Use of Fish Stringers

[Jack1972]

Has anyone ever heard of these being harmful to the fish in the event you decide to release them?  Yesterday I had the urge for some fresh Trout so I put a couple on my stringer & they swam in a couple feet of water not far from where they were caught.  I had a change of heart & decided to let them go.  One swam away not looking so great but recovered, the other not so much, sank to the bottom.  I was able to reach him however given death seemed inevitable and went with my Plan A for him.

Just curious if the line can possibly be abrasive on their gills & does damage when inserting & extracting.  I believe the fish may have been recently stocked also given the way they were all hanging out near a culvert...and seeing the hatchery truck in that vicinity eight hours prior.  Not sure if that has anything to do with their ruggedness or not.

[zwiggles]

A stringer is probably a death sentence for a cold water fish like trout. They are total wimps to begin with, and the stringer will hurt their gills and probably cause an infection even if it swims off. It’s also going to prevent them from breathing properly, and after fighting them they are already very worn down. Also if they were just stocked they will be worn down to begin with.

Also don’t take this to sound like I am poo-pooing keeping legal fish. Not my intent at all, but if I were to put a fish on a stringer I would bleed it before doing so.

In our state I also think any fish you keep have to be dead, so I think on a stringer it cannot be alive, but I’m not sure. I don’t think you can cull out of your bag with new fish.

[Fishermantim]

Also consider that if you have a cold water fish, the water where you will keep the stringer will probably be warm water, and it will definitely effect the fish adversely.

You should decide before you go if you are going to keep the fish you catch and then act accordingly.

[Jack1972]

I had the stringer literally 20' from where I was catching them so there was very little diff in the temp & they were only on the stringer for 15 minutes tops.  Probably more-so the freshly stocked & wimp thing zwiggles mentioned.  Reason for the stringer, and usually I release everything but had a hunger, was so if I only caught one & it wasn't worth my while I could toss him back.  Live & learn.

Anyways, I could (barely) see probably between 10-20 of these guys all on top of the black algae/leaf deposit area on the downside of a culvert waiting for food to wash through.  It was pretty cool to watch what they do but even for stockies they would only swim across the light colored sand to chase my lures, then right back to the cover of darkness to ambush prey.  My eggs were in my ice fishing box at home otherwise I was going to throw some in to see what they would & would not eat.  I had some powerbait that's been in my box for a while.  Threw in four pellets which floated above them for a good 10 minutes or so, untouched.  Great advertisement for that junk.

[seamonkey84]

The use of stringers is stressful to all fish, but deadly to trout. Just because that one swam away doesn’t mean it will live. Live stringers and live wells are actually banned in my state, any fish your not going to release immediately has to be killed right away. Only exception for live well use is for baitfish and bass tournaments. 

[SizeMatters]

A stringer thru the gills is a death sentence.  Pierce it up thru the lower jaw and out the mouth.  They'll do much better.

[Jethro]

Has anyone ever heard of these being harmful to the fish in the event you decide to release them?  Yesterday I had the urge for some fresh Trout so I put a couple on my stringer & they swam in a couple feet of water not far from where they were caught.  I had a change of heart & decided to let them go.  One swam away not looking so great but recovered, the other not so much, sank to the bottom.  I was able to reach him however given death seemed inevitable and went with my Plan A for him.

Just curious if the line can possibly be abrasive on their gills & does damage when inserting & extracting.  I believe the fish may have been recently stocked also given the way they were all hanging out near a culvert...and seeing the hatchery truck in that vicinity eight hours prior.  Not sure if that has anything to do with their ruggedness or not.

Just fair warning, I see you are in NH, or even in Maine you are breaking the law possessing live fish. My buddy just got a ticket for that recently (and he should know better). CO asked if we had any fish my buddy said yes, opened the livewell and the fish flopped and guess what- you have a problem! He got a big fine for possession of live fish. You need to immediately release or immediately dispatch the fish and include it to your bag- one or the other. Culling of fish in both NH and Maine is illegal. Not being a jerk just want to keep you out of trouble. If a CO had checked you at that time you would have gotten popped for sure, they do not like it, this CO in Maine was very cross.

[lowaccord66]

x2

X3.  Also in many states putting a fish on a stringer and releasing later is usually illegal.  In my State if caught you'll get a ticket for illegal culling.  Outside of that imo its unethical.

In most states what you did Jack is illegal. Wanton waste is a serious violation.  Not judging because its not my job but with keeping fish you have to make the decision and stick with it. 

[SHaRPS]

X3.  Also in many states putting a fish on a stringer and releasing later is usually illegal.  In my State if caught you'll get a ticket for illegal culling.  Outside of that imo its unethical.

In most states what you did Jack is illegal. Wanton waste is a serious violation.  Not judging because its not my job but with keeping fish you have to make the decision and stick with it.

x4

Kill it, bleed it, eat it or let it go right away. I get what you did and your intention was good but the execution not the greatest. As you said, you live and you learn and lucky for you, you did it without a ticket.

[filetandrelease]

x4

Kill it, bleed it, eat it or let it go right away. I get what you did and your intention was good but the execution not the greatest. As you said, you live and you learn and lucky for you, you did it without a ticket.

X5 well said

[Jethro]

I'm trying to find out what my buddies ticket cost him. In Maine they don't tell you right away, you have to find out from the court.

[lowaccord66]

I'm trying to find out what my buddies ticket cost him. In Maine they don't tell you right away, you have to find out from the court.

Thats NY's way of doing things too...at least with speeding!

[SHaRPS]

Thats NY's way of doing things too...at least with speeding!

LMAO!!!!! fastaccord66

[Roccus]

I'm trying to find out what my buddies ticket cost him. In Maine they don't tell you right away, you have to find out from the court.

" sign here, not a plea of guilt just a promise to contact the judge" seen it many times on North woods law...

[lowaccord66]

LMAO!!!!! fastaccord66

Fast subie actually.