Steelhead
Winter Egg Patterns
Fly
Fishing Adventures
My
Grandfather's Water For a nice picture and recording the size; use your rod next to the fish to give it scale | |
|
One Point for Catch and
Release I have heard debates on the subject of catch and release. Does killing fish really affect the quality of fishing? There are a number of ways that catch and release of trout and salmon contribute to better fishing. I realize that it is tempting to keep a trophy fish, for example a very large 20-pound steelhead or a beautiful 20-inch stream brown, but catch and release can only facilitate better fishing. Fish of this size and strength have reached that point by overcoming many natural barriers, which include avoiding predators and survival through adverse conditions. All genes in a population, like the steelhead population in the Lake Ontario ecosystem, comprise the gene pool for that species. Removing a fish, with such incredible instincts to survive and a better than average growth rate, from the gene pool, removes the chance such an incredible fish will reproduce and contribute its valuable DNA to the next generation. Help
preserve our fisheries for future generations and increase natural
reproduction by practicing catch and release. Catch and Release tips First,
play fish quickly; exhausted fish have a higher rate of mortality after
release. Handle them gently and don’t squeeze or drop fish. Improper
handling increases the chance of permanent internal damage, which may lead
to death. The
best way to practice catch and release is to never take the fish out of
water and have tools ready allowing quick release. If a net is used to
land the fish keep the fish in the water while in the net. Keeping fish in
the water prevents further exhaustion (but it sure is fun to get a nice
picture and preserve the moment, take them quickly) Cloth nets are nice,
they cause less of the fish’s protective mucous layer to be removed. Fish
are coated with a layer of mucous which protects them from parasitic,
fungal or bacterial infection. | |
 Reviving a steelhead on the Salmon River |
To revive a fish that is exhausted, hold the fish facing upstream in a moderate flow gently moving the fish back and forth to move water through the gills, which will circulate oxygen through the bloodstream and help revive the fish. The gills are the lifeline, be extremely careful not to touch the gills or they will be damaged. Never release a stressed and exhausted fish; make sure the fish has replenished energy. |
|
Small
barbs on hooks or barb less hooks make hook removal quicker and easier and
speeds up the release process. Carry
a camera to preserve the Catch and Release of the fish. It is our contribution towards the
future and the fish will only get bigger. Have Fun Fly-fishing! Matt Chapple | |
