Venting - Your Honest Opinion

[Tom Kidwell]

In the last two years I have become absolutely obsessed with this whole bottom fishing thing.... so much that I have willingly set aside a couple of tuna trips this past year in favor of slower-paced bottom fishing.

I fish a lot. 39 trips offshore in the past 12 months. I enjoy practicing catch & release to a certain point.

QUESTION: Do you really think that properly vented (air released from expanded swim bladder) fish have a good chance of recovery when released?

An honest question that seems to keep hanging in my mind.

[DIRTYFOOT2]

Venting works to a point. If your not going to eat it don't fish for it in water over two atmospheres ( 60' ). I too love to bottom fish, but quit when I have enough for dinner, in water deeper than 60'. The survival rate on vented fish goes down the deeper your fishing.Good Luck
DF2

[Tom Kidwell]

Thanks DF2! I guess I need to do my C&R in shallower water. I've been catching a lot of hefty black bass and tiles in 45 fathoms off of some rock formations. There are a ton of wrecks off of the coast of North Carolina, some as shallow as 25 feet. Think I'll check some of them out and save my deeper drops for when I'm not in a "C&R" mood.

[DIRTYFOOT2]

Originally Posted by Tom Kidwell

Thanks DF2! I guess I need to do my C&R in shallower water. I've been catching a lot of hefty black bass and tiles in 45 fathoms off of some rock formations. There are a ton of wrecks off of the coast of North Carolina, some as shallow as 25 feet. Think I'll check some of them out and save my deeper drops for when I'm not in a "C&R" mood.

Right on Tom Makes it that much more enjoyable knowing you aren't killing stuff for no reason. Look forward to seeing your posts, and pics

[Boboe]

I worked in chartering in the Gulf off of the Fl Panhandle for 8 of the last 9 years. How survivable the trip to the top is depends on a few factors.

#1, and most important, is how deep it is, like DF2 said. <70' and they generally seem pretty lively. Tagging studies confirm this, as do studies where they have kept the fish in tanks and seen how long they survive.

#2, being second most important, is the species. Some fish deal with the train ride to the top better than others. Red grouper, and other grouper of the same genus have a nasty habit of going bug-eyed. They're pretty much toast at <120'. Red snappers from the same depth seem to do a lot better. Jacks of various species handle it better yet.

#3, not far behind #2 by much, is how fast they hit the surface. If you rip him to the top as fast as you can, or bring him up with an electric, you can pretty much call him dead. The slower he comes up the better off he'll be. Remember that when fishing for small fish/trash fish for bait. The same applies.

If you're playing catch and release from ~270', I'd really consider that you were playing "rape the sea and release," rather than conservation.

[Tom Kidwell]

Good information Boboe! Thanks!