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

[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]

Originally Posted by hammer4reel

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]

Originally Posted by JOHN D

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.