# Roughin' It Outdoors show



## stupiddog (Jan 15, 2008)

Last night I was watching the piece on starvation res and I was disgusted at how they were handling the fish. The kid was bear hugging a big brown before letting it go. Kids only know what there taught but then the guy is holding a fat rainbow up by the gills to snap his photo before release. If your ganna handle them like that just keep them for dinner. You would think that this being an outdoor show sponsored by DWR that they would take 30 seconds and show people the proper way to handle these fish.


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

Didn't see the show...but not to be too critical and this is just my opinion. :| 

I believe fish are a lot more heartier then we give them credit. Just as long as one doesn't shove their hands "actually" into the gills...I see no issue with holding a fish by the "gill plate". But I do believe in holding the fish horizontal and not vertical...holding a fish vertical does not help the fishes internal organs. 

As far as bear hugging a fish...again I see no problem better than seeing it covered in sand, mud, muck etc. 

Again just my two cents worth. :wink: :wink:


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## FLYFSHR (Apr 16, 2008)

k2muskie said:


> As far as bear hugging a fish...again I see no problem better than seeing it covered in sand, mud, muck etc.
> quote]
> 
> Other than removing the trout of its protective slime coat.
> ~FLYFSHR~


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## stupiddog (Jan 15, 2008)

The fish was vertical with the finger in the gills.


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## k2muskie (Oct 6, 2007)

FLYFSHR said:


> Other than removing the trout of its protective slime coat.
> ~FLYFSHR~


Question...maybe I'm just stupid but don't all fish have some type of protective covering and/or slime?

Next Question: Tell me how one knows how much slime is removed based on a picture or what one sees in a show? Is a micrometer or outside caliper used to measure the thickness of the slime?? Hmmm...I've always wondered about slime and the variety of fish species how one knows the slime was removed. :?

Another Question: Does someone have clear cut evidence supporting what happens when slime is removed? How can one tell if the slime is "totally" removed from the fish just by holding the fish?

Again, IMHO fish are a lot more heartier than folks give them credit for.


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## metal_fish (Mar 19, 2008)

I keep fish in an aquarium. And have read many books about the slime coating. Keeping the fish in the water as much as possible and not rubbing of their coating while handling will help to ensure its chance of living its just common cents. I think that you don't have to coddle the fish and be extremley sensitve but being rough with the fish is also bad too. Just find somewhere in the middle if you plan on releasing the fish keep it in the water as much as possible and don't be too rough with it. Bear hugging and gill holding not good, i agree be a little better with handling the fish you plan on releasing i haven't seen the show though.


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## FLYFSHR (Apr 16, 2008)

k2, 
just from my personal experience-
I have caught numerous trout with what looks like a green fungus spot on the side of the trout. On the other side of the trout low and behold is another four spots. This is evidence of human hands grasping the fish while in the process of catch and release. 
I think it's cool of people releasing but I believe trout shouldn't be handled like some warm water species can.

You state fish in general and I'm talking trout
again with the $0.02


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## metal_fish (Mar 19, 2008)

FLYFSHR said:


> You state fish in general and I'm talking trout
> again with the $0.02


This is true. When im handling a bullhead catfish im pretty rough for two reasons one they are very hearty so it depends on the fish i guess. Trout on the other hand need a little more care


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## BootWarmer (Apr 20, 2008)

I think it can take a lot of enery out of a fish and build up lactic acid if it takes too long to land them. I have seen some bigger trout caught and held in a horizontal position for photos, probably too long. Maybe 1-2 minutes. The fish was belly up. In a well oxygenated stream, the fish was held in a swift part of the stream and it did come around and was seen later in the day and looked good. So I think the stress could harm the fish. Hard to say without any real scientific data.


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## stupiddog (Jan 15, 2008)

I think what really bothered me is that a show with thousands of local viewers should go the extra mile to show people the right way.


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## Improv (Sep 8, 2007)

Of course it’s been no secret on how I feel about fish handling. I agree that it takes just a little effort to educate someone on the right way to catch handle and release a fish but most of us do what we do because that’s all we know. I’ll agree that the Rouging Outdoors show could have used that opportunity to give some unsolicited helpful fish handling hints. 

K2 - Lets hope trout or any other species of fish is hardier then we give them credit for, perhaps that will help compensate for our short comings when we improperly release fish – but just in case they are not, lets learn how to do it correctly. 

Don’t get me wrong; I have no problem with people keeping a few fish, just like Mallardpin did - especially when he knew that releasing it was going to be futile.


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## orvis1 (Sep 7, 2007)

The worst thing about it was they were using a net that hurts the fishes slime coating (use rubber not string), and fishing with a DWR employee. I agree they could have shown a better example of the proper way to realease fish. Although reese stien always keeps his fish out of the water forever while he poses and talks with the fish.


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## proutdoors (Sep 24, 2007)

It was a Park Ranger, not a DWR employee, and the kids were his. I don't believe they released the fish held by it's gill either. Sounds like the ranger and his kids fish there often, and the fish caught looked dang healthy to me. Just a thought.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

orvis1 said:


> The worst thing about it was they were using a net that hurts the fishes slime coating (use rubber not string), and fishing with a DWR employee. I agree they could have shown a better example of the proper way to realease fish. Although reese stien always keeps his fish out of the water forever while he poses and talks with the fish.


Take it easy on Reesey; what you don't see off camera is that it takes a while to get ready because he has to comb through his porn mustache first and then do the clip; but before releasing he always coats the fish with some of the mustache wax too; it is like a synthetic slime coat, nice guy :lol:


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## stupiddog (Jan 15, 2008)

Here is the link to the video for those of you that didn't get a chance to watch it. http://www.kutv.com/mediacenter/local.a ... avCatId=92


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Thanks for the link stupiddog, I've been look'in for it... 

I didn't see a _lot_ wrong with the video. That's what we do, try to hold a fish and they wiggle to get free. The young man seemed to be concerned in the way he was holding it. 
I didn't care for the length of time it was out of the water though, that to me was way too long. Blame that on the reporter...!
That fish will be okay, trout in eastern Utah are tougher than most.......it's gotta be tough to live in Starvation !!


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