No Fluke

Catch, tag and release your fish

Captain Dave Monti
Posted 4/24/15

Now that the striped bass limit is one fish/angler/day at 28", it is more important than ever before to use good catch and release practices.  Once you fine tune your catch and release tactics …

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No Fluke

Catch, tag and release your fish

Posted

Now that the striped bass limit is one fish/angler/day at 28", it is more important than ever before to use good catch and release practices.  Once you fine tune your catch and release tactics to insure fish you catch have the best chance of surviving why not consider tagging the fish.  Fish tagging programs provide scientist and fish managers with data they need to manage fisheries more effectively.

Three organizations are responsible for most of the tagging in Rhode Island waters and the northeast; they are the American Littoral Society (www.littoralsociety.org), the Hudson River Foundation (www.hudsonriver.org) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (www.fws.gov).    All three groups use catch and release data to study the species… migratory patterns, growth rates, fish stock projections, etc.  The research helps us understand and manage our fishery.  Striped bass are the most popular species tagged; however, fluke and blue fish are commonly tagged as well as a host of other salt and fresh water species.

When you catch a fish with a tag (usually a dorsal loop tag or a belly tag), return it along with recapture information to the address on the tag (or call the toll free number on the tag).  Record pertinent information immediately so you don't forget including species, location, length, weight, the condition of the tag insertion site and any other comments.  The date of the trip, your name and address should be supplied as well.  Some organizations offer incentives to those returning tags and surveys, which include cash awards ($5) and prize drawings. 

One way to enhance survival chances of the fish you catch is to use circle hooks. Circle hooks have been used by commercial fisherman for years.  When long-line fishermen using circle hooks would return to check their hooks… the fish would still be alive, hooked in the jaw or mouth and not in the stomach.  

After a fish swallows a baited circle hook and starts to run, the hook and bait are pulled out of the stomach and slides toward the point of resistance on the fish's jaw or lip and embeds itself in the lip, usually the corner of the fish's mouth.  

Circle hooks successfully hook bass in the mouth 95% of the time.  The trick is not to jerk the rod to set the hook because you could pull the bait and hook right out of the fish's mouth.   Let the fish run, as it does, it will pull the hook out of its stomach and hook itself on the lip.  Once this happens start fighting the fish and reel it in. 

Consider these techniques to enhance your catch and release efforts.

• Use circle hooks; they successfully hook bass in the mouth (not the gut)

• Land fish quickly to minimize stress

• Avoid putting fish on deck and letting it flop around, keep it in the water as much as possible

• Wet your hand before handling the fish, dry hands remove the fish's protective slime layer and leave it open to infection

• Handle fish carefully.  Do not put fingers into gill cavities or eye sockets

• Gently remove the hook to minimize damage

• Use lures with single hook, barbless hooks (I snap them off), or circle hooks (as noted above).

• Return fish to water quickly. Place fish gently in water in upright horizontal position.  Move it back and forth in the water to force water across its gills. Once revived allow fish to swim away.

Capt. Al Anderson is the catch, tag and release King

In February of 2015, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) held their fifth annual Legendary Captains and Crew Awards (LCCA) dinner. The primary criteria for receiving the award is that the captain or crew member must have provided leadership in their trade and have earned the respect of their peers by making a meaningful contribution to the sport of recreational angling over time. 

Recipients received the Tommy Gifford Award at the IGFA Fishing Hall of Fame and museum in Dania Beach, Florida.  This year, Capt. Al Anderson from Rhode Island received the award.   Capt. Anderson was inducted into the IGFA Hall of Fame in 2013. He started charter fishing on the PROWLER out of Snug Harbor Marina in 1967 and started tagging bluefin tuna.

Anderson has tagged more than 60,000 gamefish in his career, and is credited by the IGFA with tagging more fish for science than anyone in the Atlantic. Anderson has authored five books and over a hundred sport fishing articles for regional, national and international magazines.

RISAA tag & release program

The Rhode Island Saltwater Anglers Association (RISAA) is running a tag and release program for members this year.  Contact committee chairman Bob Murray at murry@risaa.org  for information and tagging kits. 

Used tackle sale at Snug Harbor Marina

Snug Harbor Marina, South Kingstown, will hold their annual NU-2-U used tackle sale this Saturday, April 25 and Sunday, April 26.  Elisa Martin of Snug Harbor said, "So much used gear has come in, I am not sure where I am going to put it all, we use the grocery store and that is almost chocked full, a customer came today with a rental trailer full.  We have fluke combos, bass combos, tuna and giant tuna combos, harpoons, gaffs, nets, harnesses, downriggers.  You name it, I'm sure we have it used or new."  For information call 401-783-7766. 

Where's the bite

"Striped bass fishing is on in and around the Pawcatuck River area in Westerly." said Mike Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters, Westerly. "A good place to fish is Misquamicut Beach which has a fairly good bite now.  They are school size fish with larger ones to 25" being caught along the Connecticut coast. And, we have quite a large amount of herring in the (Pawcatuck) River." said Wade.

Tautog fishing is still just about nonexistent with no reports of fish being landed anywhere in the State.  "The water warmed up, but it is still very cold for spawning tautog." said Mike Wade of Watch Hill Outfitters.

"Fresh water fishing for trout is still very strong." said John Wunner of John's Bait & Tackle, North Kingstown.  Wunner said he extended his trout fishing tournament for youngsters through school vacation week.  "Anglers are still landing a fair amount of trout at Willet Avenue Pond, Riverside and the Brickyard Pond, Barrington said John Littlefield of Archie's Bait & Tackle, Riverside.  And this week we sold a good amount of shiners as anglers are targeting bass, pickerel and white perch in Stump Pond, Smithfield. "Trout fishing is still exploding in Westerly with large numbers of fish being taken from area ponds." said Mike Wade of Watch Hill.

Captain Dave Monti has been fishing and shell fishing for over 40 years.  He holds a captain's master license and a charter fishing license. Contact or forward fishing news and photos to Capt. Dave at dmontifish@verizon.net or visit his website at www.noflukefishing.com.

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