Pumpkinseed

[Mark B.]

Originally Posted by NJ219bands

Removing more than 50 fish from one spot in one trip is not a few fish it’s a lot of fish. If you kill 50 fish a day for 30 days that’s 1,500 dead fish. When many people do that in one spot for a few years, you won’t catch many fish there.

And how many of the warmwater fish, that are already stressed out in the cold water, survive after you catch & release them?

[oelgnal1]

Originally Posted by Mark B.

And how many of the warmwater fish, that are already stressed out in the cold water, survive after you catch & release them?

The survival rate should be much higher in cold water, that will hold more oxygen, than Summertime water. Why do you think that many fish will transition to deeper, colder and more oxygen rich water during the Summer?

[reason162]

Originally Posted by oelgnal1

The survival rate should be much higher in cold water, that will hold more oxygen, than Summertime water.

Agreed, with the exception of deep smallies in wintering holes - anything over 30ft this time of year gets a little dubious on the release. Esp if guys are taking selfies and worse - live welling for a hero shot.

[oelgnal1]

Originally Posted by reason162

Agreed, with the exception of deep smallies in wintering holes - anything over 30ft this time of year gets a little dubious on the release. Esp if guys are taking selfies and worse - live welling for a hero shot.

I've caught them in 30+ fow around here in Jan., Feb., open water and after a pic, they never had a problem going back down, if they had, I fizz them.
Fizzing is a good thing to know anytime you catch deep water fish and is what is expected of a responsible fisherman.

[reason162]

Originally Posted by oelgnal1

I've caught them in 30+ fow around here in Jan., Feb., open water and after a pic, they never had a problem going back down, if they had, I fizz them.
Fizzing is a good thing to know anytime you catch deep water fish and is what is expected of a responsible fisherman.

They might swim down but delayed mortality is a thing. That's a big pressure change. It's one thing when they're up and down the water column chasing bait in the Fall - another when they've spent a month+ sitting deep.

I stopped targeting them this time of year - they deserve a break at some point in this state. But to each their own.