Category: catch & release

Good evening. I want to help conserve the walleye population on my lake for years to come. Can you please recommend a size of walleye I should be releasing. For example .. I have a personal rule to release all walleye 25” and longer. I very much appreciate your opinion and if you could forward me a link to any document action or articles I would appreciate it. Thanks! Jeremie

Posted on February 4th, 2020

Hi Jeremie, I would encourage you to contact the OMNR&F head office in Peterborough and speak to the head biologist and have him send scientific data on the best size walleye to retain for consumption. As a general guideline “juvenile” walleye between 14-17” are ideal for harvesting but this can vary from lake to lake depending on the population size/age. The biologist will be able to provide you with the best technical data…God bless you.

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How do I obtain the net hook used to guide fish much easier into your net? Thank You!

Posted on February 6th, 2018

Hi Joe, it’s a really smart gadget that definitely helps anglers fishing on their own to land bigger fish. You can get it by contacting Dan Humes the inventor at, danielhume100@yahoo.ca ….God bless you.

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I was hoping you could tell me where I can find pairs of the “Black-plastic locking jaw-spreaders” with the hinge in the middle that open when squeezed. (The opposite of hemostats) They used to be sold in CanadianSportfishing Mag. I had a pair for 25 years that I lost last summer. They were perfect. I pray you know where I can get a new pair. (The best for small/medium Esox) I’d buy several if possible but if you had one in a drawer somewhere I’d sure be grateful if you contacted me. Bless you: Jim, a fan.

Posted on March 28th, 2017

Hi Jim, thank you for your kind words. Glad you continue to enjoy out TV shows and tips. Unfortunately as far as I know that great locking, plastic spreader is no longer manufactured or available. There is however something available that locks once it’s open, but made out of metal, the Quarrow Fish Jaw Spreader . I think they sell for around $13. at Bass Pro, or you can order them directly from the hot-link above….God bless you.

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When releasing fish, why do you place them back into the net? They often float upside down and it damages and splits their tail fin. It sure seems like you’re overhandling them. Can you explain this to me? Your fish are also out of the water a long time.

Posted on September 16th, 2016

Hi Kurt, thanks for your comments. We usually use a soft-mesh landing net that has a smaller mesh which is coated with soft-plastic and when wet, is very slippery to avoid minimize outer body fish damage. If we need to revive a fish in the water when fishing out of a higher bow of a boat like the G3 that I use to do TV shows. We try and gently place fish in the net and hold them so that water passes into their mouth and through their gills. When they get their energy back, right themselves and swim off on their own they are released.

057A9550 net_salmon02

Sometimes we hold fish out of the water for hook removal or to talk about some of their characteristics and then revive them until they are ready to be released. We try and handle each fish we plan on releasing carfully and make sure it’s revived before releasing it.

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I see “fish tailers” for sale at Bass Pro. Any experience with these devices on northern pike. It seems like they may help for fishing “selfies”. ie. taking pictures of a big pikes length …. alone….., without removing it from the water.

Posted on March 10th, 2016

Hi Larry, fish tailers have been used for decades to land Atlantic Salmon in Europe and even for large saltwater fish.  Not sure if they are legal in Ontario. You would be wise to check the Ontario Sportfishing Regulations to see if they are legal.

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In my opinion, for catch & release (and for photos),, the best way to land large fish like big lakers, musky and pike is to use a catch & release cradle.  Keep the fish in the water, and if you want a picture, best to have someone else take it while you suspend the fish horizontally over the cradle for just a few seconds.  I think holding a fish vertically up-side-down with a lot of pressure on their vertebrae and caudal peduncle can do harm.

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RECORDING LENGTH….I see a new product at Bass Pro Shop called “fish tailer”. Can this be used to hold big pike calmly level on top of the water so that the length can be measured with the floating yardstick often called a “muskie stick”? . Its been many years since I take a big pike ( +40″) out of the water.for a pictures.since the pictures all look the same , but sometimes I like to record the length.

Posted on March 3rd, 2016

Hi Larry, “fish tailers” have been used for Atlantic Salmon in Europe for many decades. AFTCO is the one I am familiar with in North America,   I don’t know about their legality in North America when it comes to freshwater fishing. If you would be considering getting one you better check your local Sportfishing Regulations and call the appropriate Fish & Game office to confirm.

live_release_cradle

Fish Tailers do work, but I personally believe that a “cradle” is much better since there is no intense pressure put on any part of a fish. As soon as a fish feels the constraint of the “tailer”, it will start to struggle to get away. This can cause damage to the skin, and additionally to it’s vertebrae. With a live-release cradle, the cradle is lowered horizontally into the water so it’s completely wet, the fish is guided into the open cradle, the cradle is closed and kept in the water for the fish to breath continuously, and a rough measurement can be obtained with minimal stress to the fish (most cradles come with a tape measure on one of the handles).

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Hello ItaloI recently has a discussion with a friend about Bass Fizzing! Can it be done successfully on all species. Can you explain the procedure. Do you recommend it? Can it harm the fish? Does the MNR endorse?

Posted on October 9th, 2015

smallie

You can “fizz” any fish that is caught deeper than 1 atmosphere (33ft), where the fish is reeled-in fast so that it cannot release air in it’s bladder as the pressure expands the air in it’s air bladder. If done properly “fizzing” is a good method to release fish unharmed and enable it to return to it’s desired depth. Studies have shows that even un-fizzed fish will slowly eliminate the excess air and will eventually dive down, it just takes them longer.

When a fishes air bladder is full of air & it cannot dive down to the depth it needs to get to when released. To release the air in it’s bladder most anglers use a syringe and they place it through the side of the fish between the spine (about 1/3 way down from the back), and the bottom of the belly, just behind where the pectoral fin (the fin on the side of it’s body), where it ends when it is laying flat and straight back on the fish. The syringe should be put in gently and only deep enough to puncture the air bladder on one side. Releasing the air works well if you know what you are doing. When the air bladder is punctured, the air is release and the fish can swim down easily. The wound form the puncture usually heals very quickly.

To avoid having a air pressure build up in a fish that is hooked deeper than 33ft, it should be reeled in slowly so that it can stabilize and release air as the pressure decreases and the air expands as its being fought towards the surface.

Here is an good article for you to read produced by the Rainy Lake Conservancy , regarding a study they carried out with tournament caught & released smallmouth bass.

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Hello I was wondering what cradle net you were using in your shows its a big red one? You were catching huge lake trout!

Posted on July 17th, 2015

live_release_cradle

Over the years we have used the Lucky Strike Bait Works Live Release Cradle.

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Hi Italo I am looking to buy a landing net this year and was wondering if I could use the same net for bass and migratory brownsrainbows. I normally fish lakes for bass and harbors and the Niagara for migratory species. If you could recommend one net for both types of fish that would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

Posted on February 19th, 2015

Hi Chaytan…You certainly can. I would encourage you to consider getting a medium-size Live Release Basket Net with a plastic coated mesh. The basket net has a shallow “bag” so the fish won’t roll up in the mesh and the plastic coated mess once wet takes off less slime on a fish when netting that you plan on catching & releasing. Frabill, http://frabill.com/landing-nets/conservation-series.html , makes a good range of these nets…God bless you, Italo

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Hi Italo have you ever used the rapala mini hook remover. It looks like a great tool to have for catch and release with treble h

Posted on August 22nd, 2014
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