Printer Friendly Version - Boost Striped Bass Survival During a Photo Op

Can the love of fishing be any more apparent? Catching and releasing the majority of her catches, Alexis Lee normally fishes Stratford waters and is now venturing into the eastern Sound. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

As the Fourth of July approached, Sebastian Patino of Windsor Locks hooked into and released this over-the-slot Long Island Sound striped bass. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

Cooper Kolesnik (11) of Old Saybrook hooked into this fine example of a nine-pound blackfish (tautog) on a crab while fishing in Westbrook waters. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

First Mate aboard the Sea Sprite, Jonah Lewis of Madison carefully unhooks and releases unharmed one of several protected shortnose sturgeons that have been seen breaching Connecticut and Long Island Sound waters. Photo courtesy of Captain Morgan

With the striped bass slot limit squeezed to 3” (28-31”) in order to decrease mature female mortality, there are considerably more images taken of large fish before being released. A fish out of the water is not good. One out of the water for an extended period of time can be disastrous. With that in mind, there are a few simple precautionary steps a fisher can take to avoid unnecessary harm inflected prior to a release back into the water.

A successful fisher will always anticipate and expect a strike after every cast. If not, why make the cast to a chosen spot to begin with? That being said, there is no reason not to have a photo op pre-arranged, thereby minimizing the amount of time a striped bass is removed from the water.

Of course, not every cast made will consistently produce a hookup. Nor will every hookup be a quality fish that necessitates capturing an image. However, when the fishing rod gets smacked, and the drag begins to repeatedly sing, it is time to mentally and physically begin to prepare for the upcoming shot. Prior to the fish even being reeled in and removed from the water, the camera should be within reach, and who will take the shot and how and where it will be taken should already be determined.

This is an exciting moment with a lot going on, so simple planning will go far in avoiding a circus-like scene with the fisher and/or crew being the focus of the shot instead of the fish. Both recreational fishing for pleasure and competitive events can easily highlight the fisher and catch results. However, let us not lose sight of the fish and its ability to keep the stock flourishing. Without our help, that is compromised with the demise of each striper that should be returned to the water unharmed.

It is estimated that for every 60+ seconds out of water and exposed to air, the survival rate is only 28%. Reducing that to 30 seconds, the survival rate increases to 63%. And for fish never removed from the water, the survival rate is 88%. To help the survival rate along, like when attempting to remove a hook, a periodic dunking is highly recommended, if the fish must be removed from the water. Using inline circle hooks or barbless ones can reduce mortality by up to 80%. Additionally, holding a fish horizontally to reduce internal damage during the photo shoot is advocated.

The final act and one of the most important is the release. Hold the fish by the mouth and tail while submerging it in the water, gently moving it to get water over its gills. Support the fish until there are signs of it being able to swim away on its own. A kick of the tail and a splash is a good sign.

Once this routine is down, these simple precautions become secondary in nature. So, fish smart. Not only will striped bass stocks benefit, but all other fisheries that inhabit sweet and briny waters will also become benefisharies.

High pressure built across our area as well as offshore. Eventually, the high gave way to an approaching weak frontal system which lingered until after the Fourth of July. A warm front then approached and lifted, before a cold frontal system crept in during the afternoon and night. Air temperatures rose into the mid-to-high 80s before developing rain and thunderstorms broke, as temperatures hit the low 90s then dropped back down into the 80s. Long Island Sound water temperatures remained in the high 60s, with tidal rivers averaging higher during low tide cycles. Overall, seas remained calm, as southerly winds took hold but did get gusty when they hit 20 knots rising to a wavy two feet.

July kicked in with a slew of fish activity. Striped bass gradually moved from west to east but not before putting on quite a show, as schools of large, over-the-slot fish worked bait balls in near-shore waters. Reefs became active, as did many of the lower tidal rivers and mid-Sound reefs and shoals. Plugs, flutter spoons, jigs, and baits easily connected with linesiders from 40-50” along with many undersized and the frustrating, harder-to-catch fish within the slot limit. Drifting and casting live eels was a no-brainer.

Put the brakes on for black sea bass. Although New York waters are open to take these popular fish, Connecticut’s short temporary two-week closure extended through July 7. Use discretion if catching these fish in New York waters and then attempting to venture back into Connecticut during the closure. When the season re-opens on Monday, July 8, it will extend through Thursday, Nov. 28, during which time there ought to be a string of good knotheads caught.

A run of smaller weakfish continue to move through the Sound along with scattered average size adults. Some are found near-shore along the beaches, while others can be caught fishing the rips farther out and near the bottom. When weakies are in, it is not unusual for bluefish to be somewhere in the water column - usually deeper. Although chopper blues have been raising eyebrows in certain areas of the Sound, and a few are making their way inward, as of yet they are not problematic to the bass fishers. Diamond jigs and chunks are connecting in those locations and when encountered, they bring out wire leaders.

Our bottom fishery is building, as water temperatures warm and tides change. There are many different challenges for fishers, from porgies that offer a scrappy fight and a good meal. Squid, clams, and sea worms will get the school’s attention, as they stack on the reefs and humps. Northern kingfish, toadfish, sea robins, skate, as well as a few other visitors are sweeping the bottom for morsels of food. Schools of 4-5’ dogfish are increasing their presence in near and offshore waters. A healthy chunk of bait fished on the bottom, sweetened up with some chum or menhaden oil, can hardly be resisted by a cruising dogfish, or for that matter, something larger. A bit of wire attached to your hook is recommended.

Mixed catch rates dominate the summer flounder (fluke) season. Has anyone noticed days are being shortened by about a minute every few days since the summer solstice? As such, fluke season ought to be more defined by now. It is coming along, as mini-doormats are being caught with a few doormats boated. However, shorts are outnumbering keepers by about 15:1, as the overall picture, at least for now, is seeing fewer fluke caught in the Sound compared to the effort put forth.That means finesse, careful rigging, tide, and location is paramount.

Inland rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds are way ahead of the curve! Main upper tidal rivers are seeing bowfins, carp, channel catfish, some white perch, etc., while lakes and ponds are crushing largemouth/small mouth bass, yellow perch, and bluegills, while rivers are still yielding a good share of trout as well as a mixed bag of fish.

ALERT: Protected shortnose sturgeon are being encountered more frequently, breaching the surface around the Connecticut River and in Long Island Sound. Fishers beware if hooking up with an unusually powerful and fast run. It could easily be one of these prehistoric fish. If hooking into one, carefully release it unharmed without removing it from the water, if possible.

Note: Email us pics of your catches to share with our USA and International fishing friends who keep up with the latest fishing news and frequent social media.

For all things fishy, including the latest gear, flies/fly fishing, rods/reels, clam/crabbing supplies, fishing trips, licenses/permits, and much more, swing by the shop (203-245-8665) open seven days, located at 21 Boston Post Road, Madison. Until next time from your Connecticut shoreline's full-service fishing outfitter and Authorized Penn Premium Dealer, where we don't make the fisherman, we make the fisherman better.