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Anglers working
smaller water on foot might forgo lugging a net streamside. However, as
Dan Summerville illustrates while removing the hook from an Anchor River
steelhead, they can still practice sound catch-and-release by utilizing
barbless hooks, handling the fish as little as possible, and never
removing it from the water. © Troy Letherman |
Alaska is one of the premier sport-fishing destinations in
the world. With huge halibut, gorgeous char, trophy-sized rainbow trout, and
all five species of Pacific salmon readily available, choices truly abound.
From roadside king salmon fisheries for the budget-minded, to exotic,
world-class fly-in lodges, the state has something for everyone.
While resident anglers have enjoyed this resource for decades, word is now
out: Alaska is the place for great sport fishing, and tourism is
consequently on the rise. Major international airlines provide daily service
to Anchorage, the state’s largest city, and several modern highways put good
fishing just a short rental car drive away. Even small, pristine lakes,
rivers, and streams deep in the Alaska Bush are easily accessible with the
recent growth of private air charter services. Throw in numerous line-class
and all-tackle world records, and there is little reason to ask why anglers
from across the globe flock to our great state.
With an obvious increase in demand and vast improvements in transportation
and access, one can’t help but wonder, “How can Alaska continue to provide
great sport fishing for the future?” Gear-specific regulations such as “no
bait, single hook” can cut success rates tremendously, while shortened
seasons and closures during certain hours or days often create congested
fisheries. Regulating harvest with restrictive limits certainly cuts
mortality, but a conscientious outdoorsman takes only what he or she truly
needs anyway. So, how does one maximize opportunity yet still limit harvest?
The obvious answer is catch-and-release.
At this point, it must be stressed that there is a huge difference between
catch-and-release and proper catch-and-release. Some fishermen may consider
grabbing a small Dolly Varden mid-body, nearly squeezing the guts out of it,
ripping the hook free, and then tossing the fish back into the water as
catch-and-release. However, the educated angler knows that the end result of
a sloppy release is often the death of the very fish he intended to
preserve, ultimately defeating the purpose. In fact, mortality rates of
released fish can drop dramatically when anglers follow a few simple but
important guidelines.
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Many traditional nets present
problems for catch-and-release anglers, as a thrashing fish can entangle
itself in the net and make efficient release difficult. Thus, many
catch-and-release advocates urge not using a net when possible. © Greg
Brush
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Proper catch-and-release really starts before the fish is even landed. A
fisherman should know his or her intentions and have a game plan prepared
ahead of time. A pre-rehearsed and well-orchestrated procedure, established
prior to the actual hookup, will ensure that things go smoothly. When
fishing with a friend, talk the plan over, discussing roles and
responsibilities. While aggressively battling the fish, the angler should
quickly decide whether to keep or release it. Any fish intended to be
released should be landed as promptly as possible, avoiding over-exhaustion
and the ensuing build-up of potentially lethal levels of lactic acid.
The serious catch-and-release fisherman has the proper tools readily
accessible. A somewhat simple or even crude looking de-hooking device can be
amazingly effective for releasing a feisty fish unharmed. There are a number
of such tools available commercially, or anglers can make their own, as most
consist of nothing more than a blunt wire hook mounted on a handle.
Likewise, needle-nose pliers perform a myriad of functions, from pinching
barbs to twisting large hooks free.
Personally, I have found it wise to bring at least two sets of pliers or
hemostats along when I intend to practice catch-and-release, as one pair
will invariably end up in the water as the combination of wet hands and a
thrashing fish often makes the release more challenging than it initially
appears. Once, after fighting a large Kenai king for nearly 20 minutes, I
leaned over the gunnel of my sled to twist the big 7/0 hook from his
grizzled maw, only to have the still ornery buck shake his head and knock
the stainless pliers from my hand. Locating my split ring pliers, I prepared
to try again with the makeshift implement, only to have the confused fish
repeat the plier-removing slash. Fortunately, one of my clients was well
prepared and loaned me his trusty Leatherman tool for a third and successful
attempt at releasing the noble fighter. I learned a valuable lesson that
day: Always be prepared with backup tools!
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Specially designed
catch-and-release nets can help secure and control your catch while you
tend to the task at hand, ultimately resulting in a quicker release and
minimal stress on the fish. The improved design of these nets includes
larger hoops that make netting a “hot” fish easier and shallow, rubber
baskets that resist tangling while insuring your catch swims off with
all of its protective slime intact. The nets come in a variety of sizes,
from those designed for the largest of salmon to those perfect for
smaller trout and Dolly Varden.
© Troy Letherman
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Scissors and a quality pair of wire cutters are also important
catch-and-release tools, since you’ll want to always avoid a full-scale
wrestling match with your trophy. If the hook is difficult to remove, simply
cut the line at the hook rather than damage the fish with rough and
unnecessary handling. If the fish is hooked deeply, the prudent angler will
sometimes cut the hook shank on their favorite spinner, spoon, or plug,
allowing the fish to swim off and eventually work the remaining hook out on
its own.
Anglers intending to engage in catch-and-release fishing might also consider
purchasing a net designed specifically for the practice. Some advocate never
netting a fish one intends to release, but I feel that new and improved net
designs can help secure and control your catch while you tend to the task at
hand, ultimately resulting in a quicker release and minimal stress on the
fish. The larger hoops on these nets make capturing a “hot” fish easier, and
the shallow rubber baskets resist tangling while insuring that your catch
swims off with all of its protective slime intact. Nets might not always be
the best way to care for fish that are to be released, but larger, more
powerful fish (such as big kings) are better dealt with after being secured
in a net. Attempting to remove a hook from an uncontrolled king creates the
potential for an injury that’s fatal to the fish. With one poorly timed
slash of the unsecured salmon’s head, for example, a gill raker can be
ripped.
Memorializing the catch brings up other concerns. While everybody enjoys a
photo of their trophy, occasionally it is just not possible. Again, the
welfare of the fish must be the angler’s primary concern, and no ethical
sportsman would attempt to take a photo in unfavorable conditions. First of
all, resist the temptation to bring a fish that you intend to release into
the boat, as the fish can seriously injure itself as it flails around in a
state of panic (Try visualizing a literal rendition of the old adage, “Like
a fish out of water!”). Likewise, bank fishermen should never drag a fish up
onto the sand or rocks unless they intend to retain it. Instead, get in the
water with your prize.
Try to avoid the gill area entirely when you grab the fish;
fingers in the gills are a death sentence. Also, never hold a live fish
vertically from the tail, as this can pop the vertebrae and disks, causing
spinal cord damage and even internal bleeding along the spine. Rather, with
wet hands or gloves (again to protect the fish’s bacteria-fighting slime),
place one hand around the tail wrist and the other under its belly,
supporting and controlling the fish. Only when the photographer is focused
and ready should the fish be lifted, and then only to the water’s edge for a
second or two, just long enough to snap a quality picture (Be aware that in
many parts of Alaska, regulations state that certain fish intended to be
released may not be removed from the water). Run a common cloth tape along
your prize for a quick length and girth measurement, and you have gathered
enough info to preserve your catch forever!
For huge fish, like many king salmon, getting a decent photo prior to
release opens up another can of worms and often necessitates enlisting some
teamwork from fellow anglers. Getting assistance from friends in your own
boat goes without saying, but don’t hesitate to ask a stranger either. When
dealing with big fish on big water (such as king salmon on the Kenai River)
many guides have resorted to politely asking a nearby boater to take a few
snapshots as both boats drift downriver together. Once the salmon is
successfully released and things settle down a bit, the swapping of names,
addresses, and even film can be arranged (for this reason, it can be wise to
carry a roll or two of new film to barter with).
Finally, whenever possible, you should revive your fish before releasing it.
Recharging a tired fish is usually as simple as gently cradling it in the
water, allowing it to get its bearings and catch its breath. In a river
system, it is important to face the fish into the current. If no running
water is available, gently move the fish back and forth, thereby forcing
fresh, oxygenated water through its gills. A played-out fish, lying on its
side too exhausted to support its own weight should be revived until it is
fully able to swim off under its own power.
Catch-and-release fishing in Alaska is becoming increasingly popular, and as
the number of anglers visiting our waters continues to grow, it’s becoming
increasingly important as well. Granted, my family and I enjoy a fresh
barbequed fillet, lavishly dressed in butter, lemon, and dill, as much as
the next person, but genuine reasons to kill a trophy fish are dwindling
fast. Armed with two simple measurements and a decent photo of the fish’s
exact coloration and particular markings, any skilled taxidermist can create
a fiberglass replica mount worthy of the title “fine art.” And if bragging
rights necessitate you knowing the weight of that lunker fish, rest assured
that refined, species-specific formulas are more accurate than some scales.
Plus, believe it or not, catch-and-release fishing can be just as fulfilling
as returning from the stream with a stringer full of fish. As you watch your
magnificent trophy swim free, you will likely be overwhelmed with pride and
emotion, and justly so. Not only did you catch a special fish, but you had
the foresight and maturity to release it in good shape, letting it live to
fight another day. More importantly, you allowed it to fulfill its destiny
to potentially create more trophies for the future.
Yes, except where mandated by state agencies, catch-and-release is a
personal decision. When practiced, you alone make a conscious decision and a
genuine effort to preserve and protect a big part of why Alaska is often
referred to as the Great Land. By doing it right, you help make sure future
generations are allowed the same choice.
Greg Brush, a Kenai and Kasilof river guide for the past 15 years, has been
a contributing editor for Fish Alaska since the magazine’s inception. He
lives in Soldotna with his wife and two daughters and spends his off-seasons
working to preserve the area’s wild fish populations.
WEIGHT
CALCULATION FORMULA
The ability to be a bit “generous” in your weight approximation is one
of the many benefits of catch-and-release. After all, once your catch
swims free…it can be as big as you want, right?
Seriously though, the advent of reliable and accurate weight-calculating
formulas makes the need to guess-timate the weight of your trophy a
thing of the past.
Dr. Francis Estalilla (AKA the fishNphysician) is a tireless and
outspoken advocate of catch-and-release. Over the past ten years he has
spent countless hours at a public boat launch weighing, measuring, and
documenting every dead Kenai River king he could get his tape on,
ultimately arriving at the following recipe: weight = (length x girth x
girth)/ 740. This formula was developed specifically for Kenai kings and
has proven to be remarkably accurate over the years. Dr. Estalilla
notes, “For hens, the formula is bang on, within one pound or less of
the actual weight in 95-plus-percent of specimens. For bucks, the
formula is a bit divergent. For fresh tide fish (fat chromers with long
spaghetti sea lice), my formula will tend to slightly under-predict the
weight by one to three percent. For older, blush and fire-engine males
that have slabbed up with tall ridge backs, the formula will tend to
over predict the weight by two to five pounds, depending on the size of
the fish and how skinny it has gotten from side to side.”
There are many formulas based on the same basic equation of length x
girth x girth divided by some constant. The constant will be different
for each species of fish, depending on its overall body shape. Long,
snaky species (such as pike) will have a constant of 800-plus, while a
slightly more full-bodied fish (like a fresh sockeye or silver) will
have a constant of approximately 750. A good conservative formula for
trout, Dollies, and steelhead of average proportions is L x G x G
divided by 775. It is interesting to note that several lodges in the
Bristol Bay area—home of some of the world’s best trophy trout
waters—advocate the 775 divisor for their catch-and-release clients.
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