Catch and Release

So whilst there is no fishing happening here at the momnet I have an opportunity to take a look at some of the developments in modern lure fishing that not just benefit the fisherman but the fish. Catch and release is ever increasing in popularity and I practice this policy as a rule. Don't get me wrong if a client wants to take a fish that is their own business, but I encourage people to put the big ones back, why? Because practically they don't eat well, they are the heavy spawning fish, they are the future of Irish Bass stocks. Some of these big fish are twenty five years old, I am always struck by that when I handle them, it is like a sense of awe at how long they have been in the sea. I cant help but wonder how many ledgered crab baits they have turned down?

So how do we ensure that the fish we catch are kept in the best condition, landed safely and returned safely. So the must have tool for this job is a boga grip, the original boga can be a bit cumbersome but Berkly have brought out a much lighter easier trigger grip that clips onto your jacket bag etc. These are really useful to protect both you and the fish as we all know how much armour these lads are carrying. Remember always place a hand under fish that you are holding with a boga to support them, try not to just dangle them off the boga as this can stress and damage fish unnecessarily. They are also a very useful tool when it comes to taking some pictures of your fish. I would advise anyone serious about their bassing to buy a digital camera and start to take some pics, there is so much out there worth taking pics of.

A handy trick on the rocks is don't tighten too far down into the fish once you have it close to the rocks. Pull off a bit of line from the reel and lift the rod tip over your head to draw the fish in then use your boga. on rougher days use the waves to help you land your fish and try to be careful about damage on the rocks, always keep an eye on where the trebles are. Once you have taken your pics put the fish back in the water and hold him till he recovers gently pulling water through his gills to re-oxygenate him. Once you feel him kick release the boga and off he goes. A trick I use is when the fish is ready to go, I focus my digital on him and am ready to take a pic on the moment of release you can get some lovely pics this way of fish turning in the water. This is all obviously easier if you are fishing with someone but can also be easily managed by one.

The most satisfying part of all this for me is seeing these beautiful cretures returned unharmed to the sea.