Capt. Ron/Tossing back gaffed fish!!!!!!!!

[1captainron]

Every so often I have to post a rant that just pisses me off, so here goes....With the huge Blues that are being caught and the customers that don't want them, how about you bring a heavy rod with some heavier line and swing the fish like the old day's!
Toss them back to fight another day and for someone else to enjoy the fight while keeping the species sound.
Once they are gaffed and tossed back they die!!!!!!!! Now we get to see them floating all over the ocean, this is a total lack of respect and a disgusting practice in my eyes....
Can't go on further with this post, but for those who do this it will come back to bite you in the ASS big time.:mad: :mad:

[dockbuilder]

With you 100% these guy's bring rod's and reel's they bucktail fluke with.

[Scoundrel]

Do you ask/tell your customers at the beginning of the trip?

Lets face it, a lot of people on a bluefish packet are newbies or subsistence fisherman.

I would think that a quick 1 minute recourse over the PA on the importance of conservation,catch and release, the fact that most customers will not enjoy the flavor, would greatly increase the release rate without a gaff.

When I fished party boats I saw it all the time. Sacks of blues sitting in the sun, thrown in the trash..:confused:

[1captainron]

Do you ask/tell your customers at the beginning of the trip?

Lets face it, a lot of people on a bluefish packet are newbies or subsistence fisherman.

I would think that a quick 1 minute recourse over the PA on the importance of conservation,catch and release, the fact that most customers will not enjoy the flavor, would greatly increase the release rate without a gaff.

When I fished party boats I saw it all the time. Sacks of blues sitting in the sun, thrown in the trash..:confused:
This isn't about me....as I don't gaff Bluefish and toss them back!!! And yes, we do ask the customers if they are going to keep the fish or not. I'd rather ruin a good net or loose a rig then kill one of the hardest fighting fish in the ocean for nothing other than the glory!

[Duffman]

This isn't about me....
Then WHO is it?

[tombanjo]

Understand and agree completely Ron but I'd pay good money to see somebody swing a 20lb blue in on a PB. INCOMING!!

[capt74]

Let the law suits begin. I got whacked in the head by Joe Blow and the hook took out my eye.

[RBC67]

Understand and agree completely Ron but I'd pay good money to see somebody swing a 20lb blue in on a PB. INCOMING!!


What he said

[shrimpman steve]

Duck or bleed!

No reason to kill fish for no reason!

[kmaty]

We gaff fish every night and have a one hundred percent release rate........let me finish we take the time to A. Hook the plug if at all posible or b. Take the one second to try to lip gaff it gently as possible to ensure no farther penitraton its like hooking fish and lifting them however if not done properly instant kill with a shot to the head i watch all thesr fished killed on boats doggies gaffed and slamed boats gaffing anything that swims bkues bass doggies and so on all i can say is savages. But when im old and telling fishing stories around my thanksgiving dinner with my family i can say i was one of the few that tried to have fish for the future!

[Fishfish]

I appreciate the point of the "hook in the eye" on "swung over the rail" 20lb fish, but the same happens with all species large and small fish swung over the rail - flying hooks and lead. Still no reason to gaff an unwanted fish. If you are using light tackle / fluke tackle, then simply take a hand wrap on the line when the fish is boat side and bust him off! Sorry if you dont want to lose a 50 cent wire and hook. I my self use a five foot leader of 60 or 80 lb mono uni knotted to my main line. Reach over and and hand wrap the leader and haul the fish up over the rail. many times I dont even use wire, but a circle hook or long shank J hook and get a lot more bites. If you dont want them any way, who cares if you get bite off a few times. Gaffing and throwing them back should be illegal and at least PB captains should not allow it to happen on their vessel. Good thread Capt Ron! Abuse needs to be stated.

[NoLimit]

Yep - put on some gloves, use a decent leader, and haul up the fish.

[Scoundrel]

Captain Ron,

Certainly no disrespect to you.i know you have a job.

You did say in your initial post that you gaff the fish. Fine.
Just so you know, my philosophy is kill all fish you can eat.

What I have seen on party boats is egregious.

[Scoundrel]

Kmaty:

What?

[JOHN D]

Hey capt Ron, I always wondered why you guys don't just bring the nets that you use for stripers on these bluefish trips to avoid this? Nets can be replaced, bluefish stocks cant.

[Tony Cav]

Truth be told, gaffing them in the mouth, maybe in areas with solid meat, say in the back area, certainly not near the body cavity, gills, eyeballs, and the fish have an outside chance of survival, if they are lucky..

Tossing them back certainly slows them down a bit (understatement). And as we all know those F'ers will eat one another promptly. I like the idea of having heavier tackle and pressuring them as hard as possible without
breaking the line. You need to know what the limits of your terminal gear is and fight them just to the breaking point. So you loose a few. BFD.

[Ismellfishy]

I completely agree about gaffed fish being thrown back. in fact one the reasons I have not been out for blues is because I dont eat bluefish and dont want a 20# blue to be gaffed when im not going to eat it. in fact I jokingly said to my dad, "should I bring my own net".

I have actually been out on boats SPECIFICALLY because they would net the fish regardless of blue or bass. I have even been scolded for throwing back a bluefish before on a night trip because it could take the school away from the boat.

I have tackle plenty heavy enough for these blues but do not want to snap my rod swinging a 15lb + blue and would much rather be able to have it netted, and would even pay a higher price for this. I have also been out before fishing with two rods, one a 20# class and the other a 30-40# class. both had 60lb topshot and every fish I caught on the lighter rod was lip hooked and every blue on heavier rod was was gut hooked. just something else to consider about heavier tackle, although I know many of fish now are being taken on jigs which would mitigate this facet.

but regardless fish that do not wabt to be kept should not be gaffed, regardless of tackle used

[Scoundrel]

Truth is, I have a great bluefish story where the mate swung a blue over the deck with 10 + lines attached and a 9/0 hook with a steel leader ended up squarely in my nose...

[capnbw]

guess you didnt duck quick enough, but seriously no wonder people dont want to post it always turns into a piss--g match, and scoundrel if you read again Captain Ron did NOT write that he gaffs fish. JMO :mad:

[seazu]

Hey capt Ron, I always wondered why you guys don't just bring the nets that you use for stripers on these bluefish trips to avoid this? Nets can be replaced, bluefish stocks cant.
HOLY SHIT, I CANNOT BELEVE YOU WOULD EVEN SAY SUCH A THING!!!!!!
i cant say any more or i will be thrown off....

[Ol Pedro]

I miss the times that our Bluefish rentals all had 50 lb. test. Every Season we go through the same thing. Customers showing up with the wrong tackle or getting off the boat leaving totes of Blues. We try and tell them and it 's always the same. We end up scrambling to find someone to take them or fillet them and donate them to friends/family. Capt. Ron is right . Don't kill what you don't use ! If it's gaffed it had better have a home on the boat.

[Capt Sal]

This isn't about me....as I don't gaff Bluefish and toss them back!!! And yes, we do ask the customers if they are going to keep the fish or not. I'd rather ruin a good net or loose a rig then kill one of the hardest fighting fish in the ocean for nothing other than the glory!
I didn't know this was your first rodeo lol

[bunker dunker]

Lift Or Loose Them Worked Well For Years And Years.the Difference Now Is That No Wants To Work Together.

[Scoundrel]

Capnbw,

Have you ever seen anyone bring their own personal 12' gaff on a party boat:p

[Capt. Debbie]

Ron,

People suck.

I had a charter years ago night blues. Husband/ wife and brother in law. We already had about 15 10-15 blues in the boat. Way more than they could eat in a year.

I suggested to toss some back. I was in a 25' Grady so getting them on board was easier. Given it was night I had intentionally used long wire leaders to make baoting them easier.

They said NO. This is too much fun. Continued to reason with them. But no we want more. They ficked until their arms got tired. 27 blue fish. Easily over 200 pounds of fish.

Then the BALLS OF THESE PEOPLE. I was fileting them at the dock. And they said" THATS A LOT OF MEAT... YOU WANT TO KEEP SOME?"

I felt like stabbing them with the filet knife. All I said was I told you so, and don't waste these. Given them away to a homeless shelter or something like that.

People will preach to others, but be pigs themselves.

If you're mxed out and doing C & R... crush the hook barb down with pliers. They will almost always shake themselves off with slack




Every so often I have to post a rant that just pisses me off, so here goes....With the huge Blues that are being caught and the customers that don't want them, how about you bring a heavy rod with some heavier line and swing the fish like the old day's!
Toss them back to fight another day and for someone else to enjoy the fight while keeping the species sound.
Once they are gaffed and tossed back they die!!!!!!!! Now we get to see them floating all over the ocean, this is a total lack of respect and a disgusting practice in my eyes....
Can't go on further with this post, but for those who do this it will come back to bite you in the ASS big time.:mad: :mad:

[kmaty]

Scoundrel take the gaff amd when possible try to hook it to the lure you are using in the fishes mouth when not posible if you gently put the gaff in the front of a fishes jaw its no different than swinging him as if he was being swung by your lure

[MrAC1980]

Can't agree with you more. This is why I get to the boat early and get in the back area. Its much easier to back up and lift a fish over the rail then it is along side the boat standing shoulder to shoulder with other guys. This especially the case when jig fishing. If we're jigging and i'm standing along the side of the boat and a fish comes up, and I have no where to run/duck/hide, you'd better believe I want that mate to gaff that fish rather then a hook in me!

[hammer4reel]

Swinging fish of any size really is as Irresponsable. there are plenty of nets made today that a bluefish wont readily chew up .

Hell even posting that YOU suggest it Ron in todays day and age is just looking for the first person who gets hooked by a boomeragnging( is that even a word LOL) lure and gets hooked to sue you.

Party boats bluefishing are usually pretty packed, and having fish fly into the boat the old way is just asking for trouble.

And todays graphite rods many anglers use just arent up to the task that glass did so well.

spend some money and buy something that really will help the fish go back in unharmed , and start netting the fish

[hammer4reel]

I miss the times that our Bluefish rentals all had 50 lb. test. Every Season we go through the same thing. Customers showing up with the wrong tackle or getting off the boat leaving totes of Blues. We try and tell them and it 's always the same. We end up scrambling to find someone to take them or fillet them and donate them to friends/family. Capt. Ron is right . Don't kill what you don't use ! If it's gaffed it had better have a home on the boat.


yea right, 50 pound line to catch the 14" fish that were caught most of the summer when the bigger blues just didnt come in .

many guys downsized their tackle and KEPT fishing just to be out there, and had fun using lighter stuff because the fish were so small .

The way bluefishing was this spring and summer boats should have been thankful guys even fished,

[frugalfisherman]

I wouldnt worry about it. Those dead blues are feeding families of other sea creatures. If you watch Nova you would see nothing goes to waste down below.

[Harpoon]

Whats worse... a bluefish sitting in the sun all day that someone will "forget" to take home or a dead blue fish that was put back into the circle of life?

I do wish more PB's would use nets to bring in the blues...yes it does suck to get them out of the net but they will live and the fare wont get their finger bit off or hit the guy next to them with a flying fish/hook. Since I don't eat blues I always find guys to take my fish prior to leaving the dock...or if someone is having a tough day on the rail they get my share.

Even had a mate on the CR last year show me how to pick up an albie by the tail using the gaffe and not puncture the skin. Albies taste like kaka and shouldn't be kept.

[Duffman]

Ok, I guess I'll ask again.......

What boat (s) we talking about here?

Who is the gaff and release boat? Private,charter,PB?

[Ol Pedro]

yea right, 50 pound line to catch the 14" fish that were caught most of the summer when the bigger blues just didnt come in .

many guys downsized their tackle and KEPT fishing just to be out there, and had fun using lighter stuff because the fish were so small .

The way bluefishing was this spring and summer boats should have been thankful guys even fished,
Hammer, I agree that we were blessed to get the customers that did come down. As we both know every Season is different. Hopefully this one is the exception. I'm not talking Blues under four pounds. You should bulk up when you know that they are Gators. Last time out I caught them on 60lb with an egg and wire leader handing them off to the kids . I prefer to lift all Bluefish as I don't eat them.

[Setthehook]

Its the Circle of Life Captain! What we don't keep and leave in the ocean gets eaten by other fish therefore keeping the food chain intact. The few fish caught on night boats that are gaffed and tossed don't compare to those that are killed by netters.... it has be hundreds of times worse if I were to guess.

[Capt Sal]

He who stirs the pot should lick the spoon lol Funny post

[coachben]

Of all the offensive things said on this site you as an ADMINISTRATOR actually used the R word. Not sure what else to say. Very sad.

[reonainoue]

I do use a fish dehooker to release undersized fish or anything I don't want to keep.

http://www.alltackle.com/arc_dehooker.htm

[Pennsy Guy]

Didn't know anyone would even think of tossing back any gaffed fish--well, maybe a spiny dog fish--are they still on the endangered list?...catching the 'gators was always fun for the fight and before I retired always had an outlet for any fish I didn't want--now I don't and would only keep 4 at the most-one to eat fresh cubed and breaded, three to marinate for 24hr and smoke. As an aside: did that with a Skippy and the crew thought it was YFT!!!

[Honger]

here we go, This man is the epitome of a belligerent retard. this is the same mentally that killed off the whiting. you should be banned from fishing.
I think you are the retarded one.

[MohawkJD]

This is a great topic open to debate and suggestions. Since there are so many different sized boats and styles, bringing these fish into boats varies. Why is it every time a good, debatable topic comes up, it ends up with put downs and insults? I stopped posting on these topics because this happened to me. I'd like to see all the posts with insults and name calling deleted so I could re-read this thread intelligently.

If anyone has any links for tougher nets that may stand up to bluefish teeth or any other product that could help save them for someone else to fight another day, that would be nice.

Go ahead, send the insults,I'm ready, I can take it.

[coachben]

It would be nice if the ignorant idiots on this board could refrain from using the R word. But I quess that is to much to ask especially from Administrators.

[Joey Dah Fish]

Well here's my 5 cents :) to knowingly kill something that you are not going use as food or bait kind of tells me what kind of a person you are. That being said I think it may be smart to tell a mate or captain that you are fishing for fun. This way they have the opportunity to react in a way that they the captain and crew would like to. I do understand when blue fishing that getting that fish out of the water quickly is esciemtial do to its ability to destroy plenty of tackle all over the boat. So it's a double edge sword for the captain and crew. Save the fish for another day which I'm sure they would prefer to do and piss off 10 guys that got tangled up and now can't fish until the re tie what they just tied on after the last mess. Or gaff the fish so it does tangle 10 other anglers and piss off 10 other anglers because the killed the fish for no reason. Tough call here guys. I don't want to kill that fish and I don't want to get tangled up in that mess because I paid to fish and now I'm not Fishing. :( PS netting a blue fish? You crazy you would go through 10 nets a trip.

[1captainron]

It would be nice if the ignorant idiots on this board could refrain from using the R word. But I quess that is to much to ask especially from Administrators.
Coachben, It's such a shame that this post has come to this! Amazing how things always seem to take a different road on the internet, a simple vent becomes a, You should, I would, who did it event.
Sorry to say this Boy's but there's no-one on this sight that is the "Perfect Man" we've all had our screw ups and downfall's, from those things, we are supposed to learn, it's obvious that some get it and yet some don't.

In my world, Fishing is the way of life, I'll call them like I see them till the day I die.:)

[dales529]

Well here's my 5 cents :) to knowingly kill something that you are not going use as food or bait kind of tells me what kind of a person you are. That being said I think it may be smart to tell a mate or captain that you are fishing for fun. This way they have the opportunity to react in a way that they the captain and crew would like to. I do understand when blue fishing that getting that fish out of the water quickly is esciemtial do to its ability to destroy plenty of tackle all over the boat. So it's a double edge sword for the captain and crew. Save the fish for another day which I'm sure they would prefer to do and piss off 10 guys that got tangled up and now can't fish until the re tie what they just tied on after the last mess. Or gaff the fish so it does tangle 10 other anglers and piss off 10 other anglers because the killed the fish for no reason. Tough call here guys. I don't want to kill that fish and I don't want to get tangled up in that mess because I paid to fish and now I'm not Fishing. :( PS netting a blue fish? You crazy you would go through 10 nets a trip.


Ahh the voice of reason ! PB (if that's what we are talking about since no one answered Duffmans question) can get crazy but still the rule should be if YOUR and you know who u are fish is gaffed its now yours, not the boats so take it home period

[Duffman]

PB (if that's what we are talking about since no one answered Duffmans question)

Just strange. No one wants to name names. Asked twice, no response. Figured if guys have seen the gaff and release boat(s) they would name it/them...guess not.

[Joey Dah Fish]

Just strange. No one wants to name names. Asked twice, no response. Figured if guys have seen the gaff and release boat(s) they would name it/them...guess not.
Duffman same rulers apply you're damned if you do you're don't. It's interesting to me that people love to stur the pot. I'm usually one of them :) yet not today.

[1captainron]

Just strange. No one wants to name names. Asked twice, no response. Figured if guys have seen the gaff and release boat(s) they would name it/them...guess not.
Mr. Duffman, regardless of how bad the offense, I posted to bring out some facts and my own personal feelings , not to be a Rat (as much as I would love to) not the way I was brought up, not the way I live.....just hope everyone get's the point, doesn't matter who it is, it all comes out in the wash someday.

[Joey Dah Fish]

Mr. Duffman, regardless of how bad the offense, I posted to bring out some facts and my own personal feelings , not to be a Rat (as much as I would love to) not the way I was brought up, not the way I live.....just hope everyone get's the point, doesn't matter who it is, it all comes out in the wash someday.
Well done Capt Ron it certainly does create awareness and that's the goal. Information and discussion stimulates thoughts pro and con. It gives guys food for thought looking at things through another persons eyes can shed some light but only if your eyes and mind is open. Thanks for the post it made me think.

[coachben]

Capt Ron I agree with you. I also am a firm believer that everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I am still very upset and surprised that above all else there has been no apology from the Administrators on this site who seem to feel that using the R word is still ok.

[Duffman]

Mr. Duffman, regardless of how bad the offense, I posted to bring out some facts and my own personal feelings , not to be a Rat (as much as I would love to) not the way I was brought up, not the way I live.....just hope everyone get's the point, doesn't matter who it is, it all comes out in the wash someday.

Well said, I respect that.

Only asked as I, and I'm sure others, were curious.

Your right, it comes out in the wash.