06-10-2006, 11:58 AM
Flycaster: as trout go, they're pretty hearty, but I have caught a few fish that wrapped line around their gills during the fight and come up bleeding severely. Thought I've caught some fish that have very damaged gills, I'm sure many of the bleeders don't make it after they swim away. I'm sure, however, that they don't make it if they're bonked over the head. As you probably know, there is no such thing as 100 percent survival with any species caught and released. We're all going to have some killed, regardless of species. But with careful handling, I'd guess that I have a 96-98 percent survival rate, higher than I get with other trout, like river rainbows for example.
[signature]
[signature]