proper fish handling techniques

i gotta ask...

seems there are alot of comments on proper handling of fish. just so i know (referring back to the moron video the other day). how do you safely handle a walleye correctly.

also, i look at people handling large pike and putting a scale in the mouth. it seems so unnatural. the fish's biology shouldnt be designed to be lifted out of a lake by their lip. i see some people using a sling for handling pike. would it not be better to weight them in one also.

eg. imagine holding up a whale by their lip


how many guys here have/use a sling?


do you lift them out of the water, net them, etc.

for pike i started to handle them on the side of the boat and lift them partially out of the water by the inside of the mouth through the bottom of the jaw. i dont like to net them at all since my net is usally too small.

i feel this is dangerous and would like a better way. dont need a 20lb pike thrashing with a hook in his mouth and my hand. i think i will spend the money on a boga gripper but not use it to lift the fish entirely out of the water.

any comments???

[horsetrader]

Originally Posted by pelada trochu

i gotta ask...

seems there are alot of comments on proper handling of fish. just so i know (referring back to the moron video the other day). how do you safely handle a walleye correctly.

also, i look at people handling large pike and putting a scale in the mouth. it seems so unnatural. the fish's biology shouldnt be designed to be lifted out of a lake by their lip. i see some people using a sling for handling pike. would it not be better to weight them in one also.

eg. imagine holding up a whale by their lip


how many guys here have/use a sling?


do you lift them out of the water, net them, etc.

for pike i started to handle them on the side of the boat and lift them partially out of the water by the inside of the mouth through the bottom of the jaw. i dont like to net them at all since my net is usally too small.

i feel this is dangerous and would like a better way. dont need a 20lb pike thrashing with a hook in his mouth and my hand. i think i will spend the money on a boga gripper but not use it to lift the fish entirely out of the water.

any comments???

i usual find with walleye if you bring them to the side of the boat slip your hand under their belly they will relax long enough to release the hook and get a pic. Then just lower them back in to the water With pike use a gripper in lower jaw and support under belly for big pike a cradle is best

[Albertafisher]

I always practice proper handling techniques, its crucial for keeping fish healthy after catching.
But I find if you can prevent gilling, its the best. Especially with more sensitive species.

Edit: When I say gilling, I mean holding the fish by the gill plate and not having the fingers in/touching the gills.

thanks guys.

i usually grab walleye since they are small. just under the belly.
hold em up and remove the hook and then toss them back (gently nose in).


but i doubt anyone here weighs their 20 lb pike in a sling, likely by the lip.

[DiabeticKripple]

for walleye i hold them 1 of 2 ways. I either grab them with my plam on their belly, or palm on the spines. i prefer the belly cause ive been spined the other way, but sometimes i have to hold them that way.

for pike i grab them behind the head and use needle noses to get the hook out

[Mariko's Rod]

palming walleye under the belly keeps them nice and calm. that works with big pike too one hand under just behind the head and the other by the anal fins. no need to put your hands near the gills i find.

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

for pike i grab them behind the head and use needle noses to get the hook out

good idea in theory but I have caught quite a few pike this year you aren't going to be able to grab them behind the head. For pike over about 15-20 lbs the head is too wide so you want to grab them by the gill and support the belly when you take them out of the water.

[Mariko's Rod]

I dont mean hold them like that to pull them out of the water. I mean to take a picture. I pull them out of the water like the picture you show if their gills are already open and easy to grab. If their gills are closed when they come up i actually grab their lower jaw and let them bite down on my hand with a glove on. If you use a good pair of the kind of gloves that have rubberized palms and good fabric on the top they dont usually draw blood on ur hand and you have better control of the fish and dont risk damaging the gills if they go haywire.

Originally Posted by Mariko's Rod

I dont mean hold them like that to pull them out of the water. I mean to take a picture. I pull them out of the water like the picture you show if their gills are already open and easy to grab. If their gills are closed when they come up i actually grab their lower jaw and let them bite down on my hand with a glove on. If you use a good pair of the kind of gloves that have rubberized palms and good fabric on the top they dont usually draw blood on ur hand and you have better control of the fish and dont risk damaging the gills if they go haywire.

Seems like a strange technique to let the pike bite onto your glove. I like my gloves. If he thrashes and lets go of the glove he also goes crashing into the snow/ice. I think I'll stick to my technique.

[Mariko's Rod]

U still hold on to the lower jaw dont just limp wrist it. those gloves are only 8 bucks and a pair will last you 2 years. Its a better way i think, can stay away from the gills all together

should we hang fish by their lips to get a weight???

is this proper fish handling???

[Mariko's Rod]

lips. No. Gill plate is ok tho. scroll up at that pic. you can hook the scale in where that guy has his hand.

[Mariko's Rod]

I do think the sling is a better way im gonna get one I think. also if you take a lenght measurement the length/weight charts seem to give you a better weight anyways.

[fishpro]

Originally Posted by pelada trochu

should we hang fish by their lips to get a weight???

is this proper fish handling???

No, any large fish should not be held verticly for any purpose as it puts unnatural strain on their vertebrae and organ. The sling is by far the best methods, or use a cradle and/or rubber net to weigh them, then just subtract the weight of the net.

i wont be weighing any fish, as in holding them vertically by a scale to get a weight. I only check length. weight is just a reference to determine whether its bigger than the last one. so length works for me.


i picked up an adhesive backed ruler tape and have been thinking about sticking it on my gunnel but might put it along the water line. then i dont have to lift the fish out to measure it.

http://www.users.totalise.co.uk/~rob...sheet-3-fs.pdf

[DiabeticKripple]

Originally Posted by hunter49

good idea in theory but I have caught quite a few pike this year you aren't going to be able to grab them behind the head. For pike over about 15-20 lbs the head is too wide so you want to grab them by the gill and support the belly when you take them out of the water.

oh i dont catch pike that big haha. if i did i probably would eat it anyways.