heres the latest from Wyoming...:)

[gulfstream]

http://content.govdelivery.com/accou...gqWzI.facebook

[COKEANEE]

Nice post. Everyone needs to read this.

[mtncat1]

thanks for a great read, under the best conditions kokes have a very high mortality rate (even IF they swim off ) when I was there over the fourth of july the water temp was 81 degrees .

[freshie]

This is a great article. As a kid, we used to travel to Canada fishing frequently. I was surprised on how different their fishing regulations were. On most popular food species, there was no size limit but was always a catch limit. On my last visit, the limit on trout was "your first 7 trout caught". It may be a good idea for WFG to adopt a similar strategy on kokanee or other more fragile species.

[smokepoles]

I've long touted that the Gorge should go to a 'first caught' limit for kokes. I know, I know, that there are ways to chat even that, but most will abide by the law.

[freshie]

Having a "first caught" limit may even increase the limit. Maybe 4 or 5 fish limit?

[Propnut69]

Every year about this time the Wyo G&F put out the recommendation, while they are good recommendations, that's all they are. There has never been a study done, on the mortality of kokanee that have been caught and released on the gorge. Since these recommendations have no scientific facts behind them. We are left with logic and common sense.

Now logic and common sense tells me that if you want a released fish to survive, that it has to be released, in a way that will be in favor the fish. Too many times I have seen fisherman catch a fish ,reel it to the boat ,grab the fish, rip the hooks out, and throw the fish back in to the water.
This does not happen on my boat,nor does it happen on the boats of the other people that I fish with.
This does not help the fish at all, and kokanee are not a very hearty fish ,they can't handle rough handling.

This is how I and others that I fish with release our fish, I'm not saying that our way is prefect, but we do feel that it gives the fish a better chance of survival . In the early part of the season before surface temps get to high, a caught fish is reeled along side of the boat, while leaving the fish in the water, I take my hemostats and pop out the hooks, never touching the fish, and it swims away. When surface temp are high, like they are now, or any fish being caught at 50 foot or deeper,this time of year. We net the fish ,pop out the hooks, and with the fish still in the net, we put the fish back into the water.

The fish is worked, in a back and forth motion to get water going through the gills. When the fish is ready to leave, it goes from the net on it's own. If after working the fish ,and it won't go, that fish goes into the box. Using this method I feel and so do others, that we have given the fish a better chance of surviving. Again not saying this way is perfect, but it is a lot better then ripping out the hooks, and chucking back in the water hoping it survives.

Now I see others talking about "first caught" I 'm assuming and maybe I'm wrong. That this means that all kokanne caught,have to be kept. Regardless of size. Then when you have a limit either you quit fishing,or go fish for another species? The trouble that I see with this is, especially on the gorge. To many times while fishing for other type fish, you will catch a koke. If first caught is in play,then I'm to automatically release the fish,if I already have a limit of kokes. Thats great if the fish is worked and swims off ,on it's own. But what happens when it don't swim off on it's own? Then I just had to release a dead koke,that now has become a floater.I don't like that idea at all.We all know that in nature nothing is "wasted", dead fish feed others on the food chain. But that is no reason to not give the fish a fighting chance to survive. It's been said on this board before, that if fisherman really cared about the fishery, they would give up fishing. Well I'm not going to quit fishing,but I do what I can to help released fish have a better chance to survive.

[Kokaholic]

I'm with you Tim, I also use the same practices as mentioned. If I move to a different species, I'm usually not trolling and pitching jigs for bows and or bass. Not many kokes if any this way. Or I jig for lakers. I as I'm sure many others have spun around to pick up a fish. That's life. It's called being responsible and accepting it. I'm just happy to be able to get out on the water and fish, spend time with friends and enjoy the beauty God has given me to enjoy. Bringing home a limit of kokes is a bonus.

[Propnut69]

I'm with you Tim, I also use the same practices as mentioned. If I move to a different species, I'm usually not trolling and pitching jigs for bows and or bass. Not many kokes if any this way. Or I jig for lakers. I as I'm sure many others have spun around to pick up a fish. That's life. It's called being responsible and accepting it. I'm just happy to be able to get out on the water and fish, spend time with friends and enjoy the beauty God has given me to enjoy. Bringing home a limit of kokes is a bonus.

Well said my friend, well said. I know you and other fisherman we know, try to give released fish a better chance to survive.

[freshie]

I'm with Kokaholic. The number of by catch you have on Kokanee is pretty small. For us it's usually trolling for rainbows earlier in the year when we catch a stray one. During that time of year, the water temps are much more temperate to their liking and a lot less likely to leave one "Floating"...

[4449]

Good read. Makes a lot of sense given the hot weather I've experienced these days. You learn something new everyday.