We've read many Catch and Release debates here on the Stage and it made me think about my methods. I've gone deeper into this subject reading studies and statistical analysis of mortality rates. One controversial study concludes the mortality rate caused by tournaments is 40%. No doubt that study contributed to some of the changes in format we've seen lately. But, the data that is generally accepted and used comes from a metastudy (I think that was the name). A metastudy looks at all the studies that have been done to mine data. The mortality rate for largemouth bass from catch and release is between 18 and 19%. For every 100 bass released almost 20 will die! For Striped bass it is less than 6%. For trout, more than 20%. The duration and difficulty of the fight, time out of the water, and handling of the fish are identified as the biggest contributors to mortality.
All of this information is to help you understand why I decided 2023 is going to have a New Year's resolution to reduce my catch and release mortality rate. Here is a list of the things I am doing towards that goal.
1. 90% of my fishing is catch and release. The two live wells on my boat will be converted to storage compartments. One live well will be available to use for those times one is needed.
2. Experiment with barbless hooks to determine if using them 100% is possible.
3. Fish smaller than 2 lbs, every effort will be made to release it without removing the fish from the water. Small fish have less oxygenated blood and can get beat up pretty bad during the fight.
4. Fish brought on board will be secure in a net to prevent getting lose and flopping around the boat. Camera, pliers and anything else will be out and ready to use. I will touch the fish as little as possible, take pictures, and remove baits, quickly. Then. return the fish to the water as fast as I can. Allow the fish to recover inside the landing net in the water as needed.
Here is my thing...if I practice catch and release it just doesn't make sense for me to not do everything I can for my fish to survive. I want to do better than 18%. I hope that many of you will read this and decide to adopt my 2023 resolution to reduce your catch and release mortality rate.

We've read many Catch and Release debates here on the Stage and it made me think about my methods. I've gone deeper into this subject reading studies and statistical analysis of mortality rates. One controversial study concludes the mortality rate caused by tournaments is 40%. No doubt that study contributed to some of the changes in format we've seen lately. But, the data that is generally accepted and used comes from a metastudy (I think that was the name). A metastudy looks at all the studies that have been done to mine data. The mortality rate for largemouth bass from catch and release is between 18 and 19%. For every 100 bass released almost 20 will die! For Striped bass it is less than 6%. For trout, more than 20%. The duration and difficulty of the fight, time out of the water, and handling of the fish are identified as the biggest contributors to mortality.
All of this information is to help you understand why I decided 2023 is going to have a New Year's resolution to reduce my catch and release mortality rate. Here is a list of the things I am doing towards that goal.
1. 90% of my fishing is catch and release. The two live wells on my boat will be converted to storage compartments. One live well will be available to use for those times one is needed.
2. Experiment with barbless hooks to determine if using them 100% is possible.
3. Fish smaller than 2 lbs, every effort will be made to release it without removing the fish from the water. Small fish have less oxygenated blood and can get beat up pretty bad during the fight.
4. Fish brought on board will be secure in a net to prevent getting lose and flopping around the boat. Camera, pliers and anything else will be out and ready to use. I will touch the fish as little as possible, take pictures, and remove baits, quickly. Then. return the fish to the water as fast as I can. Allow the fish to recover inside the landing net in the water as needed.
Here is my thing...if I practice catch and release it just doesn't make sense for me to not do everything I can for my fish to survive. I want to do better than 18%. I hope that many of you will read this and decide to adopt my 2023 resolution to reduce your catch and release mortality rate.

You know a lot of people would say just stop fishing if you feel bad about hurting fish. How would you feel if something was smarter than a human and decided fishing for people was fun. I’d sure hope they didn’t use big hooks with barbs if they were able to trick me into biting! Put a pizza on a hook and you got me, glad I’m not a fish ! Using light line sometimes results in my hook and senko becoming fish lip jewelry, I hate that! It seems us humans just can’t leave stuff be, we gotta mess with something. I love messing with the fish, I can’t stop! People going to be people, some will shoot a fish with a bow and arrow with satisfaction. Others will handle the fish with gloves and rags to not hurt the fish with the same satisfaction! The key is being ok with your decisions and yourself! I used to feed the bass a minnow I’d keep in a pail of water after tricking them with my senko, it made me feel better about ripping their little lips apart. Ok I never did that but I am as careful as I can be with the fish I decide to trick. Thanks for being careful with the fish, Fish lives Matter!🤣🤔😳✌️🐠

We've read many Catch and Release debates here on the Stage and it made me think about my methods. I've gone deeper into this subject reading studies and statistical analysis of mortality rates. One controversial study concludes the mortality rate caused by tournaments is 40%. No doubt that study contributed to some of the changes in format we've seen lately. But, the data that is generally accepted and used comes from a metastudy (I think that was the name). A metastudy looks at all the studies that have been done to mine data. The mortality rate for largemouth bass from catch and release is between 18 and 19%. For every 100 bass released almost 20 will die! For Striped bass it is less than 6%. For trout, more than 20%. The duration and difficulty of the fight, time out of the water, and handling of the fish are identified as the biggest contributors to mortality.
All of this information is to help you understand why I decided 2023 is going to have a New Year's resolution to reduce my catch and release mortality rate. Here is a list of the things I am doing towards that goal.
1. 90% of my fishing is catch and release. The two live wells on my boat will be converted to storage compartments. One live well will be available to use for those times one is needed.
2. Experiment with barbless hooks to determine if using them 100% is possible.
3. Fish smaller than 2 lbs, every effort will be made to release it without removing the fish from the water. Small fish have less oxygenated blood and can get beat up pretty bad during the fight.
4. Fish brought on board will be secure in a net to prevent getting lose and flopping around the boat. Camera, pliers and anything else will be out and ready to use. I will touch the fish as little as possible, take pictures, and remove baits, quickly. Then. return the fish to the water as fast as I can. Allow the fish to recover inside the landing net in the water as needed.
Here is my thing...if I practice catch and release it just doesn't make sense for me to not do everything I can for my fish to survive. I want to do better than 18%. I hope that many of you will read this and decide to adopt my 2023 resolution to reduce your catch and release mortality rate.

I knew this was going to come up and just so happens to have been part of my research. This has nothing to with causing the fish pain. Get that out of your head. In fact, fish do not feel pain the same way we do. Sticking yourself with a hook is not what a fish feels with their primitive nervous system. This is about returning the fish in a condition that it will survive. This is about being a good steward of a resource through sustainment. Hatching a bunch of eggs to replenish fish populations works but sustainment will always be the best possible method. Hopefully this is a good explanation that makes sense to most everyone.

We've read many Catch and Release debates here on the Stage and it made me think about my methods. I've gone deeper into this subject reading studies and statistical analysis of mortality rates. One controversial study concludes the mortality rate caused by tournaments is 40%. No doubt that study contributed to some of the changes in format we've seen lately. But, the data that is generally accepted and used comes from a metastudy (I think that was the name). A metastudy looks at all the studies that have been done to mine data. The mortality rate for largemouth bass from catch and release is between 18 and 19%. For every 100 bass released almost 20 will die! For Striped bass it is less than 6%. For trout, more than 20%. The duration and difficulty of the fight, time out of the water, and handling of the fish are identified as the biggest contributors to mortality.
All of this information is to help you understand why I decided 2023 is going to have a New Year's resolution to reduce my catch and release mortality rate. Here is a list of the things I am doing towards that goal.
1. 90% of my fishing is catch and release. The two live wells on my boat will be converted to storage compartments. One live well will be available to use for those times one is needed.
2. Experiment with barbless hooks to determine if using them 100% is possible.
3. Fish smaller than 2 lbs, every effort will be made to release it without removing the fish from the water. Small fish have less oxygenated blood and can get beat up pretty bad during the fight.
4. Fish brought on board will be secure in a net to prevent getting lose and flopping around the boat. Camera, pliers and anything else will be out and ready to use. I will touch the fish as little as possible, take pictures, and remove baits, quickly. Then. return the fish to the water as fast as I can. Allow the fish to recover inside the landing net in the water as needed.
Here is my thing...if I practice catch and release it just doesn't make sense for me to not do everything I can for my fish to survive. I want to do better than 18%. I hope that many of you will read this and decide to adopt my 2023 resolution to reduce your catch and release mortality rate.