# OGF MODS, please read



## magnus (Mar 10, 2008)

MODS, Is there anyway that you guys could sticky a C&R topic for the musky forum. With the money the state puts into the fish and the growing interest in musky fishing this seems like a no brainer. As you can see in the NE reports, under the MY FIRST MUSKY THREAD, other specie anglers like basstalker have read about safley handling and releasing fish here so if they encounter one they will be educated on the subject. As a sticky this would grab much more attention. This is the most important part of sustaining a good fishery in Ohio, according to the ODNR. I am sure someone on here can find some good, simple info as a basis. Weatherby just put some great info under a recent post in the musky forum titled"WB SATURDAY". This type of info needs a sticky on the most popular(and may i add best!) fishing site in Ohio. Gentlemen, could i get a second on this please??


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## Muskie_Guy (Mar 14, 2007)

I agree totally.. education will protect and help our resource grow.
I put a section on my webpage about catch and release and safe fish handling.

But ya gotta watch.. I've been labeled an exteremist on this board because of my opinions on catch and release. and my comments were totally misunderstood and taken the wrong way. But I'm glad we got by that.


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## BITE-ME (Sep 5, 2005)

I deffinetly second it.


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## MadMac (May 2, 2005)

I agree and it may help stop the bashing and labeling.


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## MikeC (Jun 26, 2005)

I'd like a little safe handling help (My safety.) The last two got me (gill rakers 1, gill plate 1, lure near miss.) Really should have had stiches, but waited too long. Got a glove now.


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## wave warrior (Oct 2, 2005)

i vote for a sticky...although i dont target musky YET it will be an asset to the forum...i'd say get it all typed up in a "seminar" type and the mods likely will be happy to do it...may put an end to all the closed threads due to bashing of the rookies that dont know they are hurting a fish just my 0.02


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## Muskie_Guy (Mar 14, 2007)

Here's what I wrote



Please Practice Catch and Release
We encourage all Anglers to practice catch and release. Muskies are a valuable resource and we are most fortunate here in Ohio to have such a fine stocking program. The reason for C&R is to sustain our fishery and grow trophy Muskellunge. Did you know it takes a female Muskie on average 3 years to get 30 inches ? Most trophies are 10 plus years old.

If you plan on fishing for Muskies please be prepared and carry the necessary equipment: Needle nose pliers, Knipex hook cutters, Gloves,a Net ( big enough and treated )and/or a Boga Grip lip lock tool. Muskies have teeth and sharp gill covers that will cut you. If you pick up the fish please do not suspend the fish by the jaw or use a vertical hold. Do not pick up the fish by his eyes ! Instead find the vee in the jaw where the two gills meet. Slide your hand in and grasp firmly to control fish. use your other hand to support the weight of the fish. Do not get your hand in the gills because this will do harm.

Do not place your muskie on dry carpet, this will remove the protective slime coating. The slime helps protect from disease. If you do need to lay the fish down, soak the surface with water. Keep the time out of water at a very minimal. When releasing do not "Torpedo" the fish back into the water. Place the fish in the water and grab by the tail. Move the fish gently back and forth to get areated water over the gills. You will know when the fish is ready. And don't forget a picture !


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

The same can be said for other species also like steelies and bass for example. I have seen many mishandled fish from those species and others that are being released. You can put all the stickies up you want but if the "rookies" come on here and just look for the "hot spots" and ignore some education they would be useless.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

First of all as a moderator I will tell that the request being directed to us moderators will do you no good because we don't have that much pull around here. The owners are the ones who will ultimately make any decisions on things such as added forums, stickies, etc. I will pass this request on to them for their consideration.


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## Stripers4Life (May 2, 2007)

people own this site? I though this was set up by you mods? Who owns it.....if they don't mind me askin.


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## bkr43050 (Apr 5, 2004)

Stripers4Life said:


> people own this site? I though this was set up by you mods? Who owns it.....if they don't mind me askin.


They shouldn't mind because it is posted for all to see.

Down toward the bottom of the following page is a list of the contacts and their position within the OGF Staff.

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/contact.htm


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## magnus (Mar 10, 2008)

Well ofcourse BigDaddy, there will always be situations where people will not take advantage of information around them. However, there would be a lot of
instances where people(who want to know) would benefit from it. For ex, nevermind, i don't even have to explain it, its common sense, you know this. You almost got me going but i see that this is just kinda what you do. You love to try and do that to people. Its funny that you have the only negative thing to say on here!Figures!! If you don't have anything positive to say why say it?????????????????????????????????? Thank you MODS for passing the request, its much appreciated, and maybe it will help the bashing and labeling that goes on.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

i'm not an owner.............only a moderator

but i did stay at a holiday inn express last night
while i understand where many of you are coming from,i'm not sure a sticky thread on c&r is the right thing.it's not that i or anyone else may not agree with the concept,but it would be in a way,ogf promoting it over other species,which as mentioned earlier in this thread,would be making it a "special" case.we all know people are dedicated just as much to other species,and would like to see the same attention.so next thing you know......................yep,you guessed it.

i'm not sure how the staff feels,but i wouldn't see any harm in a sticky,but with a different title.it could get the message out while not actually "telling" people to follow certain practices.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

magnus said:


> Well ofcourse BigDaddy, there will always be situations where people will not take advantage of information around them. However, there would be a lot of
> instances where people(who want to know) would benefit from it. For ex, nevermind, i don't even have to explain it, its common sense, you know this. You almost got me going but i see that this is just kinda what you do. You love to try and do that to people. Its funny that you have the only negative thing to say on here!Figures!! If you don't have anything positive to say why say it?????????????????????????????????? Thank you MODS for passing the request, its much appreciated, and maybe it will help the bashing and labeling that goes on.


Yep, you got me all figured out. "This" is what I do and I love to do "that" to people. I never ever have anything good to say and never ever offer advice or help to anyone. 

Where do you see all this negativity in the post that I made? Im just stating facts. Are you still upset about the thread where you thought I was imitating you with a baby and blamed me for doing so? I explained what that baby meant in a thread and never got a response or an apology.


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## magnus (Mar 10, 2008)

BigDaddy, i did apologize to you in the case you are talking about. If you didn't see it sorry again.


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## MadMac (May 2, 2005)

misfit said:


> i'm not an owner.............only a moderator
> 
> but i did stay at a holiday inn express last night
> while i understand where many of you are coming from,i'm not sure a sticky thread on c&r is the right thing.it's not that i or anyone else may not agree with the concept,but it would be in a way,ogf promoting it over other species,which as mentioned earlier in this thread,would be making it a "special" case.we all know people are dedicated just as much to other species,and would like to see the same attention.so next thing you know......................yep,you guessed it.
> ...


Maybe label it Safe Muskie Handling Procedures or something like that so no one can say OGF favors C & R for muskies only.


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## MuskieJim (Apr 11, 2007)

I understand that a lot of other fisherman who fish for species besides muskies can look and say "wow, the musky guys get a sticky on proper fish handling, why not us bass guys?" or something along those lines. It's difficult to really explain the whole thing because there are so many different factors. However, the most important factor (in my opinion) is the fact that 99% of the muskies caught in our reservoirs were put there and paid for by the state. There's virtually no other species (besides steelhead, which have a fantastic survival rate and are very hearty fish) that is as sensitive or easy to kill than muskies. I don't want to get any steelhead guys started, but the fact is those fish get punished their whole journey up the river on rocks and river bottom. They're tough. Bass, catfish, bluegills, etc. all are natural reproducing, self sustaining populations of fish that we are lucky to have in our waters. But without proper handling and care, our musky fisheries (that have a lot of money dumped into them) would go to waste. 

It's like the old business model "it's always cheaper to keep a customer than get a new one". It applies to this situation as well. The state already paid to put the muskies in there, so why not try and promote proper education and pass along information that maybe just a handfull of guys would find helpful?

Some may disagree, but I'm not some C & R freak who has a problem with people keeping a fish. If you caught it, it's 100% your right to do with it what you please. I do think with futher education, people who would've kept a muskie before may release it. It also bothers me when I see a guy try to release a fish after having it in his boat for 5 minutes.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

muskiejim,after reading your post,i think most of us are on the same page.the main focus is proper care and handling of the fish.without that,the fish's chances of survival are greatly diminished.
therefore,the thread should be about the proper "means to that end",but not about the "end" itself.
as long as the thread is presented as such,we have no issue at all with sticking and locking it since it will be more for informational/educational purposes than for actual discussion. 
i've sent a pm to muskie_guy asking him to word the title and present the article in a way that will educate instead of focusing on promotinmg c&r.
when /if he comes up with something,ogf will be glad to help.


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## magnus (Mar 10, 2008)

Safe Musky Handling Procedures, i like it Steve


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## Lewis (Apr 5, 2004)

Here are a few paragraphs you could add if you put this together...

The one thing you will not see in a Muskies, Inc. picture is someone holding a muskie vertical. Anyone who wants a length or girth measurment uses a tape while the fish is in the water. Fish are for the most part neutrally buoyant in water and their skeletal structure has great difficulty supporting their body weight out of water. This is not as much of a factor for short stout fish like bass but the vertebrae in a muskie will actually separate when held vertically from something like a boga grip. Boga grips however are great tools for holding muskies for photos from a 45-degree to horizontal position and for reviving muskies using a trolling motor on low and leading a muskie jaw forward through the water. Always use a coated net and avoid wiping the protective slime coat from a fish by not holding it against dry clothing or letting it lie on the dry carpet of a boat. A tape or ruler in the water is the best for water releases on lightly hooked fish when you dont need a photo and can skip the netting to speed up the process.


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## 1roofmusky (May 20, 2008)

Lewis said:


> Here are a few paragraphs you could add if you put this together...
> 
> The one thing you will not see in a Muskies, Inc. picture is someone holding a muskie vertical. Anyone who wants a length or girth measurment uses a tape while the fish is in the water. Fish are for the most part neutrally buoyant in water and their skeletal structure has great difficulty supporting their body weight out of water. This is not as much of a factor for short stout fish like bass but the vertebrae in a muskie will actually separate when held vertically from something like a boga grip. Boga grips however are great tools for holding muskies for photos from a 45-degree to horizontal position and for reviving muskies using a trolling motor on low and leading a muskie jaw forward through the water. Always use a coated net and avoid wiping the protective slime coat from a fish by not holding it against dry clothing or letting it lie on the dry carpet of a boat. A tape or ruler in the water is the best for water releases on lightly hooked fish when you dont need a photo and can skip the netting to speed up the process.


If you pull a fish through the water with a trolling motor and a boga grip you'll probably drown it.


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

magnus said:


> BigDaddy, i did apologize to you in the case you are talking about. If you didn't see it sorry again.


OK then we are good on that matter. Now then to the muskie handling. I do agree that some people need to be educated on safe handling, not only for the fish but for themselves as well. I just wish that everyone was as respectful, of this resource(all fish species) and nature in general, as some of us seem to be.


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## Fishaholic69 (Apr 6, 2007)

I think everyone should follow safe handling procedures no matter what fish you are targeting as long as you are gonna catch and release the fish.


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## Tatonka (Aug 23, 2007)

BigDaddy300 said:


> Yep, you got me all figured out. "This" is what I do and I love to do "that" to people. I never ever have anything good to say and never ever offer advice or help to anyone.
> 
> Where do you see all this negativity in the post that I made? Im just stating facts. Are you still upset about the thread where you thought I was imitating you with a baby and blamed me for doing so? I explained what that baby meant in a thread and never got a response or an apology.



I honestly think that the guy catching his first Muskie has already caught & released or Caught and took it home by the time he would see the Sticky but who am I? no one
But hopefully he would see it for his 2nd Muskie


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## magnus (Mar 10, 2008)

Tatonka, sometimes sure, but not always. If you looked at the post i referred to in the NE Reports under "My first musky", the guy who caught it basstalker said he had read a few things in the musky forum about how to handle the fish. But your right some people wouldn't see it b4 their first musky, especially if they do not target them specifically. 1roof your not kidding, surprised Muskies Inc would print that. Big D there is nothing worse than trashing the lakes and shores. If we see trash in the water we net it every time, its been good luck before too with the fish!


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## BigDaddy300 (Nov 1, 2004)

magnus said:


> Tatonka, sometimes sure, but not always. If you looked at the post i referred to in the NE Reports under "My first musky", the guy who caught it basstalker said he had read a few things in the musky forum about how to handle the fish. But your right some people wouldn't see it b4 their first musky, especially if they do not target them specifically. 1roof your not kidding, surprised Muskies Inc would print that. Big D there is nothing worse than trashing the lakes and shores. If we see trash in the water we net it every time, its been good luck before too with the fish!


I know what you mean about trash. I am always picking up trash. I have the kids doing the same when we get out together. Just this spring we picked up several dozen plastic bottles from the ramps at Edgewater and recycled them. Funny you mention the net, I do the same. Some days that is the only action my net gets


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## ShutUpNFish (Apr 17, 2007)

Proper handling and releasing of muskies is pretty much like fishing for them in itself. Over time and through hands on experiences, you will develop an effective routine which will suit you fine. The one best thing I read above was that everyone needs to have a common respect and care for the fish that they plan on releasing. If you do that, you WILL make efforts to do what is right in proper fish handling including reading, acquiring the proper tools and finally applying what you've collected....knowledge and gear alike. It is pretty simple really...have the attitude that you want to keep that fish out of it is environment for as little time as possible ensuring it's safety as well as your own. Develop a routine that is both effective and comfortable for you. Below, I share my own personal routine that I thoroughly go through with each new person that fishes with me.

*1.* Always TRY to fish with at least one partner. I know I might catch flack for this one, but this is NOT bass fishing! It is our responsibility to ensure as proper release as we can&#8230;doing it alone is not effective; I don&#8217;t care who it is or how good they think they are. At least make every effort possible to fish with somebody if you can. If you fish alone, good luck! Educate any passengers prior to fishing so that they know and understand what you expect beforehand. Trying to go over it while scrambling around with a fish, may turn into disaster for you.

*2.* Make every effort to purchase or acquire the best quality fish handling equipment. Here is what I use
- a long set of needle nose pliers (mine are 16&#8221; long)
- heavy duty, long handled bolt cutters 
- Boga Grip - modified with 18" handle.
- a quality, rubber dipped landing net
- regular needle nose pliers
- tape measure 

*THE ROUTINE:
1.* After bringing a fish to the boat, be sure the fish is well played out before attempting to net or Boga the fish. (I once had a 42" muskie, that was still green, swim so hard through the net and got wedged in the net half way through! I had to cut my net and I&#8217;m sure it was not good for the fish). Lesson learned!

*2.* When captured (whether with net or Boga), keep the fish in the water until your partner gets what you need ready. Typically bolt cutters or pliers at this point. There is no need to pull a fish into the boat while it still has a lure attached to it. (One of the things I cannot stand to see is when guys hold up fish for a picture while the lure is still attached&#8230;a sure way to learn an unfortunate lesson and a terrible example for novices to see!)

*3.* At this time, one person just needs to keep a little pressure on the leader/line so that the other person can cut away the hooks with the bolt cutters while the fish is still hanging over the side and body still in the water. If the fish is lightly hooked, gently pry out the hooks with the long nose pliers. 

*4.* Once the lure is free, lift the fish out of the water by supporting its weight near the belly. If you gill the fish, be sure to slide your fingers between the gills and outer gill plate or just use the Boga. Again, remember to support the fishes weight with your other hand!

*5.* Take a quick measurement and Photo and back to the water as quickly as possible.

*6.* The process of releasing a fish is certainly debatable&#8230;again, do what works best for you. I have found that as long as I lay the fish into the water and support it upright, it generally takes off fine. However, some fish need a little help so gently, I MEAN GENTLY, rocking it back and forth will help. Every once in awhile, I will let the fish go on its own to see if it will balance upright on by itself. If the fish does this, it is typically good to go in a few seconds.

*7.* Finally, it is always gratifying when a ski gives you the splash salute! I&#8217;ve had a few of these and I love every one!

*A Couple Quick Notes:*

Believe it or not once you have developed a solid routine, 1 through 5 in the &#8220;routine&#8221; should only take less than a minute and I mean that literally. Just sit there and focus on your watch until a minute goes by and you will get a true sense of how long it should take.

I know that the use of a Boga Grip type tool is debatable and sometimes controversial. I personally and simply look at it like this. We are impaling fish with 5, 6 & 7 O hooks&#8230;what can possibly be worse? Have you ever seen a muskie roll in the net literally 50 times in 5 seconds? My own safety and the safety of my passengers are slightly more important than the safety of the fish I catch. I&#8217;m sorry if that offends anyone, but it&#8217;s the way it is! If folks feel the other way around, and believe it or not, there are some fishermen out there that do; Maybe they should consider not fishing at all. Simply mere observation.

I felt the need to mention that not every fish we catch enters the boat either. In fact, most fish NEVER leave the water. If the fish is smaller and the &#8220;catcher&#8221; does not want a picture, the hooks are removed and the fish immediately released.

If I missed anything, please feel free to add anything that works for you!

HOPE THIS HELPS!! Good Luck out there on the water and be safe!


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## Muskie_Guy (Mar 14, 2007)

nice ..... well put


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## magnus (Mar 10, 2008)

So, is there any chance this can get done? The info that shutupnfish gave would work fine.(just remove the this isn't bass fishing statement and there should be no problems) There is a picture of a musky on the homepage now, a sticky for safe musky handling makes more sense than ever. Ogf wants to promote musky fishing, thats good, but to sustain the fisheries safe handling needs to be promoted also guys. Not Catch and Release, if u wanna keep a fish thats fine, but safe handling procedures for those interested.


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## misfit (Apr 5, 2004)

ask and ye shall receive
thanks guys,for your input.it's a done deal.


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