11-28-2012, 10:07 PM
But there has to be an impact, even if small.
Warmer days, too light of gear, Treble hooks, barbs, all up the mortality.
For me, that would not be the issue with ice fishing C&R. It is the fact you HAVE to take the fish out of the hole specially for pictures, on open water you can keep the fish in the water.
If you drop the fish on open water, it falls in water, not on ice. Wet your hands and then touch ice.... ( a Christmas Story..LOL)
Granted that is on the extreme cold days.
Can't net the fish, you have to handle them, are you doing it with wet hands so as to minimize the protective slime removal.
And as mentioned, flopping around on the ice.
I am sure the mortality is high, but the amount of fishers is not as high as open water season.
There is no way to determine how many go belly up under ice.
But it is a blood sport and that is the nature of the beast.
Just my take on it.
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Warmer days, too light of gear, Treble hooks, barbs, all up the mortality.
For me, that would not be the issue with ice fishing C&R. It is the fact you HAVE to take the fish out of the hole specially for pictures, on open water you can keep the fish in the water.
If you drop the fish on open water, it falls in water, not on ice. Wet your hands and then touch ice.... ( a Christmas Story..LOL)
Granted that is on the extreme cold days.
Can't net the fish, you have to handle them, are you doing it with wet hands so as to minimize the protective slime removal.
And as mentioned, flopping around on the ice.
I am sure the mortality is high, but the amount of fishers is not as high as open water season.
There is no way to determine how many go belly up under ice.
But it is a blood sport and that is the nature of the beast.
Just my take on it.
[signature]