Holy Black Sea Bass Batman! 1/2/10

[Ifishtoolittle]

Well I know this is a very late report, but better late than never.
BOAT: SPITFIRE
Target fish: Sculpin, Perch, Bass
The day went well with the boat limiting out on scullies. I produced about 4 and 1 short most caught on the lead head and squid, but the Lucanus Jig did quite well also. After limiting on sculpin the capt’ made the switch over to Santa Monica Bay where the boat had slow pickings on Sandies and Calicos. While fishing there the perch were merciless, but luckily I had brought my Curado 200 DHSV with me to keep me busy for most of the day. Although the count says 15 perch I personally caught over 50, but released most of them to grow. Anyways to the exciting part, as the day drew to an end the capt’ decided to take a shot at Halis which did not turn out too well. Here’s the good part though as we were ready to leave my Uncle who hasn’t fished moo moos in over 20 years hooks up on something big and as it turns out the monster was a BSB. It was a 10 min fight on 15lb test on live sardine rigged on a 3oz Carolina rig.
Total fish count: 20 ANGLERS, 100 SCULPIN, 4 SAND BASS, 15 PERCH, 1 BLACK SEA BASS (RELEASED).
http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu337/Ifishtoolittle/IMG_2455.jpg
Bat ray a regular caught, she was nice enough to donate half of it to my uncle.
http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu337/Ifishtoolittle/IMG_2458.jpg
Here’s the hook up!
http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu337/Ifishtoolittle/IMG_2459.jpg
Ohh, a nice BSB!
http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu337/Ifishtoolittle/IMG_2466.jpg
And the release. Don’t worry, the fish swam back down to the depths to fight another day.
http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu337/Ifishtoolittle/IMG_2467.jpg
Most of these Pelicans were following us instead of Gulls!
Hope everyone had a nice day of fishing I know I did never caught over 70 fish on a moo moo before!
-IF2L

[TShaffer]

Wow very nice tirp. It's always cool to see a black sea bass come up and safely swim back down.

[DockRat]

Nice job,
DR

[Cangler]

I didnt think they are allowed to be boarded ?

[Fishbones]

We usally board them just to remove the hook and deflate the air in there bladder then carefully released and if needed held alongside the boat for assisted recovery untill they are able to free swim on there own.

[JapanRon]

Hi Ifishtoolittle,

WTG on the nice day on the water. Did you guys go down past Rocky Point and then back up for the Bass? Kinda sounds like it from your 'switch over to SMB'.

Thanks for the nice report and pics,

JapanRon

[Ifishtoolittle]

Hi Ifishtoolittle,

WTG on the nice day on the water. Did you guys go down past Rocky Point and then back up for the Bass? Kinda sounds like it from your 'switch over to SMB'.

Thanks for the nice report and pics,

JapanRon

Yeah we went past Rocky Point then hit SMB.

[DockRat]

http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu337/Ifishtoolittle/IMG_2455.jpg
Bat ray a regular caught, she was nice enough to donate half of it to my uncle.
-IF2L

How does the Bat Ray taste ?

Do you eat the body or just the wings ?



The fish. What do you guys think the fish weights? We thought maybe 40lbs at least.

And the release. Don’t worry, the fish swam back down to the depths to fight another day.

-IF2L

Bad Pic and Bad Practice to pick up BSB like that. :Angry:

WHY DO IT ?



Why do Captains continue this practice ?

Is it good practice to rip the lips on these protected fish ?

Why does DFG write the rules on ' How to handle BSB when caught ' ?

Any answers out there ?

DR

[DarkShadow]

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/ocal/archives/J_F_05_16-19.pdf

[BIGRED KILLA]

How does the Bat Ray taste ?

Do you eat the body or just the wings ?



Bad Pic and Bad Practice to pick up BSB like that. :Angry:

WHY DO IT ?



Why do Captains continue this practice ?

Is it good practice to rip the lips on these protected fish ?

Why does DFG write the rules on ' How to handle BSB when caught ' ?

Any answers out there ?

DR


You eat the wings of the rays i never had them but Sansue eats them and loves them.

The captains will board them so they can take the air out of blader so they can swim back down. I have seen people take way to long when holding the BSB they pass it around for a photos like its a new born baby its BS.


Bigred

[ghetto dad]

You eat the wings of the rays i never had them but Sansue eats them and loves them.

The captains will board them so they can take the air out of blader so they can swim back down. I have seen people take way to long when holding the BSB they pass it around for a photos like its a new born baby its BS.


Bigred

:ROFL: mean!!

Nice report man...thanks

GD

[TShaffer]

Wow after reading the article DarkShadow posted it's surprising to see that almost no one practices the steps that the DFG reccomends for safely handling a Black Sea Bass. In every picture, video, or first hand experience that I've witnessed (I've never caught one but I've seem em caught), one if not all of the guidelines the DFG gives for the safe release of a Black Sea Bass were broken.

From the DFG article:

Take the following steps:
1. Release at distance, as soon as you realize that you’re hooked up with a GSB;
whether that’s at the beginning of the fight or at color – the sooner the
better.Don’t bring the fish to the surface if at all possible
2. If the fish is at the surface, don’t lift it out of the water. Do not gaff the fish,
even in the lower jaw.
3. Do not attempt to “deflate” the fish – incorrect insertion and/or infection
will likely result in the fish’s death.
4. If possible, use a pole, weight, or other device to help lower the fish to a
depth where it can swim away on its own.
5. If no device is available, stay on site while the fish recovers its strength. Keep
it safe in its weakness.

[Ifishtoolittle]

How does the Bat Ray taste ?

Do you eat the body or just the wings ?



Bad Pic and Bad Practice to pick up BSB like that. :Angry:

WHY DO IT ?



Why do Captains continue this practice ?

Is it good practice to rip the lips on these protected fish ?

Why does DFG write the rules on ' How to handle BSB when caught ' ?

Any answers out there ?

DR

Well my uncle says that the Batray wing tastes great and as far as the BSB goes the little guy wasn't out of the water for more than 30 seconds. Also the deckhand Larry was very cautious with the fish and gently released it. The bladder wasn't deflated, but the fish was given a little push and made safely swam back down. You can believe me if you wan DockRat, but I have witnesses on the BSB's safe release.

[bruce watson]

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/ocal/archives/J_F_05_16-19.pdf

Very good info DS. Where I go for YT is a nursery for BSB. I've had a few in the last 10 years. The guys in the plastic navy helped me release my first one. They did it exactly like it says in the book.

[AngryAgent]

Just some advice..

Probably better off not posting pictures of illegally handled BSB on public message boards...just sayin:Envious:

[DockRat]

You eat the wings of the rays i never had them but Sansue eats them and loves them.

The captains will board them so they can take the air out of blader so they can swim back down. I have seen people take way to long when holding the BSB they pass it around for a photos like its a new born baby its BS.

Bigred

Deflating Bladders :!!!: That is old school and has not been recommended for a few years as per DFG. Causes infections and kills some fish slowly.

Bad practice and most captains stuck in the thier old ways need to wake up and get with the program.

You can hook the weighted hook and sink out the fish just as fast or faster.

Some guys use a weighted milk crate to lower the fish down then when at depth it can be lfted fo the fish to swim away.

DR

[DockRat]

, but I have witnesses on the BSB's safe release.

I believe you no biggie. It is good to discuss to help inform others and you will always have newbies out there learning.

Release Methods for Rockfish
By Steve Theberge and Steve Parker
ORESU-G-05-001

[Illustrations have been omitted from this version, but are available in the printable .pdf]

Rockfish have a gas-filled organ, called a swim bladder, that allows the fish to control its buoyancy (figure 1). When rockfish are brought to the surface quickly, the swim bladder can overexpand and burst. The expand-ing gas from the swim bladder can push the stomach out of the mouth and the intestine out the anus. These symptoms may get worse with time at the surface. The fish may also float on the surface, unable to dive back to the bottom. Recompressing or venting the fish may increase the fish's chance of survival.

Avoidance
Avoiding rockfish you cannot keep is the best option when fishing in water deep enough (60 feet or more) to cause swim bladder problems. If you start to catch rockfish that have to be released, move to a different location. On rockfish you can target, do not high grade (releasing smaller fish so you can keep larger fish) rockfish caught in water deeper than 60 feet. Instead, use larger hooks and bait to discourage smaller fish. Catch-and-release fishing is not a good option in deepwater fishing for fish with well-developed swim bladders.

Recompression Methods
New strategies being developed for releasing rockfish suffering from pressure damage need to be tested to determine long-term survival. You should not assume that a fish survives simply because it swims off on its own after being vented or recompressed and does not return to the surface.

Recompression methods involve assisting the fish back down to a depth where it can descend the rest of the way to the bottom on its own. The greatest relative pressure change occurs in the top 33 feet. Recompression, if done quickly, can reverse some of the damage done by the expanding gas. Even rockfish with severely bulging eyes may survive when recompressed quickly. Different methods have been devel-oped to recompress fish and assist their return to the bottom. One method involves using a weight and a large, inverted, barbless hook. Fish should be hooked from outside to inside through the membrane on the upper lip so that the hook releases effectively (figure 2). The weight must lead the fish into the water and be heavy enough to sink the fish to the desired depth (over three pounds for a large yelloweye).

Figure 1.(omitted) Dissection of a black rockfish showing the location of the swim bladder. (omitted)

Figure 2.(omitted) Left: A barbless hook is inserted into the jaw and the fish is dropped to the release depth. Right: The fish is released by pulling up on the line.

Bill Shelton has developed a modi-fied wire hook clip that can be placed above an angler's bait and weight (figure 3). The fish is hooked in the mouth on the clip and then brought down to a safe depth, where the fish can be released by a sharp tug on the line.

Another method involves using a container, such as an upside-down milk crate or an inverted, collapsible crab trap, weighted with lead and attached to a rope (figure 4). The container is dropped over the fish and then, with the buoyant fish trapped inside, lowered to a minimum depth of 40 feet and held to allow the fish to swim out on its own. A deeper depth may be needed if fishing in very deep water.

Venting is another method used to deal with fish suffering from overinflated swim bladders (figures 5a and 5b). It involves releasing the gas by puncturing the swim bladder with a hollow tool or needle. This releases some of the pressure on the internal organs of the fish. It is hoped that the fish can then overcome buoyancy problems and swim back down to the bottom. (In some cases when fish are brought up from a great enough depth, sufficient gas remains in the eyes to keep the fish from diving back to the bottom, or the fish is too exhausted to swim to the bottom, even when the swim bladder has been vented.)

Do not vent a fish by piercing the stomach, which is often what you see sticking out of the mouth of the fish. To prop-erly vent a fish, use a hollow venting tool. This can be an 18- gauge needle or a hollow, sharpened, steel cannula mounted on a wooden dowel. Cannulas (16-gauge recommended) can be obtained from farm supply and feed stores.

To avoid getting pricked by the fin spines of the fish, grasp the fish firmly by the head or by the lower lip in a "bass hold," using a clean, wet hand, glove, or cloth. Insert a venting tool into the body wall at a 45° angle halfway along the length and above the pectoral fin (see figures 5a and 5b). Slip the point of the tool underneath a scale and insert it only deep enough to release the gas. Do not skewer the fish. You should hear or see evidence of gas escaping through the needle or venting tool. Firmly hold the fish but do not squeeze it. Aquarium studies have shown that squeezing can increase the chance of infection.

Figure (omitted) 4. A weighted milk crate can be dropped over a fish and then lowered deep enough to recompress the fish.

Figure (omitted) 3. Bill Shelton has developed the Shelton Fish Descender to bring rockfish back down to be released.

Figure (omitted) 5a. Where to vent a canary rockfish (demonstrated on a quillback rockfish). (Caution: The location of the swim bladder can be different in other species of rockfish.)

Figure (omitted) 5b. A hypodermic needle is inserted at a 45 • angle beneath a scale of a quillback rockfish.

The needle should be cleaned with alcohol or chlorine bleach between each fish to reduce the chance of infection. Infection can be a serious problem with vented fish, so it is preferable to use recompression methods if it is at all feasible. Venting can also puncture internal organs. Also, be careful not to puncture yourself with the needle or the spines of the fish. It is very easy for fishers to develop a bacterial infec-tion from puncture wounds caused by fish spines.

Does Slowly Bringing up a Fish Help Reduce Decompression Damage?
Bringing up a rockfish slowly does not decrease the decompression problem significantly. It takes most rockfish a long time (hours at least) to naturally adjust to pressure changes. When using any of the above release methods, it is very important to bring the fish up at a steady rate and then get it back into the water as fast as possible.

Determining Whether the Fish Needs to Be Recompressed or Vented
A fish needs to be recompressed or vented if one or more of the following conditions exist (figures 6 and 7):

The fish is seriously bloated.
The stomach is visible, sticking out of the fish's mouth.
The fish floats on the surface when released.
The greater the depth at which the fish was caught, the more likely it will need to be recompressed or vented, especially if the depth is greater than 100 feet. Some fish have reduced or no swim bladders or have swim bladders that can adjust to changes in depth. Such fish do not have trouble swimming back down on their own. Lingcod, cabezon, and greenling (sea trout) do not need to be recompressed or vented.

Other Recompression Devices
New devices are being developed to increase the survival of fish suffering from changes in pressure. The photos in figure 8 show some recompression devices that have worked for other fishers.

Conclusion
The best policy is to try to avoid catching rockfish you can't keep when you are fishing in water deep enough to cause pressure problems. Do not high grade rockfish.
Recompression is preferred to venting because of venting complications caused by infections, handling, and puncturing of internal organs. Getting the fish quickly back down to depth seems to be the most important factor in decreasing symptoms and damage.

Fish-Handling Tips
Avoid the following:

Using gaffs and landing nets (if possible)
Touching the gills or eyes
Dropping the fish
Use the following precautions:

Handle the fish as little as possible and then, gently. You can hold a rockfish by the lower lip.
Handle the fish with wet hands, wet gloves, or a wet towel to avoid removing protective slime.
Back out hooks or cut leader as close to the hook as possible on throat-hooked fish.
Return the fish to the water as quickly as possible.
Figure 8. (omitted) Some devices designed by fishers for bringing pressure- damaged fish back to the bottom: A--disposable gaff; B and C--hook and drop.

Figure 6.(omitted) A vermillion rockfish that is bloated and has bulging eyes.

Figure 7. (omitted) A canary rockfish is suffering from damage from expanding gases. Its stomach is sticking out of its mouth and it has bulging eyes.

[sansou]

Dockrat,

Thanks for posting the guidelines on sinking/fizzing fish, but you do realize that on a cattleboat (at least in my experience on the boats I've been one) they're not going, and don't apply these techniques. 150 yr old BSB or not!