
different sized pairs for $10.
3 – Keep
fish in water at ALL TIMES during hook
removal. NEVER bring into boat.
ALWAYS
keep the fish in the net, and in the
water during hook removal. Who knows how
long it can take to remove hooks….. It
can happen either instantly in seconds,
or in minutes. The worst thing anglers
can do is to bring the entire fish into
the boat and drop it to the floor and
let it thrash and beat itself up while
you struggle you extract hooks. By doing
so, injuries will happen to not only the
fish but yourselves.
By
keeping the fish in water during hook
removal, stress to the fish is minimal
and almost nonexistent in comparison to
if it was flopping on the boat’s floor.
With all
hook removal aside, two of the biggest
stressors to muskies are warm water
temperatures (75 and up), and big waves.
Warm water greatly contributes to
delayed mortality, and this is lethal to
fish that have been stressed from a
prolonged fight and difficult hook
removal. Fish handling should always be
minimized, but when surface temperatures
exceed 75 degrees, it can be lethal to
muskies as lactic acid has a propensity
to build up within the fish, thus
resulting in death. In addition to warm
temperatures, waves pose a problem as
well. Large waves stress muskies because
in these conditions it’s difficult for
muskies to maintain their surface
equilibrium during revival and release.
A quick
boatside hook removal leads to a faster
revival and safe release. Outside of
some photographs and bump board
measurements, there is absolutely no
reason why any muskie should leave the
water for the interior of your boat.
4 – Quick
photo.
Have a
photographer be ready with camera before
you are ready for a photograph with the
fish. If fishing by yourself, have a
self-timer camera tripod system
conveniently set-up in your boat. Keep
the delicate fish out of the water for
not more than 10 to 20 seconds…. Or in
certain adverse conditions such as warm
surface temoeratures, don’t bring them
out of water at all….. Have your
photographer snap away by taking several
candid shots along with the one money
shot. When ready with the fish, pose for
the classic shot before proceeding onto
the revival and release.
Unless
you really wanted to be blasted by the
musky police and then be frowned upon
(yes they exist and it does happen
lots), NEVER hold fish vertically by
jaws or gill plate, hanging from a
stringer, gaffe or gripper tool. Hold
muskies horizontally or at the very most
a 60 to 75 degree angle, always
supporting the fishes weight with your
free non-gripper hand.
5 –
Patiently revive fish. Flow oxygenated
water through its gills until it swims
away.
This is
the last step for a successful release.
Remember
to hold the fish steady and straight by
the tail with one hand and using the
other to gently balance under its belly.
Be patient. Regardless of water
temperatures and conditions, always
revive it before letting it go.
Sometimes muskies will swim away
instantaneously while other times the
revival can take up to 10 minutes or
more.
Slowly
move the fish back and forth to ensure
its gill plates are moving and absorbing
oxygen. When the fish retains its
strength and maintains its upright
position, it becomes ready to let go.
Let the fish tell you when it’s ready to
swim away before reaching any
assumptions that it is. When the
pectoral fins and tail begin powering
again, you are free to let it go so it
can grow.
In our
freshwater lakes and rivers, muskies are
at the top of the food chain and one of
the meanest and most elusive predators
swimming around. This is why many
anglers cherish catching them. But when
in the presence of anglers, and captive
in nets, they become fragile, delicate
fish.
My goal
with this post is to get readers and
musky anglers of all skill levels
familiar with an adequate and successful
catch and release procedure for muskies.
With angler awareness and education, the
quality of fisheries improve, and the
health of caught and released muskies
are maintained.
