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Skipjack Joe
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A photo before the release?
[Edited on 2-12-2009 by Skipjack Joe]
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Timo1
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Mood: Lovin every minute of it
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busted!!!!!!
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Pescador
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Skipjack is very realistic on his assessment of what happens in most of the baja fishery. Those of us who fish here all of the time have enough sense
to have something ready to aid in the release of any of the demersal (swim bladder) fish we catch, the local culture thinks it is stupid and
non-productive to release good eating fish and that attitude is likely to prevail. It is only recently with lots of information and persuasion that a
smattering of Mexican captains are willing to release billfish. The second part of this problem is that a typical guy comes down here to go fishing
and is all psyched out to catch a fish and he ends up with a nice grouper and suddenly he has to switch gears and think about releasing this big fish
that he just brought up. Maybe I am a little less politically correct or possibly more honest, but there was no way I was going to release my first
grouper. After I thought about it, I did come up with a release rig and now I am a seasoned veteran and no longer feel the need to keep any of those
bigger fish.
The venting tool, referred to by Don Alley, is controversial at best but is required of all boats fishing in the Gulf of Mexico for release of
barotraumatized fish, but the results are questionable due to possible infections and improperly used venting. This method basically consists of
poking a large hypodermic needle into the midsection of the fish to let out the gas. Poking the extruding stomach will basically kill the fish within
a 24 hour period.
Under consideration this year by the Federal Fisheries Department is a Release Weight that was developed in Australia. The enclosed web site has a
video and good information about it's use. It seems to be a much better alternative to venting and Frank Johnson from Mold Craft Lures is working on
a similar weight as well as the guys at Do-It-Molds, so I expect we will have something available this year.
4Baja is correct that a lot of Leopard Grouper (commonly known as Cabrilla) are caught at more shallow levels, but the Baja Grouper, Gulf Grouper,
Broomtail, Sawtail, and Baqueta are normally caught at 150-400 which means that if the fish is released without venting or weight release, the fish
will die.
http://www.recfishwest.org.au/
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DianaT
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Pescador
4Baja is correct that a lot of Leopard Grouper (commonly known as Cabrilla) are caught at more shallow levels, |
Are the larger Cabrilla among the fish that many think should be released?
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Skipjack Joe
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I've had trouble finding air sac with the needle in the past by going through the body. In fact, the whole experience was unpleasant (for me and for
the fish). I have, however, punctured what I thought was the airsac protruding from the mouth with no problem thinking it worked rather well. Well,
now I found out that (a) it's not the air bladder and (b) it almost always kills the fish. I remember fishing from party boats where the deckhand went
around and punctured all of the clients fish so that they could fish beyond the limit. This was recommended by the DFG biologists in the 80's. What a
waste. But at least it was well intentioned with respect to thoughts about the fishery.
Fortunately I don't enjoy deep water fishing and seldom get any fish with protruding bladders. The exception are those fish Pompano likes so much and
I'm going to start keeping those. You sometimes get them when jigging for yellowtail. they're small enough for the pan and better eating than
yellowtail anyway.
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Don Alley
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Here's a photo of two release tools. The venting tool was purchased on a recent trip north and I forgot to put it on the boat last trip. It's meant to
deflate small fish caught incidentally while making bait, mostly "reds" or "stoplights." These end up as seagull food, and I thought I'd try venting
them instead. Rigging a weight and lowering one down while making bait requires that I be more conscientious than I am.
And the weighted hook...well, it's around if I need it, but even people who target fish like baqueta don't get many. And grouper, other than leopard
grouper, well I've caught two, one in very shallow water (about 10lbs, released) and the other on a pangero's boat which he ate (about 12-15 lbs).
Should the leopard grouper ("cabrilla") be released? Maybe. I think fisheries should be managed and regulated, but they aren't. Not many release
cabrilla, except the small ones (maybe). A released cabrilla could grow to a larger size, and produce many offspring. But more likely it will end up
in a net.
Many have commented on the regulation that limits fishermen to two very fast growing and prolific dorado, yet allows five slow growing, slow
reproducing grouper. Go figure.
Personally, I'm a little odd in that I eat little fish, and for me killing fish just turns recreation into housework. And I'm tired of hauling around
dead fish to gift to neighbors. The fishing sucks right now and one neighbor was just pumping me for fish, and complaining about how much it costs to
buy it. Well, duh, of course it's expensive. Fish are scarce here.
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Santiago
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Does this look about right?
Made from an old down rigger weight.
[Edited on 2-12-2009 by Santiago]
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Don Alley
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Santiago
Made from an old down rigger weight.
[Edited on 2-12-2009 by Santiago] |
Wow, cool, looks like it could catch another fish on the way back up!
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Paulina
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How long does it usually take for the swim bladder to deflate when a fish is sent down on one of those weighted jigs?
P.<*)))>{
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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Santiago
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Paulina
How long does it usually take for the swim bladder to deflate when a fish is sent down on one of those weighted jigs?
P.<*)))>{ |
Take a look at the website Pescador referred to: they have a bunch of videos - and re-catch rates: video shows fish swimming for the bottom as soon
as they're released looking pretty normal.
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Skipjack Joe
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Looks good Santiago.
It appears that the sinking weight keeps the hook tight in the fishes mouth. Then at the proper depth you stop releasing line and fish swims off
because the hook has no barb.
The only snag (pardon by pun) to the whole idea is that it would take an enormous weight to sink a 200lb grouper back down, keeping the hook taught
enough that he wouldn't swim off before the desired depth. No problem for me, though, as I don't expect to ever hook anything that big anyway.
What bothered me were the low recapture numbers. Sure, they're twice of what they were if simply released but still only 10%. You have to wonder if
bringing them up to the top and having their intestines protruding through their vents does enough damage that no amount of effort fixes what the
rapid change in pressure has done.
[Edited on 2-12-2009 by Skipjack Joe]
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Cypress
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Groupers are sorta weird! They change sex as they grow older and bigger. The young small ones are females and the big older fish are males.  
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Skipjack Joe
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We see a lot of that here in San Francisco too.
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Paulina
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Thanks Santiago for pointing them out, I didn't spend enough time on that website the first time around to find those videos. I was surprised to see
how quickly the fish swam away.
\"Well behaved women rarely make history.\" Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
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Pescador
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skipjack Joe
We see a lot of that here in San Francisco too. |
And I suppose we are going to get in a lot of trouble if we suggest that we hook them up and sink them to the deep water. Better to just deflate
them.
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Pescador
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| Quote: | Originally posted by jdtrotter
Are the larger Cabrilla among the fish that many think should be released? |
A Cabrilla that is ten pounds may well be over 25 years old and while one of the most popular food fishes of Baja Mexico, I think that moderation is
certainly called for in the capture of this highly prized fish, but that idea is not going to play well with the most of the people who are fishing
the Sea of Cortez, especially the guide and commercial fishermen. I often release a high percentage of the sportfish I catch but this is not a real
popular concept so it is pretty much up to the individual fisherman.
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