stream survey info

[DeBacker]

Another thread about the effects of special regs has still got me wondering.

Can you guys provide me any results from stream-use surveys of streams after artficial only, single hook, or barbless regs were put into place?

I would also be interested in data about fish mortality after being caught with treble, single, or barbless hooks.

It is not necessary that it come from GA so if you know of any others states that have this kind of info, I would be very interested as I can't seem to find any just searching the net.

Jason

[Bill Couch]

Jason,
I polled two north Georgia biologist for their take on your question. I received the following from Lee Keefer who works at the Burton State Fish Hatchery, Clarkesville, Georgia.

Bill, I have nothing "Quick" to send but we have gone over these issues
fairly extensively in the recent past.. Bottom line is that in Georgia
special regs do not seem to have much of a "stockpile" effect. Noontootla is
a great example, the 16" size limit , artificial lure only reg is like a C&R
reg in that almost NO fish are kept. The reason being that evenwith the
restrictive regs, few fish live long enough to be 16". This short life span
is typical of Georgia trout streams due to low fertility and resulting low
food abundance. If these fish were fed like Soque River fish, they would
grow faster and live longer. There might be a little higher catch rates on
Noontootla compaired to a similar wild stream under statewide regs, but not
a great deal. Little or no increase in the average size of fish has been
observed.

As far as the hooking mortality of various hooks, the literature gives
somewhat mixed opinions on the differences between treble hooks and single
hooks, depending on the type of bait or lure used, but the differences
observed in most studies were not that great. Differences between barbed
and barbless hooks are very small, in practical terms no difference at all.
More important than hook type were differences between bait and lures, and
hooking location in the fish. Bait caught fish had a significantly higher
mortality than fly or lure caught fish and fish that were hooked in the lip
had much higher survival rates than fish hooked in the gills or the roof of
the mouth.

LK

[DeBacker]

Thanks Bill.

My search of the internet pulled up a few studies and they seemed to indicate the same things Lee Keefer said(namely that a difference of hooks makes almost no difference for survival, but bait is somewhat worse then artificials).
Also interesting to note was the differnce in survival rates the studies came up with. I can't remember the sources, but one study said that between 0 and 33% or fish die after release and another that between 4 and 44% die after release. Those are large ranges in my opinion. Also, water temp seemed to be the major factor for survival.

Jason

[The Owl]

FIrst a praise - ( as pipe organ music plays " Ahhhhhhh-ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh" in the background...)
<<< Differences between barbed
and barbless hooks are very small, in practical terms no difference at all.
>>>

Hallelujah.



[This message has been edited by The Owl (edited 01-31-2001).]

[Windknot]

Thanks, Bill & Lee.

[betzel]

"the literature gives
somewhat mixed opinions on the differences between treble hooks and single
hooks, depending on the type of bait or lure used, but the differences
observed in most studies were not that great. " http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/smile.gif
sweet...when i'm in my spin fish mood i can now sling my three hooks without guilt. although i'll still debarb most of them, i hate getting trebles from out of the bottom of my feet. (yes, its happended more than once)

[The Owl]

Ouch! http://www.georgia-outdoors.com/ubbngto/smile.gif

You fishin barefoot, huh ?

That should qualify you for a new nickname......."Huck" !

[betzel]

not fishing barefoot, just walking around my room and riding in cars barefoot. i'm not what most would call "organized" i have the whole "piling system" instead of a filing system.

bryan

------------------
To the optimist, the glass is half full. To the pessimist, the glass is
half empty. To the engineer, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be.