Keep it or Release it? POLL Recordbook fish

[Smossy]

I wouldn't imagine any fish brought up from them depths would live if released..

Woulda wound up eagle food.
I would have kept it myself. Im all for putting back brooders but are you gonna put back a huge 600lb halibut? I think not.

[3nails]

 It's really no ones business but the fishermans. Too many nosy busybodies out there.

[j_h_nimrod]

LOL, quite a lot of disinformation here.

That is most likely a Rougheye, Yelloweye are not known to live that old and 200 years would only be an estimate as the otoliths need to be read to be definitive. That fish would not have survived regardless, look at the eyes. There is an extent to which a fish can embolism before it is a goner. From 900' it was most likely a commercial longline setup which would never have tried to revive it regardless, not sure of rockfish prices now but that is a fairly valuable fish. No IGFA records here. That is the front office of the Sitka ADF&G office so location is correct.

Nice fish, I would have maybe kept it...  Depends on circumstances. Popping the bladder can be very effective if done correctly but not one from a fish that far gone.

I would also let a 600lb halibut go and strongly support a slot size (something like 15-100lb) system for halibut. Mature females are getting annihilated and need help. A 600lb fish would produce something like 5+ million eggs.

[RadSav]

Unless you have one of the tools to let the air out, that fish is dead once it hits the surface, so I would have kept it.  Under different circumstances I would have released it.  Same issue they have with rockfish at 130'.  If you try to release them they just float on the surface until an eagle or seal grabs them.  You need the needle to let the air out, so they can swim back down.

Look at that fish.  See the eyes bulging from it's skull.  No way even if needled it survives.  Once the eyes pop it's fate is sealed.  Releasing it would have done nothing but supply seagulls, sharks and sea lions an easy meal.  I'd rather see the angler that worked for it get the protein.

[sirmissalot]

That fish doesn't look like a yellow eye at all, nor is it that big for a yellow eye. Is there a link to the story I am missing?

Properly released rockfish have pretty decent mortality rates, but either way i would probably keep the fish if it was a record. Anything is good fried and dipped in tarter sauce

[RadSav]

Sorry for the redundancy  j_h_nimrod  beat me to the eye reference.

[xd2005]

http://sitkasentinel.com/7/2012-05-10-22-08-10/local-news/5965-record-sized-rockfish-may-also-be-the-oldest

Reportedly a shortraker (I know nothing of rockfish, only what the article states).

[RadSav]

http://sitkasentinel.com/7/2012-05-10-22-08-10/local-news/5965-record-sized-rockfish-may-also-be-the-oldest

Reportedly a shortraker (I know nothing of rockfish, only what the article states).

Facinating!  Sure looks too orange with too smooth of a tail for a shortraker.  Oh well, guess you learn something new everyday

[addicted2hunting]

Surprised he was still alive when he was boated. He wouldn't live if released anyway.

[SkookumHntr]

I agree, fish n chips right there!!

[Skillet]

I would keep it.  Even if it was 200 years old, how many more years would it have left even if it did survive? 
I saw somewhere else on here that someone said big fish breed big fish.  Not really the case... genetics are the key, not the size of the fish when it spawns (salmon may be different since they get only one shot at it- but most other fish start breeding small and continue breeding). This fish has probably bred 100+ times already, so no worries about those genes being passed on.  You're keeping far more fish out of the future population by keeping a 20 year old yelloweye with another 100 years of breeding ahead of it than keeping this one that is likely at the end of its breeding life.

[j_h_nimrod]

The article sheds a bit of light. Funny that Wikipedia already cites this fish in their Shortraker article. Still would have kept it in the condition it appears. The will live for quite a while, even with massive embolism, but survival is highly unlikely.

I have doubts about rod and reel at 900' though. I have heard of some people trying their hand at rod and reel that deep and have done it myself for Black Cod and it is very difficult for a number of reasons. I will reserve judgement though, congrats, Henry on your catch.

[Button Nubbs]

I would keep it.  Even if it was 200 years old, how many more years would it have left even if it did survive? 
I saw somewhere else on here that someone said big fish breed big fish.  Not really the case... genetics are the key, not the size of the fish when it spawns (salmon may be different since they get only one shot at it- but most other fish start breeding small and continue breeding). This fish has probably bred 100+ times already, so no worries about those genes being passed on.  You're keeping far more fish out of the future population by keeping a 20 year old yelloweye with another 100 years of breeding ahead of it than keeping this one that is likely at the end of its breeding life.

how do big fish get to be big? Genetics. So when they breed the pass on genetics.

[Skillet]

It is both luck and genetics.  Once a fish lives long enough to breed one time, they've fulfilled their "biological imperative", ie., they've successfully passed on their genetics.  Anything past that is gravy. This fish, if truly 200 years old, had the opportunity to breed well in excess of 180 times, if rockfish lore is accurate.  Once is enough. 
I know it seems counter intuitive, but if you really want to help a fish population grow,  do not keep  a bunch of the young breeders with many year's worth of breeding ahead of them.  Keep the worn-out old spawners that have fulfilled their biological mission many times over.

[The100Road]

I HAVE A STUPID QUESTION!!!!!!!
i know nothing about fishing. everyone keeps saying it wouldnt survive. why? im catching that it gets filled with air? is that what kills it? how does that happen? and if the air is released why would it not survive if let go?