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

[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]

Originally Posted by 1captainron

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

[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

Originally Posted by 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.

[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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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.