If you've ever seen a bluefish feeding frenzy, the churning water and leaping silver should tell you how strong and aggressive these predators can be. Catch and release safety has two meanings when it comes to these fish. Handle the fish carefully to minimize harm to the fish, and to keep your own hands safe from its powerful bite.
Steps
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Attach a steel leader to your line. Bluefish teeth can sever nylon fishing line. Attach a steel wire leader to the end of the line to protect it.
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Wear gloves. Work gloves protect your hands from bluefish teeth and make it easier to handle the wire leader and fishing line without cutting yourself. Kevlar or other cut-resistant material is best, but any gloves are better than nothing. [1] X Research sourceAdvertisement
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Choose your lure or bait. Bluefish are aggressive feeders willing to charge at just about any splashing surface lure. Big, teardrop-shaped lures work well in choppy water, but they must be reeled back immediately to keep them on the surface. Rely on pencil poppers instead in calm water, working them slowly across the surface. [2] X Research source You can use squid, mullet, mackerel, or other saltwater fish as bait instead, especially if you do not see bluefish breaking the surface. [3] X Research source
- When practicing catch and release, use only one hook at a time. Multiple hooks or multi-pronged hooks can be very difficult to extract without injuring the fish.
- Bluefish are messy eaters that can rip apart the bait while missing the hook. Pierce the hook through the length of the bait, not just the head or tip. [4] X Research source
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Handle the fish quickly and carefully. Fighting the hook can cause extreme exhaustion, and even a short time out of the water raises the fish's mortality rate. Bring the bluefish next to the boat as fast as possible. If you can, leave it in the water while you remove the hook. If you must lift it out of the water, wet your gloves, then lift the fish out with both hands supporting the head and base of the tail. If you want a photograph, have someone take one while you're removing the hook — the fish may not be able to afford extra posing time.
- Never touch the gills of a fish during catch-and-release.
- Dry hands or knotted nets rub off a layer of protective slime, leaving the fish vulnerable to infection. [5] X Research source
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Remove the hook with pliers or special tools. To avoid bites, always use long-handled hemostats, needle-nose pliers, or de-hooking tools instead, withdrawing the hook gently but quickly. The fish is much more likely to die if you rip out the hook, or if you take too long handling it out of the water.
- If the hook is caught deep inside the fish, removing it is likely to injure internal organs. Just cut the line as close to the hook as possible, and leave it embedded in the fish. The mortality rate is still very high in these cases. Avoid feeding line to the fish after it bites, which can lead to this situation. [6] X Research source
- Circle hooks are easy to remove and less likely to snag deep in the fish. [7] X Research source
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Hold the fish underwater until it revives. If you lifted the fish out of the water, lower it back down gently; never throw it. Hold the fish underwater for about thirty seconds until it is ready to swim on its own.
- If the fish's gills are barely moving, gently push the fish back and forth in the water so water flows over the gills. Release the fish once the gills are pumping vigorously.
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Community Q&A
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QuestionIf I set the hook and the fish is on, how does the fish get away?CodeNameViperCommunity AnswerSometimes, the hook rips through the fish's lip, or sometimes the right combination of movement from the fish can free the hook. The line could also break, or the bluefish, since they have teeth, can chew through the lure or the line.
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Tips
- If you plan to keep some of the fish, choose ones with obvious injuries or deep-caught hooks.Thanks
- Bluefish have teeth and can bite. Make sure to keep extremities away from the mouth of the fish and use a bite resistant line.Thanks
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Warnings
- One study estimates that 40% of released bluefish die as a result of stress or injury from the experience. The fish most likely to survive are smaller, older, and/or not visibly bleeding. [8] X Research sourceThanks
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Things You'll Need
- Fishing pole
- Line
- Steel leader
- Gloves
- Floating poppers
- Pliers or dehooking tool
- Wader(optional)
- A nice place to fish
References
- ↑ http://www.gameandfishmag.com/fishing/fishing_saltwater-fishing_nc_aa093803a/
- ↑ http://www.saltwatersportsman.com/species/fish-species/surf-jetty-choppers-top
- ↑ http://www.liveoutdoors.com/fishing/166973-fish-files-bluefish/
- ↑ http://www.gameandfishmag.com/fishing/fishing_saltwater-fishing_nc_aa093803a/
- ↑ http://anglingunlimited.com/fishing/catch-release-properly/
- ↑ http://anglingunlimited.com/fishing/catch-release-properly/
- ↑ http://anglingunlimited.com/fishing/catch-release-properly/
- ↑ http://people.uncw.edu/scharff/publications/2008%20NAJFM%20%28Fabrizio,%20Scharf,%20Shepherd,%20Rosendale%29.pdf
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