# Steelhead Landing Nets vs. Landing Gloves vs. Limited Handling



## KSUFLASH

On a separate thread in the Steelhead forum, there was a question asked on what a fisherman should look for in a landing net. There were several replies, until the topic got a bit off track. The question came up if using landing nets and or the more popular landing gloves that may damage the fish slime membrane. And by damaging this protective coat, what is the fatality probability of the fish after releasing.

Some will say that if you use a glove it kills the fish period, others will say that mesh nets are worse than nets that are using a plastic material. Links posted to photos of fish that appeared to have been handled by the tail, and then days later begin showing signs of infection, etc

I think we can all agree that the least possible mortality rate of a Steelhead Trout is not catching them at all. But that kind of defeats the purpose of the state stocking program. I think we can all agree that the next best option is that we wet our bare hands before we handle a fish, not removing it from the water while we remove our hook and quickly releasing. Using a net, glove, wet wool gloves, latex gloves, or any other contact of our hands to the fish, could potentially disturb the protective membrane on the fish. 

There is no true way of knowing of how our handling actions effect the fish long term. I am speaking more along the lines of those who do their best to handle fish in a manner of intent not to do harm. Things such as beaching a fish, grip and grin under the gill plates, kicking the fish back into the water after beaching, etc This obviously would increase the mortality rate. But to actually come out and say that netting a fish with a glove or landing net, carefully removing the hook, reviving the fish and sending them on their way, WILL kill fish is actually absurd and not even remotely factual, but more along the lines of assumptions. Show me statistical data on this in steelhead alley and not photographs from Canada, and I will gladly eat crow.

Assuming that because during a trek along the stream you see 10 dead fish, and then linking that up mentally with the actual handling of the fish and its mortality coming from a net or glove is most likely inaccurate. 
If in fact gloves or nets were damaging fish to the point that after release they will die regardless of how you handled them, then I highly doubt that of the 5 or so fly fishing/steelhead magazines I subscribe too, that I would continue to see the nets and gloves in use in their pictures.

I think that there is more to just nets or no nets. Far too many times we all have seen some mishandling of fish regardless of a net or not.

The ODNR is doing a 2 year creel survey of steelhead. 2009/2010 season, but I cant find any results at this point. I have been able to successfully find some creel surveys from PA though. Looking at the actual facts it is estimated that in PA an average fisherman catches between 0.5 to 1.0 fish per hour of fishing. Thats probably high, but it is a place to start.

I did some quick math, and if Ohio fisherman have a catch rate of 0.5 and they fish for 5 hours. They would have caught 2.5 fish that day. If that day there were 100 fisherman on the streams that would be 250 fish per day caught. That seems like a low number, but it is somewhere to start.
In a 7 day period of time that would be about 1750 fish caught. 

I have a hard time believing that all of these fish would survive, but I have an even harder time believing that if a net/glove or beaching the fish, that of those ALL of them that had this landing technique used on them would die for sure. You would see a hundreds of fish streamside, and not a small number. 

At the end of the day, the fact of the matter is that the Ohio DNR STOCKS yearly 400,000+ fish throughout the state, in order to be caught. Of these fish a very small percent of them actually are successful at reproducing. And of those that do reproduce, a very small percent of that percent actually survive to get to the Lake Erie basin. And of that very small percent of a percent, there is a small percent that survives out in Lake Erie. Hence our stocking program yearly to sustain the fish population.

I am all for conservation, and trying to return the fish back to the stream with the least amount of damage as possible, but I really see no basis on using a broad brush and saying that nets or gloves kill indefinitely and always. 

I personally think that if we as steelhead fisherman could educate on basic proper handling, proper etiquette, and proper technique we all would benefit from that sharing of education.

All we can do, is try and take care of our fishery the best we know how with the chosen or preferred landing technique of each angler. Gross mishandling of fish will obviously not help that fish in surviving, regardless of the landing technique, but I see no studies ever done, or statistics put out that common sense handling of fish contributes more to the survivability of the fish over the stresses put on the fish during the fight.

On a brighter side, who is going fishing this weekend!!!


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## fallen513

I gaff. 












...........


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## creekcrawler

> I gaff.


Luv it.

Anything is still way more humane than dragging them in on 20# braid from 50 ft deep while the boat is moving at 2 mph and having their swim bladder over-inflate and come out their mouth so the seagulls can peck out their privates while they flop around helplessly 'cause the fellow already got his limit of..... 5!!!


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## Streamhawk

I use a flying gaff, like the ones they use for sailfish. LOL
On another note, I will be fishing from April 14 to the 19th. We will be there with cameras shooting a pilot for a new fishing show called Hook, Line, & Skillet. If you see us, stop by and say hello. Tight Lines !!


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## Fishin Musician

I use a BOGO grip. works well


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## creekcrawler

OHhhh Noes! You can't use a boga grip to lift a steelhead!!!!

Just kidding. Use a gun, I don't care.

BTW- I like the Boga, once you grab something, it doesn't let go.
Mainly use them to brutally handle sheepshead, which are _native_ to Lake Erie and precious.


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## Steelheadquarters

Well thats it then! You are all RIGHT! Might as well just break out the BIG A$$ treble hooks and snag away! Who cares about how you handle these fish? KSU is right! ODNR has been stocking these fish every year since the 1890's and why all the fuss about holding them from the gill plate??

Fish for them on gravel because the fry/smolt will not survive at all once the water hits 70 degrees! And to suggest that there are "proper" ways to handle these stockies is simply ludicrous!

Since they are "NOT NATIVE" to the great lakes as KSU has stated, take all the time you need to drag it up on the beach, kick it around, zip the female for her eggs, (because we need the eggs to catch more), and GRIP-GRIN-NET-GLOVE who cares?? ODNR will stock another 400K next year! So Get out there and FISH ON!----------<'))}>{{

Don't hate the messenger!


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## steelheadBob

Closed by request.


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