small whiting

how do you put them back without killing them as i find about 50% die when i return them because they swallow the hook or just die for some reason. i wet my hands when i pick them up and cut the snood when they swallow the hook but to no avail. any suggestions?

hey,
this used 2 happen 2 me alot,but what i do is strike earlier,you lose more fish but at least their still alive....
cheers
ian

try using bigger hooks with a long shank, also you could buy a hook dislodger to get deeply set hooks out there very simple to use instructions on the pack.

Been thinking about this one before. Would it be a good idea to keep a bucket of water beside you on the beach. :?: Unhook the fish and place it in the bucket. This will give the fish time to recover in the still water as aposed to being washed around in the surf or current while it is weak.

Just a though and something I will be trying on my evening sessions.

Kev

would it have enough oxygen and how long would it need?

would it have enough oxygen and how long would it need?

ah yeah.. its not as if your going to keep in in a bucked that has been filled for hours and leaving the fish in there until you go home..
a fish should fully recover within five minutes or less..
all you'd do the is empty the fish with the water and refill the bucket for the next fish in a suitable depth of water...

common sense really :D

i personally think your better off getting it back into the drink with as little fuss as possible - think the bucket could add/prolong the stress of the whole event

well i'd normally say the same myself but i have seen quite a few fish that havent had the chance to recover on a surf beach been washed up back on the sand...

at least in a bucket they would recover enough to to swim back through the surf OMHO..

I feel that the small pin whiting do struggle to survive being caught. I've been pleasure angling beside a couple of fellow anglers, and I say that loosely. They were catching the pin whiting 3 at a time and just throwing them into an empty bucket that was beside them. When I asked what the craic was I was told that they used this time of the year to collect as many pin whiting as they could to fill the freezer? When asked why the small whiting? they said they use them for PIKE bait! as they were the proper size to fit there hooks.

Steve

thanks lads il try the bucket idea next time, done it in competition fishing but havent noticed anything anyway il pay attention from now on. does leaving the hook in if its deep give em a fighting chance anyway?