Releasing big girls

A 'kill' sticker for each metre-long barra posted ... PM your postal details to Matt Flynn.
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itsinmeblood
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Re: Releasing big girls

Post by itsinmeblood »

the helifish mob reckon a side slap into the water is a better way than spearing, theory being you can shoot a mouth full of air down their gullet as opposed to expelling any air sucked in during jumps and being out of the water for photos and dehooking


fish are skinny, the ocean is fat
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maxpower
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Re: Releasing big girls

Post by maxpower »

I've found the deckwash can help keep them fresh. I put it on the gentle 'shower' setting and it pumps oxygenated water gently through the mouth and onto the gills while measuring/unhooking the fish. Had a good success rate this way when returning them to the water. Tickling the roof of the mouth seems to help wake them up a bit too.
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Re: Releasing big girls

Post by JewieQueen »

maxpower wrote:I've found the deckwash can help keep them fresh. I put it on the gentle 'shower' setting and it pumps oxygenated water gently through the mouth and onto the gills while measuring/unhooking the fish. Had a good success rate this way when returning them to the water. Tickling the roof of the mouth seems to help wake them up a bit too.
Never had to worry yet cos I'm still a meter club wannabe but have heard the above works really well and also tickling their tongue while swimming them gets them kicking fast.

Good topic Seano, I think when my day comes and I catch one, I'd be devastated if she didn't release, so it is good to see everyone's methods to prevent that happening.
It has always been my private conviction that any man who pits his intelligence against a fish and loses has it coming.

Give a man a fish, and he can eat for a day. But teach a man how to fish, and he'll be dead of mercury poisoning inside of three years.

“Fishing, with me, has always been an excuse to drink in the daytime”

"Soon after I embraced the sport of angling I became convinced that I should never be able to enjoy it if I had to rely on the cooperation of the fish."
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Re: Releasing big girls

Post by Fish Tank »

scottmac wrote:
wally gator wrote:Was it one of those clear silicon ones fish tank ??
The big girl we got at Shady did this to me with a silicon net. Kicked as I netted her, half of her head went through the net, then kicked again as we lifted her into the boat, went straight through the net and dislodged the lure. Maybe it's a common problem with the silicon nets?

As for releasing fish, I've started just spearing any fish under 95cms straight into the drink head first, tuna style. No danger from crocs and I've never seen one float back up. This may not be the best practice in the big rivers where the bullsharks are thick though.
I agree on the spearing release but I do try to release next to the bank. After seeing crocs take hooked barra and shadowing my boat, I no longer "swim" barra at the side of the boat to revive them, especially in the big rivers. If I'm out the mouth of Shady or in open water I will swim big fish but survival of a barra is not worth risking my survival.
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Re: Releasing big girls

Post by mac10 »

Dick wrote:One thing I have found with fish from 6 metres plus is one every now and then floating and not able to go down. For those I use a release weight (see pic). Not sure how effective it is on survival but they don't pop up again. Resisting the urge to pull the hook out a a fish gut hooked is a good policy, and turn down your barbs on your lures.
I knew you were the master of big fish Dick but 6 metres plus?? No wonder you don't lift them in the boat!
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Dick
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Re: Releasing big girls

Post by Dick »

mac10 wrote:
Dick wrote:One thing I have found with fish from 6 metres plus is one every now and then floating and not able to go down. For those I use a release weight (see pic). Not sure how effective it is on survival but they don't pop up again. Resisting the urge to pull the hook out a a fish gut hooked is a good policy, and turn down your barbs on your lures.
I knew you were the master of big fish Dick but 6 metres plus?? No wonder you don't lift them in the boat!
haha yeah sorry, water depth
Regards Dick
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Re: Releasing big girls

Post by rosco84 »

Until the mungrel croc takes the fish ur net and possible you....
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