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General Category => Hints and Tips => Topic started by: Editor on November 30, 2014, 11:00:39 AM

Title: How not to handle fish
Post by: Editor on November 30, 2014, 11:00:39 AM
How not to handle fish

See attached picture of an article from a Gold Coast rag; without doubt a fantastic fish.

Firstly the claim that this was a "Murray Cod" from the Nerang River is highly doubtful, Murray cod are not native to this river system and have not been stocked into the Nerang River. The fish is almost certainly a Mary River Cod which is endemic to the Nerang River and has been restocked there as well. The Mary River Cod in the Nerang River are totally protected species.
This is clearly poor research & reporting, sadly a common trait in modern media.

However the main reason for highlighting this article & the picture of the fish, it that even though the fish was released, hanging a 95cm fish from it's bottom jaw has most probably doomed it to die anyway due to the injuries it causes to the fish.

TIP
If you care about any fish and want it to swim away & actually survive;
- support its body when lifting the fish,
- don't handle the fish with dry hands or lay it on dry carpet in your boat / dry dirt, &
 - keep the time the fish is out of the water to a minimum, a good guide is to hold your breathe when you lift the fish from the water, when you run out of air, the fish needs to be back in the water.  :tick
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Title: Re: How not to handle fish
Post by: rayke1938 on November 30, 2014, 05:30:06 PM
Poor handling no doubt to the practice of fishing mags and people running comps all showing photos of fish being suspended by the jaws.
 How about starting a policy of not publishing any photos showing fish dead or alive not supported correctly ?
Replace photo with caption photo deleted fish not supported.
 Cheers
Ray
Title: Re: How not to handle fish
Post by: aussiebasser on November 30, 2014, 07:47:30 PM
Most dead fish are not illegal, that one, unfortunately was illegally caught.  That angler admits to targeting it when they are a no take species.  Hopefully, with his name and address published in the paper, and the admission of guilt, an easy prosecution should result.
Title: Re: How not to handle fish
Post by: bushwacker on December 02, 2014, 09:53:23 AM
You are kidding........
Title: Re: How not to handle fish
Post by: Miocevich on April 14, 2017, 10:36:06 AM
 :GoodPost)

Great tips, some people forgot to treat the fish properly.
Title: Re: How not to handle fish
Post by: Chep Buxley on April 14, 2017, 01:34:44 PM
Why do Australian Bass tournament anglers hold their fish by the jaws for photos?
Title: Re: How not to handle fish
Post by: Doubletrouble on April 17, 2017, 03:40:25 PM
My guess is .... STUPIDITY. Any advances on that?
Title: How not to handle fish
Post by: beetleyak on April 18, 2017, 05:30:55 AM
I reckon it's a hang over from the yank bass scene. They always do the "crossed arm jaw grab" to pose for photos.


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