C&R Trout

[singleshot12]

I just read on a fishing report about a guy bragging about catching and releasing over a hundred under 14in. rainbow,cutthroat,and smolts from the river "using bait". Most people know if you hook and release enough trout using bait no matter how careful you are, trout or other small fish have a high mortality rate when let go. Apparently it is legal to c&r smolts all day long on a river. I wonder how much of those small un-clipped trout(smolts) are actually endangered native steelhead?

Seems the rule should be the same as it is for stocked trout in the lakes. 1st 5 caught with bait,
 released or not, count as your daily limit

[snowpack]

Why limit it to bait?  All methods have associated mortality--bait, spoons, spinners and flies.

[singleshot12]

I've fished with worms enough to know most will swallow the hook. Spinners or spoons are strike lures with almost always jaw hooked.

[jackelope]

Why limit it to bait?  All methods have associated mortality--bait, spoons, spinners and flies.

Pay attention to where your bait ends up in the fish's mouth/throat next time you're using bait. Then watch using artificials. Bait-caught fish are much more prone to swallowing hooks and dieing than artificial lure/fly/etc caught fish.

[boneaddict]

 

[snowpack]

Why limit it to bait?  All methods have associated mortality--bait, spoons, spinners and flies.

Pay attention to where your bait ends up in the fish's mouth/throat next time you're using bait. Then watch using artificials. Bait-caught fish are much more prone to swallowing hooks and dieing than artificial lure/fly/etc caught fish.

I have.  I've seen plenty of fish bleed excessively from a spinner or a jig.  Yeah, a few more are hooked a little deeper from bait.  But overall, all the methods kill a certain percentage of the fish hooked.  I guess it will come down to how much mortality the department is willing to accept from each user group.

[7mmfan]

I saw the same report. The worst part is that people are backing this guy up saying there is no difference between a steelhead and trout?! That they only become steelhead once they pass 20". Ever think of, i don't know, baby steelhead? He even went on to say that none of them were clipped so he obviously wasn't catching steelhead. I don't blame people for being dumb, but ignorance really boils my blood especially when they are unwilling to be educated.

Trout and smolt alike will gobble down bait like no tomorrow, faster than you can pull it away from them, that is how they grow up to be big fish. Yes some fish also are hooked mortally from lures and artificials, its bound to happen, but its a fraction of the number using bait.

 This guy should get a citation.

[jackelope]

Why limit it to bait?  All methods have associated mortality--bait, spoons, spinners and flies.

Pay attention to where your bait ends up in the fish's mouth/throat next time you're using bait. Then watch using artificials. Bait-caught fish are much more prone to swallowing hooks and dieing than artificial lure/fly/etc caught fish.

I have.  I've seen plenty of fish bleed excessively from a spinner or a jig.  Yeah, a few more are hooked a little deeper from bait.  But overall, all the methods kill a certain percentage of the fish hooked.  I guess it will come down to how much mortality the department is willing to accept from each user group.

10% mortality or so with artificials is a realistic number.

[singleshot12]

I would say the mortality rate is about 5% for lure caught fish and 80% for bait caught fish.

Just seems the rule should be the other way around if anything. The way it reads now stocked trout in a lake are more protected.

[snowpack]

Why limit it to bait?  All methods have associated mortality--bait, spoons, spinners and flies.

Pay attention to where your bait ends up in the fish's mouth/throat next time you're using bait. Then watch using artificials. Bait-caught fish are much more prone to swallowing hooks and dieing than artificial lure/fly/etc caught fish.

I have.  I've seen plenty of fish bleed excessively from a spinner or a jig.  Yeah, a few more are hooked a little deeper from bait.  But overall, all the methods kill a certain percentage of the fish hooked.  I guess it will come down to how much mortality the department is willing to accept from each user group.

10% mortality or so with artificials is a realistic number.

Can't remember the report, but if hooks are the same I think it was 4:1 bait/artificial for killing.  A barbed treble on a spinner can make up serious ground on barbless circle hooks with bait.

[singleshot12]

I saw the same report. The worst part is that people are backing this guy up saying there is no difference between a steelhead and trout?! That they only become steelhead once they pass 20". Ever think of, i don't know, baby steelhead? He even went on to say that none of them were clipped so he obviously wasn't catching steelhead. I don't blame people for being dumb, but ignorance really boils my blood especially when they are unwilling to be educated.

Trout and smolt alike will gobble down bait like no tomorrow, faster than you can pull it away from them, that is how they grow up to be big fish. Yes some fish also are hooked mortally from lures and artificials, its bound to happen, but its a fraction of the number using bait.

 This guy should get a citation.

 

[jackelope]

Why limit it to bait?  All methods have associated mortality--bait, spoons, spinners and flies.

Pay attention to where your bait ends up in the fish's mouth/throat next time you're using bait. Then watch using artificials. Bait-caught fish are much more prone to swallowing hooks and dieing than artificial lure/fly/etc caught fish.

I have.  I've seen plenty of fish bleed excessively from a spinner or a jig.  Yeah, a few more are hooked a little deeper from bait.  But overall, all the methods kill a certain percentage of the fish hooked.  I guess it will come down to how much mortality the department is willing to accept from each user group.

10% mortality or so with artificials is a realistic number.

Can't remember the report, but if hooks are the same I think it was 4:1 bait/artificial for killing.  A barbed treble on a spinner can make up serious ground on barbless circle hooks with bait.

That makes sense...I will say when I said 10% I think maybe that # came from flyfishing, which is about the only kind of fishing I've done for trout in the last several years. I've taken my 6 year old fishing for planter trout with worms and/or powerbait a couple times and those trout all die.

[_TONY_]

I've fished with worms enough to know most will swallow the hook. Spinners or spoons are strike lures with almost always jaw hooked.

Spinners and spoons are more likely to brain hook smaller fish...

[Bullkllr]

I saw the same report. The worst part is that people are backing this guy up saying there is no difference between a steelhead and trout?! That they only become steelhead once they pass 20". Ever think of, i don't know, baby steelhead? He even went on to say that none of them were clipped so he obviously wasn't catching steelhead. I don't blame people for being dumb, but ignorance really boils my blood especially when they are unwilling to be educated.

Trout and smolt alike will gobble down bait like no tomorrow, faster than you can pull it away from them, that is how they grow up to be big fish. Yes some fish also are hooked mortally from lures and artificials, its bound to happen, but its a fraction of the number using bait.

 This guy should get a citation.

 
Seems a little scary that the guy is not only clueless, he's also proud of the fact that he did it. And the defense statements make me realize that there is even less hope for rebuilding fish runs around Puget Sound.

[singleshot12]

I've fished with worms enough to know most will swallow the hook. Spinners or spoons are strike lures with almost always jaw hooked.

Spinners and spoons are more likely to brain hook smaller fish...

good point! If they hit them as much?