I'm not trying to start something here...this is just a question from one who has not ice fished in 30 years....but whereas the trout limit there is 2 fish, does ice fishing lend itself to catch and release? I fish Henry's all the time with a fly rod and I know there is always the chance for mortality, but we try our best...net the fish and handle light and quick...and many of us use barbless hooks to boot......but what of ice fishing?
I have always wondered the impact of ice fishing waters where the limit is low...like 2 fish. Knowing me, I would probably sit up there all day staring at a hole in the ice to catch my limit of 2 fish....I guess I just can't see how ice fishing lends itself to catch and release on high fish count days.
My .02
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If I remember correctly, Idaho Fish and Game did their study last year and said that the ice fishing season had very little impact on the lake. As far as catch and release and ice fishing goes, it's no different than catch and release at any other time of the year in my opinion. Granted, extremely cold weather can cause damage to gills, but that can happen just the same when winter fishing the river. There are always going to be people who don't handle fish correctly and then release them, whether it is on ice or on open water. I know that most of the fish I hook are in the corner of edge of the mouth, just like when I fly fish, so deep hooking is not usually an issue. If I want a picture of a fish, I'll do my best to keep it's head down the hole until the camera is ready, lift it out for the picture, and then release it. Statistically speaking, the more fish you catch, the higher chances there are of you killing one on accident, but once again, that is the same with any fishing. I personally have never noticed a big difference in C&R on ice vs. C&R on open water. I'd be interested to hear others opinions on the subject.
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If you use a jig like a paddle bug you will almost always hook them in the corner of the mouth. I use forceps to reach down and unhook them just like fly fishing. We sometimes pinch our barbs to make the job easier.
Windriver
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I have to agree with whats been said above i have never used just a bare hook and bait its always been a jig, fly or tube and have always been hooked in places where it was an easy fish off and kept the photo opportunity really fast then back in the hole I catch and release 99.9 percent of the time and don't see really any difference between summer and winter fishing.
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Thx. My hat is off to your concern for the fish. Actually, it does sound like fun. I might have to try it sometime. Winter time is when I normally sit around and drink hot drinks while tying up flies. It might open up a new kind of fly to tie.
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I haven't ice fished much so I don't have much experience to cite, but one thing that may actually be better on C&R is that the water temperature is better for fish recovery. A hard played fish in the warm temperatures of summer would have a harder time recovering.
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I agree with CP.
I think that if you take good care of the fish the ice fishing mortality rate is likely to be lower than summer months by a noticable margin. I hardly ever hook a fish deep enough to be a problem when ice fishing. More often, I don't hook them good enough and they get off right at the ice-hole [blush].
What is bad for the fish is letting them roll around on the ice and snow. I also try to not keep them out of the water any longer than I have to.
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Good points, all. I agree with the thoughts that too warm of water is hard on fish, especially big fish, which is why I tend to only fish stillwaters in spring-early summer and fall. I leave July, August and early Sept to small stream fishing....which is my favorite anyway, being an aficionado of UL fly gear (2, 3 and 4wt rods).
I do see a lot of abuse to fish which is
. I am glad to hear conservation practiced on the ice. As for harm to fish from them flopping too much on the ice and snow, I have to say it is equally bad, if not worse letting them flop around on gravel, grass and weeds, if you intend to release them.
Hmm, I might have to venture to Henry's sometime and try a bit of ice fishing.
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As previously stated, IDFG found that the total impact of last years ice fishing season (about 6 weeks) was equivalent to the impact of opening weekend.
I rarely hook any ice caught fish anywhere other than the edges of the mouth. We typically see strikes as soon as they happen and that doesn't leave a lot of time for a fish to swallow a bait.
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But there has to be an impact, even if small.
Warmer days, too light of gear, Treble hooks, barbs, all up the mortality.
For me, that would not be the issue with ice fishing C&R. It is the fact you HAVE to take the fish out of the hole specially for pictures, on open water you can keep the fish in the water.
If you drop the fish on open water, it falls in water, not on ice. Wet your hands and then touch ice.... ( a Christmas Story..LOL)
Granted that is on the extreme cold days.
Can't net the fish, you have to handle them, are you doing it with wet hands so as to minimize the protective slime removal.
And as mentioned, flopping around on the ice.
I am sure the mortality is high, but the amount of fishers is not as high as open water season.
There is no way to determine how many go belly up under ice.
But it is a blood sport and that is the nature of the beast.
Just my take on it.
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