Releasing stockers.

[fishaholictaz]

If you fish in local lakes to catch and release like I do but have trouble with not harming the little stockers here are a few things that have made it possible for me to take my son fishing for these little guys and still teach him catch and release.
1. Bottom fishing I have found that you can take a corky in your favorite pb color and put a good size bait holder under it with a worm and when you inject the worm with a little air and add power bait scent it will float and work better in most cases. The bigger hook allows for more hooked fish for me most of the time plus they are in the outer mouth not in the blood zone like what happens with power bait.
2. trolling same thing applies replace trebble hooks and smaller hooks like with wedding rings with a single baitholder.
If you take and size up you will have better luck not killing these little guys. I caught my 5 yesterday and not one of them was hurt in the least.
let me know if this works for you.

[kevinb]

If I'm planning on releasing. I won't fish off the bottom,for me by the time I've set the hook,they've already swallowed it. If C&R is the goal on that trip. I tend to use spoons and crankbaits.

[gcbcaddis1]

When fishing with bait if it is legal to do so you must keep your catch. Check the reg's. If you release a trout you have caught using bait and then release it that is a violation and you can be cited. It does not matter what you do to make it less invasive to the fish. I have seen this behavior before and called it in to the WDFW and they have reaponded and issued citations. If you want to catch and release, then don't use bait and pinch the barbs on your hooks.

[gpc]

When fishing with bait if it is legal to do so you must keep your catch. Check the reg's. If you release a trout you have caught using bait and then release it that is a violation and you can be cited. It does not matter what you do to make it less invasive to the fish. I have seen this behavior before and called it in to the WDFW and they have reaponded and issued citations. If you want to catch and release, then don't use bait and pinch the barbs on your hooks.

Are you trying to say you MUST keep what you catch if using bait? If so, thats not true. You dont have to keep anything, you dont want to keep. But, once you catch 5 fish on bait, retained or not, your limit has been met and you cant fish any longer.

[A9]

If I'm planning on releasing. I won't fish off the bottom,for me by the time I've set the hook,they've already swallowed it. If C&R is the goal on that trip. I tend to use spoons and crankbaits.

Amen. No reason for me to try and CnR fish when fishing for powerbait, so I don't fish PB when CnRing. Nothings better then when lakes have a healthy supply of holdovers in the fall and fishing is great then...

[kzoo]

When fishing with bait if it is legal to do so you must keep your catch. Check the reg's. If you release a trout you have caught using bait and then release it that is a violation and you can be cited. It does not matter what you do to make it less invasive to the fish. I have seen this behavior before and called it in to the WDFW and they have reaponded and issued citations. If you want to catch and release, then don't use bait and pinch the barbs on your hooks.

Are you trying to say you MUST keep what you catch if using bait? If so, thats not true. You dont have to keep anything, you dont want to keep. But, once you catch 5 fish on bait, retained or not, your limit has been met and you cant fish any longer.

According to the regs, GPC is right. YOu don't have to retain, but it does count as your limit.

[fishaholictaz]

Ok I called and you CAN release with bait up to 5. If you catch 4 with bait you can go to lures but if you catch 1 with lures that has to be kept you are done.

[kevinb]

Ok I called and you CAN release with bait up to 5. If you catch 4 with bait you can go to lures but if you catch 1 with lures that has to be kept you are done.

Good to know. Thanks 'taz

[A9]

Ok I called and you CAN release with bait up to 5. If you catch 4 with bait you can go to lures but if you catch 1 with lures that has to be kept you are done.

That last one doesn't have to be kept, but if you do keep it, you are done....

[ChrisB]

Call the cops on individuals who don't know the laws. Also the guys who catch five fish, off load them to their wives in the parking lot, then go fishing some more. Lets nab some of these poachers.

[fishaholictaz]

That last one doesn't have to be kept, but if you do keep it, you are done....[/quote]
You only have a last one with lures if you keep it.You can catch all day after your 4 bait fish as long as you don't keep any.

[Shad_Eating_Grin]

BTW if you use scent on your lures, or use flavored/scented/salted plastics, all those lures become "bait". If you use these scented/flavored lures, the first 5 trout kept or CNR count towards your limit.

[kevinb]

BTW if you use scent on your lures, or use flavored/scented/salted plastics, all those lures become "bait". If you use these scented/flavored lures, the first 5 trout kept or CNR count towards your limit.

Really?!..Good to know,on occasion I use Gulp Alive spray bottle and bass juice etc.

[SDAngler]

Thanks for mentioning the part about scented or flavored plactics shad. I didn't realize that until reading it previously on this site. I read the regs and how they said bait but didn't read the definition of bait as I thought it was self explanatory. I had been using berkley power trout worms to CNR before I learned they were considered bait. I still CNR but I stop at 5 and keep them if they seem injured. Thanks again for bringing up that point.