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John N. Felsher's Speck Fishing Adventures
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Many released
specks, redfish
live to fight
another day
specks, redfish
live to fight
another day
Capt. Guy Stansel of
Hackberry Rod and Gun
releases a large speckled
trout he caught on Calcasieu
Lake south of Lake Charles,
La. Contrary to popular
opinion, many larger
speckled trout released by
anglers survive to fight again
another day.
Hackberry Rod and Gun
releases a large speckled
trout he caught on Calcasieu
Lake south of Lake Charles,
La. Contrary to popular
opinion, many larger
speckled trout released by
anglers survive to fight again
another day.
For years, anglers believed that speckled trout could never survive if
caught and released. Everything that hit a bait, hit the ice. Not long ago,
Louisiana anglers counted the success of a fishing trip not by how many
trout they caught, but by how many ice chests they filled.
As more trout dropped into ice chests, states reduced limits and
increased enforcement. Anglers began thinking more about conserving
resources. While bass anglers practiced catch and release for decades,
few saltwater anglers considered that option until fairly recently. Now,
evidence suggests that trout survive longer than many people think.
“A speckled trout has a very delicate mouth, but it isn’t as delicate as a
lot of people think,” said Randy Pausina, a marine biologist for the
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. “I’ve seen fishermen put
speckled trout in a livewell with redfish and bass at the same time and they
survive.”
Studies back up Pausina’s claim. In an 18-month project, LDWF
researchers conducted a mortality study on trout and redfish. Researchers
from the Lyle S. St. Amant Marine Laboratory on Grand Terre Island in
Barataria Bay caught 1,512 speckled trout and 743 redfish. Biologists used
single hooks with live bait, treble hooks with live bait, single-hook lures and
lures with treble hooks.
To unhook fish, they grasped fish with their bare hands, used pliers for
deeply embedded hooks or held fish down on the deck to unhook them.
After catching the fish, they put them into large livewells on boats. Upon
returning to the laboratory, they transferred the fish to 1,900-liter holding
tanks that simulated temperature, oxygen and salinity levels found in the
Gulf of Mexico.
According to the study, 82.5 percent of the trout and 97.3 percent of
the redfish survived. Because fish swallow live bait and often try to spit out
lures, more trout caught on artificials survived. Oddly, more trout survived
after hitting treble hooks. Of the trout that hit lures with treble hooks, 97
percent lived. About 91 percent of trout that hit single hook lures survived.
For live bait takers, 83 percent on treble hooks and 74 percent on single
hooks lived, the study showed.
Redfish fared better after hitting single hooks. About 99 percent of
redfish that hit single-hooked artificials and 97 percent caught with treble-
hooked lures survived. Of bait-taking reds, 96 percent survived after
swallowing single hooks and 94 percent survived after eating treble-hooked
baits.
“Indications are that by far the greatest majority of the released fish of
this species (speckled trout) also survive angling capture and release,” the
report concluded. “Nearly all mortality in both species occurred within the
first 48 hours (of capture.)”
Anglers who truly want to release trout to fight again should take
precautions when handling fish, Pausina said. Like a protective suit worn
by soldiers on a chemical battlefield, the slime coat on a trout protects it
from attacks by bacteria. Bigger, older fish often require more delicate
handling.
To prevent transferring bacteria to fish, touch trout destined for release
as little as possible. Wear rubber or surgical gloves. Use a hook remover
or long-handled pliers. Use a net not to bring fish aboard, but to keep fish
in ambient water while removing the hook.
“Returning a trout back into the water as fast as possible is the key to
survival,” Pausina recommended. “The best method is keeping the fish in
the water and reaching over and pulling the hook out quickly. If that’s not
possible, use a wet rag to hold the fish and keep from pulling the slime coat
off.”
Sometimes, people might want to bring a large, potential record fish to a
weigh station. With a little attention, trout can survive a long time in a
livewell. Avoid excessively shocking fish by simulating existing conditions as
closely as possible. Refresh tanks often with water of similar temperature,
salinity and dissolved oxygen levels. Keep livewells thoroughly aerated.
Some anglers go so far as to bring small oxygen bottles increase aeration
in livewells.
On a hot day, water in a livewell can warm dramatically. Drop in some
crushed ice to lower the temperature slowly. Don’t overwhelm it with ice
because extreme temperature differences can also shock and kill fish.
Lower the livewell water temperature slowly.
“Temperature is a major factor with survivability, as is dissolved
oxygen,” Pausina said. “In warmer weather, the longer fish are out of the
water the less likely they will survive. In the summer, the dissolved oxygen
content is low, so that puts more stress on them. Even pumping gulf water
into large tanks in the summer, the water gets too warm. We have to cool
them down a bit.”
Because temperature extremes could cause shocking, fish caught in
the early spring or fall may survive better than fish caught under a broiling
July sun. The same also goes for frigid winter days. Too much cold also
shocks and kills fish.
Taking a cue from bass anglers, some promoters of saltwater
tournaments recently began holding highly successful catch and release
events. Instead of deducting ounces from dead fish, many rewarded
anglers with bonus ounces for each fish released alive. Some tournaments
saw release rates at nearly 100 percent. In such a tournament, if even one
speckled trout survives to grow and reproduce, that’s better than nothing.
caught and released. Everything that hit a bait, hit the ice. Not long ago,
Louisiana anglers counted the success of a fishing trip not by how many
trout they caught, but by how many ice chests they filled.
As more trout dropped into ice chests, states reduced limits and
increased enforcement. Anglers began thinking more about conserving
resources. While bass anglers practiced catch and release for decades,
few saltwater anglers considered that option until fairly recently. Now,
evidence suggests that trout survive longer than many people think.
“A speckled trout has a very delicate mouth, but it isn’t as delicate as a
lot of people think,” said Randy Pausina, a marine biologist for the
Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. “I’ve seen fishermen put
speckled trout in a livewell with redfish and bass at the same time and they
survive.”
Studies back up Pausina’s claim. In an 18-month project, LDWF
researchers conducted a mortality study on trout and redfish. Researchers
from the Lyle S. St. Amant Marine Laboratory on Grand Terre Island in
Barataria Bay caught 1,512 speckled trout and 743 redfish. Biologists used
single hooks with live bait, treble hooks with live bait, single-hook lures and
lures with treble hooks.
To unhook fish, they grasped fish with their bare hands, used pliers for
deeply embedded hooks or held fish down on the deck to unhook them.
After catching the fish, they put them into large livewells on boats. Upon
returning to the laboratory, they transferred the fish to 1,900-liter holding
tanks that simulated temperature, oxygen and salinity levels found in the
Gulf of Mexico.
According to the study, 82.5 percent of the trout and 97.3 percent of
the redfish survived. Because fish swallow live bait and often try to spit out
lures, more trout caught on artificials survived. Oddly, more trout survived
after hitting treble hooks. Of the trout that hit lures with treble hooks, 97
percent lived. About 91 percent of trout that hit single hook lures survived.
For live bait takers, 83 percent on treble hooks and 74 percent on single
hooks lived, the study showed.
Redfish fared better after hitting single hooks. About 99 percent of
redfish that hit single-hooked artificials and 97 percent caught with treble-
hooked lures survived. Of bait-taking reds, 96 percent survived after
swallowing single hooks and 94 percent survived after eating treble-hooked
baits.
“Indications are that by far the greatest majority of the released fish of
this species (speckled trout) also survive angling capture and release,” the
report concluded. “Nearly all mortality in both species occurred within the
first 48 hours (of capture.)”
Anglers who truly want to release trout to fight again should take
precautions when handling fish, Pausina said. Like a protective suit worn
by soldiers on a chemical battlefield, the slime coat on a trout protects it
from attacks by bacteria. Bigger, older fish often require more delicate
handling.
To prevent transferring bacteria to fish, touch trout destined for release
as little as possible. Wear rubber or surgical gloves. Use a hook remover
or long-handled pliers. Use a net not to bring fish aboard, but to keep fish
in ambient water while removing the hook.
“Returning a trout back into the water as fast as possible is the key to
survival,” Pausina recommended. “The best method is keeping the fish in
the water and reaching over and pulling the hook out quickly. If that’s not
possible, use a wet rag to hold the fish and keep from pulling the slime coat
off.”
Sometimes, people might want to bring a large, potential record fish to a
weigh station. With a little attention, trout can survive a long time in a
livewell. Avoid excessively shocking fish by simulating existing conditions as
closely as possible. Refresh tanks often with water of similar temperature,
salinity and dissolved oxygen levels. Keep livewells thoroughly aerated.
Some anglers go so far as to bring small oxygen bottles increase aeration
in livewells.
On a hot day, water in a livewell can warm dramatically. Drop in some
crushed ice to lower the temperature slowly. Don’t overwhelm it with ice
because extreme temperature differences can also shock and kill fish.
Lower the livewell water temperature slowly.
“Temperature is a major factor with survivability, as is dissolved
oxygen,” Pausina said. “In warmer weather, the longer fish are out of the
water the less likely they will survive. In the summer, the dissolved oxygen
content is low, so that puts more stress on them. Even pumping gulf water
into large tanks in the summer, the water gets too warm. We have to cool
them down a bit.”
Because temperature extremes could cause shocking, fish caught in
the early spring or fall may survive better than fish caught under a broiling
July sun. The same also goes for frigid winter days. Too much cold also
shocks and kills fish.
Taking a cue from bass anglers, some promoters of saltwater
tournaments recently began holding highly successful catch and release
events. Instead of deducting ounces from dead fish, many rewarded
anglers with bonus ounces for each fish released alive. Some tournaments
saw release rates at nearly 100 percent. In such a tournament, if even one
speckled trout survives to grow and reproduce, that’s better than nothing.