Deep Basin Fish

[Tom Sawyer]

With all the chatter about "catch and cook" and catch and release lately, I thought a need to reiterate some resource ethics. Fits well with this time of year, 100 - 200 fish kill (not release) days are not cool. 

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

 

 

Edited January 1, 2020 by Tom Sawyer

[Wanderer]

So true!

[monstermoose78]

Great stuff Tom! Thanks for sharing 

[Wanderer]

We fished 24 fow today and the crappies were 18-20 feet down.  Two of my better had an internal POP in them as I was unhooking them.  I didn’t expect to have barotrauma issues at that depth.  We got off them when got to our limit and went shallower.

 

Actually got two better ones shallow than most of my limit but right back they went.  No culling.

[Rick G]

Yep... sad but true. Hate fishing deeper than 20ft for anything other than catfish

[eyeguy 54]

Good reminder for sure. We were about the same depth today Wanderer. Most fish  were 5-8 feet off. 

[IceHawk]

Definitely avoid the deep basins and steep break lines. Not only does this apply to winter fishing but also to fall fishing. Crappies are notorious to stack up in theses areas and can become very tempting to fish but do the lake the fish and everyone a favor and try and avoid if at all possible. Hear it from anglers a lot they say well they swam away, maybe but mark my words most of them will die. So keep what you catch if for some unknown reason you have to fish there.  Walleyes in the fall are another thing to watch. Deep break lines in Fall are are gold and bread butter when it comes to fall eyes. Jig rappers like myself really have to police  themselves when targeting fall walleyes. Ive seen eyes stacked late fall in over 40 foot of water very tempting but just drive way or look for shallower structure hopeing for them to move up towards dusk. I know when I tournament fished back in the day there was a technique called fizzing that we used on deeper fish. 

 

[Tom Sawyer]

 

Please keep in mind pressure changes with altitude, 28' is only a guideline, and will vary where you fish. This is a safe and very effective tool for conservation. 

 

 

Edited January 2, 2020 by Tom Sawyer

[PRO-V]

So people fishing Lake of the Woods must be killing millions of fish. Other than early spring and late fall the majority of fishing is 30'+. So how come that fishery is so healthy?

[Bucketcastle]

I honestly heard about this in the past couple years.  Surprised more people dont discuss it.

[Wanderer]

People don’t want to discuss it.  It could mean a significant disruption in the way they fish.

[Bucketcastle]

15 hours ago, Tom Sawyer said:

 

Please keep in mind pressure changes with altitude, 28' is only a guideline, and will vary where you fish. This is a safe and very effective tool for conservation. 

 

 

Very interesting 

 

Also, after I heard about barotrauma I look very close at the crappie or perch they release on fishing shows. The bug eyes are a dead giveaway.  A lot of fishing shows you'll see it icefishing.  

Edited January 3, 2020 by Bucketcastle

[Bakz]

I think you are right PRO-V , I've seen floaters out in the deep mud in the summer when there are a lot of boats working an area, but the gulls and pelicans clean them up quickly. In the winter more than a few that will not take off in the hole. If you search home made fish release devices or fish descending release there is a lot of info and simple and cheap ways to get them back down to a depth where they have a much better chance at making it. Wish I had known this before, I will be rigging something up for this winters trip to LOTW as most activity is already deep

[Hookmaster]

Here's the method I have been using for years, ice fishing or open water. Take a "depth bomb", the lead weight you clip on your hook to check for bottom when setting a slip bobber. Clip that onto a snap or snap swivel. Open the jaws and clip it onto one of the pectoral (front fins on bottom of the fish) fins of the fish you are going to release. Lower it to the bottom and give it a jerk. Fish comes off and the air bladder has deflated. I have never seen a fish come back to the surface in open water and assume the same in the winter. I used to fizz fish but this method is much easier for the fish and fisherman.