Killing Sailfish

[Desperado]

I come over from pensacola fishing forum and sometimes frequent this site mostly just reading.I wanted to maybe get some opinions and ask some of the guys from a different area about what they thought.2 sailfish have been killed off pensacola pier in 2 days.This pier is 30 feet off the water.standing height would put your eyes at 36 feet from the fish.Now the only measuring device being used to kill these sailfish is hillbilly with a gaff standing back squinting at the fish and saying i think its legal.yEAH ITS LEGAL LETS KILL IT.We have a had a great run on sails this year and they have been landed from kayaks(pulledout of the water for 10 minute photo shoots ,and seems like pier fisherman are pretty eager to kill these fish.Is this right to gaff these fish being in doubt on the correct size.I have been bashed to no end ,called a whiner,cry baby blah blah blah but this really does concern me.Wouldliketo see what other guys might have bto say.I have already spoke with NOAA official and he was pretty upset to hear what was taking place.If they could measure the fish more accurately it would not bother me as bad but it does.The killing of a sail or any billfish is pretty pitiful but thess guys have a kill em all attitude and it makes me sick.here is a picture of 1 sail caught by kids.

[DORADOsteve]

Is the fish in question of legal size?

If it is, that's the angler's call as to harvest or release.


Maybe the pier could come up with some sort of measuring device

[Capt. JJ]

I don't know the rules about killing HMS from a pier. I know the pier has a fishing license, but I don't know if they need the NOAA HMS permit as well. I would frown upon killing a sailfish in general, with the exception of one that was gut-hooked and bleeding out. Still, the fish has a better chance in the water than on the dock.

[Desperado]

Im really stressing on the measuring tactic being used.when your in a boat and the fish is boat side you can measure it more accurately but these baffoons are gaffing sailfish before they even know the size.Killfirst measure later practice.a 36 foot distance can be very decieving on a sail that 63 and 53 or even 58.It seems to me the state can step in on billfish and implement somekind of rule to reassire the proper size fish are being killed.

[Uncle Buck]

A tired sail can be walked to the beach for a proper measurement. I don't agree with a distant "it looks legal" judgement. But sometimes it's obvious. As far as harvesting a billfish... well, if it's of legal size, we can't really pass judgement. I personally won't take a sail or marlin (of legal size) unless it cannot be revived. But that's my code.

So... from above on a pier... nah, I don't think it's right to haul it up on a gaff. But if they brought it to the beach and someone measured it... okay.

[Desperado]

Here is one o my favorites.This is the kind of crap im talking about that is going on over here and this tpe of behavior is being praised.Notice shes on the beach.she paddled this fish all the way to the beach for the picture.pathetic

[Desperado]

Originally Posted by Uncle Buck

A tired sail can be walked to the beach for a proper measurement. I don't agree with a distant "it looks legal" judgement. But sometimes it's obvious. As far as harvesting a billfish... well, if it's of legal size, we can't really pass judgement. I personally won't take a sail or marlin (of legal size) unless it cannot be revived. But that's my code.

So... from above on a pier... nah, I don't think it's right to haul it up on a gaff. But if they brought it to the beach and someone measured it... okay.

Its against the law to tow a fish unless its being harvested.

[Uncle Buck]

Okay... not tow... but fight/guide it to shore.

[Brand H]

Originally Posted by Desperado

Its against the law to tow a fish unless its being harvested.

I'm not too sure about that. What about the tarpon tournaments over at Boca Grande where they tow them in to be measured and released with a gaff through their lip?

I am with Buck on this one. If it is legal, I don't really care if someone kills ANY fish as long as they are going to use all of it. I personally will not kill a billfish if it is releasable. If it is not, it's coming in the boat. But I do agree that they need to measure them the right way. The "eye balling it" from the pier is wrong. Ask yourself what makes a sailfish any more special than any other fish you take home? Prettier??? That is in the eye of the beholder. I think wahoo are some of the prettiest fish in the water but I kill them all of the time. So does everybody else. Good on you though for trying to make sure that they are keeping it legal.

[fishxtreme]

Correct me if I'm wrong ...In Florida state waters, sailfish minimum length is 63". Measured tip of lower jaw to fork. Daily bag limit is 1 in aggregate with white and blue marlin. Federal regulations apply in state waters. All landed fish must be reported to NOAA within 24 hours 800-894-5528. Sounds like a HMS permit is required. The fish pictured with the kayak is undersize. These kids probably don't know the rules.
In Texas state waters, sailfish are required to be 84" total length and no daily bag limit.
I doubt anyone fishing from this peir has a HMS permit. Are there signs posted at the peir reguarding billfish? One would think a "pay" peir could afford to educate it's anglers. I'm surprised the wardens have not stepped in.

[Uncle Buck]

The HMS thing is a bit sketchy in regards to land-based and non-powered vessels. That may be one of those loopholes that NMFS figured is not worth the effort to figure out or enforce. I mean, how much of an impact do pier fishermen and kayakers have on pelagic migratory species? It's a rare occasion that those species regulated under the HMS permits would even be catchable from a land based structure. The access of non-powered personal watercraft to those species is limited as well. Besides, the forms for an HMS permit cannot be completed without specifying the horsepower of the vessel... which also needs to be registered or documented in order to assign the permit.

So... I'm not really worried about the occasional "not really completely legal" sailfish catch/kill from land-based structures. (ie: no HMS permit, not reported) I figure if it's allowed in the bag limit of the State where the angler is fishing... okay. Of course, that one in the kayaker's photo IS just plain too small.

[Catch-All]

What Uncle Buck said.

I've turned one or two longnose catfish a year into fish dip. IMO it beats kingfish-based fish dip any day.

Catch

[d-a]

I'm not sure what pier that those sails are coming from, but I do know that my friend caught one of legal size that died from being tail wrapped while fishing from a pier this year in the panhandle.

There may be more to those pictures than you know..Just saying.... And the pic in your first post looks like it was tail wrapped at one point in the fight from the bruises.


Oh yea, Nice first post Oh and just so you know the law has changed that your not allowed to remove a billfish from the water unless your intent is to kill it.

d-a

[Desperado]

kinda like this guy ?same area,same beach.this crap burns me up

[conchydong]

What burns you up. That is a great LEGAL catch from a kayak, I would keep it and smoke it and brag about my kayak catch while everyone is eating smoked fish dip and drinking beer.

[Desperado]

Originally Posted by conchydong

What burns you up. That is a great LEGAL catch from a kayak, I would keep it and smoke it and brag about my kayak catch while everyone is eating smoked fish dip and drinking beer.

fish was a mud dart

[d-a]

Originally Posted by Desperado

kinda like this guy ?same area,same beach.this crap burns me up

How do you know it wasnt released after taking the picture? I would imagine its hard to paddle in while trying to balance a sailfish on the Yak

d-a

[TTesterman]

they are fun and a quick couple pictures and let them go...! If you know they are not going to make it .. take them if you want but make sure they are legal size. did I mention I like catching them??? C caught one yesterday with Buckcherrys 'Crazy B....' playing on the I-pod.. a tld 25 and a live ballyhoo make a great day... plus I got a 7-8 lb flounder that will be a great dinner! the bite was awesome ...! my girl was awesome.. rod tip up and keep it tight!

[bigsplash]

Originally Posted by conchydong

What burns you up. That is a great LEGAL catch from a kayak, I would keep it and smoke it and brag about my kayak catch while everyone is eating smoked fish dip and drinking beer.

i love fishing and eating my catch.

[littlezac]

Why does this bother you so much. the first fish was caught by a kid named jake, his fish ran 400 yards of line and when it was pier side it was black, the picture of the sail that has the color was taken later after the fish had sat on the deck for a couple minutes. the fish was DEAD so they gaffed it, it was also legal so i dont see a problem with the fish being gaffed.

[sammythebu11]

What's the point in killing a sailfish? to me their food value is Zero, you can smoke anything and make it taste ok.
I'd rather catch and release a sailfish so someone else can watch the show next time it's caught, but that's just me.
There are a million other fish that I would rather eat better than sailfish.

[conchydong]

Originally Posted by sammythebu11

What's the point in killing a sailfish? to me their food value is Zero, you can smoke anything and make it taste ok.
I'd rather catch and release a sailfish so someone else can watch the show next time it's caught, but that's just me.
There are a million other fish that I would rather eat better than sailfish.

Sammy, for kayak and Pier fisherman catching a sailfish maybe a once in a lifetime experience. Its not like many of us fortunate enough to live bait the edge each winter from a nice comfortable boat and catch multiple sails on almost ay given day.
As long as they eat the fish I see no problems with killing it. By the way, I like a lot of other fish better than sail also, but given the choice of eating a fresh piece of grilled sail shoulder or a piece of chicken from Publix, I will take the fresh sailfish anytime.
Before the local billfish tournements switched to Circle Hooks, litterly 100's of gut hooked sailfish were released with leader hanging out of their mouths or their guts "shaken" to pieces by anglers "breaking them off" for release. I am sure a good percentage of these fish never survived,but I did not see anyone complain about it.
I think the existing laws for billfish for recreational fisherman are fine and lets be honest, do you think the guys whacking lots of swordies each week can eat it all themselves. No, it is given away to friends, family or bartered, which is still ok as long as the rules are followed.

[lindainpcb]

Hi guys, I figure if my name & picture is getting smeared all over the internet by "Desperado" I should at least have a chance to defend myself =)

This sailfish was caught right outside the draw on the 2nd sandbar off PCB out of my kayak. It was not dragged to the beach, a guy grabbed my yak & I still had to put pressure on this fish when in the breakers. I did remove the fish for less then a minute for a picture of which I thought would be a lifetime catch out of a yak. I now know they are not suppose to be removed from the water if you don't plan on taking them. He was then released back into the water and swam away STRONG. I even caught a much bigger sail from my kayak 2 days later, it was released yakside in the water. I don't know what "Deperado's" problem is but he was banned from the Pensacola Fishing Forum. FYI
First sail that was released:

2nd sail released yakside:

[d-a]

Originally Posted by lindainpcb

Hi guys, I figure if my name & picture is getting smeared all over the internet by "Desperado" I should at least have a chance to defend myself =)

This sailfish was caught right outside the draw on the 2nd sandbar off PCB out of my kayak. It was not dragged to the beach, a guy grabbed my yak & I still had to put pressure on this fish when in the breakers. I did remove the fish for less then a minute for a picture of which I thought would be a lifetime catch out of a yak. I now know they are not suppose to be removed from the water if you don't plan on taking them. He was then released back into the water and swam away STRONG. I even caught a much bigger sail from my kayak 2 days later, it was released yakside in the water. I don't know what "Deperado's" problem is but he was banned from the Pensacola Fishing Forum. FYI
First sail that was released:

2nd sail released yakside:

Yea he has posted this all over several other forums in a vindictive way.

Nice Sails too by the way

d-a

[lindainpcb]

I know swordfishing, PFF & this one - he even has MY picture & Jakes in his facebook photos any others I need to know about? Thanks

[triplethreat1]

[TTesterman]

I keep looking to see someone with a bill through their leg ... now that would be exciting... some people must yell very loud to be heard so don't let those creatures bother ya.. and by the way when you do filet a sail take the damn blood line out it is all good not only the shoulder meat.. your not dealing with a amberjack that has worms...!

[ameristrat]

I do not kill sailfish on my boat, but with a permit and if they are of legal size, anyone can take one. I would imagine those pier fisherman do no have permits, however. Those little sails on the beach are saddening too. I garantee you they didn't live.

[Slbraves]

I don't agree with killing sailfish either but I think that would be a lot of fun catching one in a kayak. Good job!