Ever wonderd about live-release fish mortality in the winter

[Canmoore]

I have always wondered, fish mortality in the winter must be higher than in the summer. We all know that stress is the number one fish killer, and being draged out of the water into a freezing cold environment, with the sun glaring off the snow must be very stressful.

And in some cases flopping on the slow.. only have its protective slime covering wipped off by some fisherman who wants to look at the colouring of the fish.

So I did a bit of research (well really just a quick google), and amazingly, this research out of Thunder Bay shows a mortality rating of only 2.9% can be achieved when hooking figh through the ice in shallow water. However, the study cites another study, in which that number drops to a 77% 24 hour survival rate for fish hooked in deeper water.

The study came to these conclusions. (alot of it is common sence)

• short handling times
• proper catch and release techniques during winter
(and summer)
• that survival of fish caught from shallow water is
much greater than fish caught from deep water
• where regulations allow, anglers should keep or cut
the line on deeply hooked walleye leaving hooks
intact, and
• if fish are handled properly, mortality of fish
released during the winter season can be quite low.

Hear is the study in PDF form http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR_E005345.pdf

[West Lake Willows]

Thanks for the info. It will be a good read. Hopefully more will take the time to make themselves knowlegable and do their part to sustain our fishery.

[Todd B.]

The Cooke Lab at Carleton University has been conducting extensive research related to the conservation and management of aquatic resourses. Their recommendations w.r.t. catch and release can be found here.

[Fishing 24/7]

short time handling a fish during winter

taking time to weight a fish during the winter.

is it recommended?

1. you have to unhook

2. if its big we usualy like to take a picture

3. after this weighing it!

after doing all this the fish'S EYES must FREEZE!

therefor BLINDING the fish and killing it.

to me this must be added to the unwritten rule book.

ONE MUST NOT WEIGHT A FISH DURING WINTER TIME. the added time it takes is NOT needed.

[Canmoore]

short time handling a fish during winter

taking time to weight a fish during the winter.

is it recommended?

1. you have to unhook

2. if its big we usualy like to take a picture

3. after this weighing it!

after doing all this the fish'S EYES must FREEZE!

therefor BLINDING the fish and killing it.

to me this must be added to the unwritten rule book.

ONE MUST NOT WEIGHT A FISH DURING WINTER TIME. the added time it takes is NOT needed.

I agree, taking a quick picture is more than sufficient to give a good estimate on length and weight.