clawman
6/14/2017 6:49:20 PMI am curious, when you bring a fish up from 50-60 feet and flop them on the deck of the boat, do you think they survive?
billyfishkill
6/14/2017 7:03:07 PMI am with you clawman. Sturgeon are in serious trouble and it is disturbing to see one laying on the deck of a boat while another is getting its tail broken all for the sake of pictures.
It is always a great day when fish are being caught, but we must all remember to take care of our resources in order to ensure success in the future.
It is always a great day when fish are being caught, but we must all remember to take care of our resources in order to ensure success in the future.
YJ Guide Service
6/14/2017 8:54:53 PMI don't see anything wrong with a fish laying quietly on a soft carpeted flat surface to be measured if you have a better accurate method for measuring them let me know. We only remove fish that I believe to be close to a keeper. Where is a fish being flopped onto a deck of a boat ??? The fish was gently layed on the doghouse to be measured. We handle them with respect and as gentle as possible we have been fishing sturgeon for many many years without killing a fish because of miss handling. As far as protecting our resource we go out of our way to return fish in a safe and timely manner as not to harm the fish not only Sturgeon but all fish we plan on returning.
CaptainDavesGS
6/14/2017 7:56:57 PMClawman and Billyfishkill he said a few were short of the slot, leading me to believe a few were keepers. I have a feeling the keepers he flopped on the deck will certainly not survive the BBQ.
billyfishkill
6/15/2017 1:41:38 AMI actually have a cut tube frame on the side of my boat to measure fish while they are still wet with minimal handling. Only if legal do they come aboard. I should have asked if the fish pictured were legal, but your response has answered that. As a guide, I would have expected you to both care about proper handling of fish and to show your clients how to care for fish that will or may be released as well . . . it shows you are responsible and clients take notice. I wonder if the fish preferred the dry carpet over the wet carpet it lays on at the bottom of the river? You may think that you haven't killed any fish because they swim away, but things such as skin infections take time. I once saw a picture of a guide with a nice king laying on a nice dry sand bank so he could take a picture (true story). He then said that he released it unharmed. I suppose that is true since the sand is soft. CaptainDaveGS said they won't survive the BBQ (good one) and sturgeon are awesome, but YJ Guide says they pull them on board to measure them. I'm just saying that there are better ways to determine legal fish and the side frame is easy to use and makes you look very professional.
YJ Guide Service
6/15/2017 7:42:10 AMBilly - side frame? never heard of one. I've heard of fish cradles for pike and Muskie. I googled it and see nothing under sturgeon handling side frames. I'm open for new fish handling procedures if it protects the fish but if this is something you do and no one else does then why bash people for doing something you or a few are the only ones doing. Not everyone is a expert at handling fish and when clients or anyone for that matter want a pic of their fish after being measured that's their right as long as not breaking any rules and the fish isn't being obviously harmed. I agree Aj's Dad starting to see that more and more on the site. I also said we remove the ones that are close as to get an accurate measurement since the measurement is a side projected measurement not a tape layed on the fish. How do you think WDFW is going to measure your fish that's hanging off a rope or stringer, do you think they will pull the fish in the boat or measure it in the water?
AJ's Dad
6/15/2017 6:28:29 AMOnce again the would be experts come out to bash another member of this site for their handling of a fish.
How predictable.
How predictable.
hinds2912
6/15/2017 8:28:42 AMAs much as I hate to extend the comment thread I felt compelled to defend YJ...
First, sturgeon have the ability to self relieve their air bladders so they are easily returned to their deep homes.
Second, as has been widely shown in every fishing show on TV from redfish to walleye to ling cod to sturgeon, the majority of fish caught by professional guides and professional fishermen are measured on deck. While I appreciate that Billy is going the extra mile to protect fish with his measuring device, it is by no means the norm. YJ was merely doing his best to make sure his clients were keeping legal fish and should not be attacked for measuring fish in a normal fashion.
PS YJ... was there a hot bait for the day?
First, sturgeon have the ability to self relieve their air bladders so they are easily returned to their deep homes.
Second, as has been widely shown in every fishing show on TV from redfish to walleye to ling cod to sturgeon, the majority of fish caught by professional guides and professional fishermen are measured on deck. While I appreciate that Billy is going the extra mile to protect fish with his measuring device, it is by no means the norm. YJ was merely doing his best to make sure his clients were keeping legal fish and should not be attacked for measuring fish in a normal fashion.
PS YJ... was there a hot bait for the day?
YJ Guide Service
6/15/2017 10:28:39 AMThanks hinds....Yes hearing, squid and smelt were the most productive..
hinds2912
6/15/2017 8:08:09 PMOne last question.... how much lead? Trying to get geared up for my next outing!
YJ Guide Service
6/16/2017 11:44:39 AM8-12oz is what we were using might get away with a little less depending on where your fishing
