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Let it go, or bust it off as quickly as possible

Attempt to catch it, and hold it long enough to get a quick picture by the side of the boat

Catch it, and take it to shore for pictures and tagging as usual- (it's catch and release anyway)

[work2fish]

Just curious how people would react. 

My thought is that since a fish is foul hooked it has to be released immediately, should be handled as minimally as possible, with no time for hero shots.  If someone snaps a photo of the fish while I'm in the process of releasing it that's fine, but I'm not pausing to pose for it (and would rather not be in the photo).

Or do you think it would be ethical to take it to shore, tag it for the tagging program, take measurements and the usual hero shots since it will be released anyway?

[typhoon]

I really can't imagine landing a large (8'+) foul hooked sturgeon. The 7 footer we foul hooked several years ago fought harder than any fish I have ever seen (including my 9 footer) and it was all we could do to snap him off. It would have taken hours to land it.

Foul hooking any fish does not make you a hero. With sturgeon it happens occasionally because they like to lie on the bait to prevent other sturgeon from eating it.

Release them as quickly as possible, either by dropping anchor and chasing them or by snapping them off.

[SS Fintastic]

I really can't imagine landing a large (8'+) foul hooked sturgeon. The 7 footer we foul hooked several years ago fought harder than any fish I have ever seen (including my 9 footer) and it was all we could do to snap him off. It would have taken hours to land it.

Foul hooking any fish does not make you a hero. With sturgeon it happens occasionally because they like to lie on the bait to prevent other sturgeon from eating it.

Release them as quickly as possible, either by dropping anchor and chasing them or by snapping them off.

I agree, try to release it quickly and as gently as possible

[oscar]

Just curious how people would react. 

My thought is that since a fish is foul hooked it has to be released immediately, should be handled as minimally as possible, with no time for hero shots.  If someone snaps a photo of the fish while I'm in the process of releasing it that's fine, but I'm not pausing to pose for it (and would rather not be in the photo).

Or do you think it would be ethical to take it to shore, tag it for the tagging program, take measurements and the usual hero shots since it will be released anyway?

[mko72]

Question: If you snap the line off, doesn't that mean there's a big-my friend hook stuck in its body, followed by 60+ yards of fishing line?  Would it be better to bring it in and properly remove the hook?

[DionJL]

Question: If you snap the line off, doesn't that mean there's a big-*** hook stuck in its body, followed by 60+ yards of fishing line?  Would it be better to bring it in and properly remove the hook?

The hook will fall or rust out quickly (since it's barbless), and there shouldn't be more than a few feet of line since your line should snap at the leader or near your knots.

I agree with Typhoon that it would be difficult to land a large fish if it was snagged. Typically if we snag a 4 or 5 foot fish we would bring it to the side of the boat and unhook it, revive it and send it on its way. But that is typical of what we would do for most fish whether they are properly hooked or not. We don't take many pictures of sturgeon unless it's over 7'.

[oscar]

Had this scenario a couple of years ago... Fought an 8' plus sturg for an extended period -  when it surfaced it came up tail first, and extremely spent.I knew the fish would need some time to revive, and in the best interest of the fish I made the decision to tow it to shore to give it the time it needed to recover.I wasn't at all comfortable just cutting it loose at the side of the boat in the shape that it was in, and hoping for the best. I know towing any fish tail first through the water is a no-no, but handling this big of a fish along side the boat just wasn't an option.There was absolutely NO way to get ahold of the head.Turns out this whole episode was being watched, through binocular's, by a fisheries boat.We both hit the beach at the same time.I had to listen to a raft of B.S. about how I "could be charged with molesting a fish" ect....After explaining myself all was ok, the fish was tagged, and released.

[oscar]

Ya....heard that one came in stern-first. It happens....

[BentRodsGuiding]

Circle hooks avoid this problem very well and they are becoming quite popular for Sturgeon.  My jury is still out on whether they are as good as Octopus style hooks for hook up ratio, but I am happy without having to set the hook and the avoidance of foul hooked fish.

[Gooey]

I was going to say how many sturgeon actually get foul hooked?  Never sturgeon fished but understand the method/mechanics so I was thinking that should rarely happen.

Wrapped up and coming in my friend backwards...thats another story but it seems like their a very tough fish so my gut would say beach it, remove gear and take the appropriate time to revive.

[sreeb]

It's my opinion that work2fish is very jealous of the sturgeon that dean and his customer caught and he can't let it go.  I realize in this thread you are asking a question that you could say is unrelated but that would not be true. By the sound of things it was all a miss understanding that the fish was snagged anyway. My answer to the question is that after fighting a fowl hooked sturgeon that yo probably didn't know was fowl hooked for a long while you should not just snap the line a hope it revives itself. I think it should be un hooked and revived and while doing so why not take a picture.

[work2fish]

It's my opinion that work2fish is very jealous of the sturgeon that dean and his customer caught and he can't let it go.  I realize in this thread you are asking a question that you could say is unrelated but that would not be true. By the sound of things it was all a miss understanding that the fish was snagged anyway. My answer to the question is that after fighting a fowl hooked sturgeon that yo probably didn't know was fowl hooked for a long while you should not just snap the line a hope it revives itself. I think it should be un hooked and revived and while doing so why not take a picture.

It was honestly curiosity, on how people would deal with a snagged fish after someone, oh look it was you posted "It's a catch and release fishery anyway so no matter where its hooked you gotta bring it in and you may as well show people just how amazing these fish really are. It's not like they were flossing and snagged it."  

It's also not the first time something like this has happened, and won't be the last.

And the result is surprising to me that 33% felt that was okay, especially considering some places and states have made it or are considering making it illegal to play a foul hooked fish.

The only thing that bothers me, is the fact that these sturgeon were reported to the media to be far larger than they actually were, with one report saying thier 12'4" was probably the largest sport caught sturgeon ever. Which it would havae been if it actually measure that from nose to fork.  These weren't even the largest caught this year, so far this one is http://bcsfg.blogspot.ca/ and unlike previous reports it's acccurate to the point of probbaly underestimating the fish's size, since most that saw it say it looked bigger than 750lbs. Again congrats to Mike for guiding his customers into such an amazing fish.

 If anything the mis-reporting of thier size would speak of someone else's jealousy, and trying to take credit away from the other guides who have caught bigger fish, like Mike.

As for the question of if one of Dean's big fish was snagged.  There was lots of video and more than 20 people there for the pictures, a picture or part of the video of it hooked would definitly dispell any rumors that it may have been foul hooked.

[Rodney]

I suggest to keep the name calling away from this discussion forum.

http://www.fishingwithrod.com/yabbse/index.php?topic=31249.msg298252#msg298252