Northwest Fishing Reports

On some reports I notice guys are keeping bass on stringers alive. This has to stress the fish out, but maybe not?

It will, but if they aren't on there for too long it should be ok. As long as the person makes sure the stringer goes between the gill cover and the first gill, and not between gills.

I haven`t seen one like that in awhile. Yes it does stress the fish out to the point you might as well keep them. There`s no reason to put fish on a stringer if there going to be released. Take a picture weigh it measure it and let it go. Or keep them in the live well.

I'm not sure why one would put bass on a stringer, if you are going to keep any to eat, they are much better if kept on ice. If it is for catch and release, the regs read that a livewell must be used. Now correct me if I'm wrong, the way I read the regs, if you aren't fishing in a tournament you can only have a daily limit in your possession at any given time. This would mean that you can't have 5 17+" bass in your livewell or on a stringer even if you intend to release them all at the end of your fishing day.

Now, are you sure they were on a stringer and didn't just have a "culling" tag inserted?

Float for keeping track of the fishes weight on a list during a tourney, also for pulling bass out of the livewell easier. Some people call it a 'culling tag'. There are other names for it also.

G-Man wrote:I'm not sure why one would put bass on a stringer, Now, are you sure they were on a stringer and didn't just have a "culling" tag inserted?

http://www.washingtonlakes.com/ReportCo ... lid=70&t=1

Wow, what a report and comment section! Looks like he had one in the slot the, other two were legal to keep. Any fish put on a stringer counts towards your daily limit, consider that fish dead. According the the regs, if your are going to eventually release bass, they must be kept in a livewell.

Here lemme jam this rope through your lungs and you tell me how it feels....

Exactly matt. picture get the weight of the fish and put it back. Never put it on a stringer unless u plan on keeping it. And if you do follow the regs. Livewells are a different story with fresh water pumping into the fish. I can honestly saw fish gain a ton of energy and spunk when they come out of a livewell.

This brings up something that G-Man touched on. As per usual, sometimes the regs seem vague. I read it the same..."if you aren't fishing in a tournament you can only have a daily limit in your possession at any given time. This would mean that you can't have 5 17+" bass in your livewell or on a stringer even if you intend to release them all at the end of your fishing day" So, if someone is showing pics of multiple bass over 17 inches on a stringer or from a livewell, is that illegal? Seems so. I'm not going to judge anyone on anything. When I get the chance, I'll ask a Game Warden on their take. As for bass on a stringer, I kept 4 last year right at 11 inches on a stringer from a pond that has a lot of stunted fish. I fish from a tube and hauled them around for about an hour in the water. After a 5 minute walk back to my car and a 20 minute drive home, two were still alive. They were out of water the entire time. I revived one in my bathtub just to see if he would come around. He did. Not sure how long he would have survived in the wild, but it goes to show how hearty they are.

When I would keep fish on a stringer I could see other fish in the pond swim up to the fish on the stringer and stay there even follow the tube around the whole time I'm on the water. Fish seeing the fish on the stringer, the bite would slow to a stop. So I would'nt keep fish on a stringer. You just might not catch any more fish. For a long time on the stringer all dayish, even more on a boat troling it will kill the fish.

Interesting Trent. Something to keep in mind and might be why my bite died too after I had the fish for a bit. Probably released a hormone into the water.

I have also seen them turn colors from dark green to a very light green. It's when they turn, is when the other fish will swim up to the fish on stringers. This has only been in shallow Lks and clear waters.

BassDood wrote: So, if someone is showing pics of multiple bass over 17 inches on a stringer or from a livewell, is that illegal? Seems so.

Yes and no. If you get caught with 2 or more overs (17"+) in your livewell, you will get a fine, period. it's illegal. HOWEVER, if I catch an over, put it in the livewell, then catch another over and take a picture before releasing one or both, I'm really just taking a picture of me in the act of culling, which is legal and which I've done several times. When I catch an over I usually throw it in the livewell anyways so I can get my camera set up and move out to the middle of the lake so I don't drift into anything while taking care of the fish, especially when I'm fishing by myself. If I feel like I'm on a good bite I'll keep fishing for a while before I mess with the fish in the livewell. If I happen to catch another nice one then it's double over picture time.

When putting a bass on a stringer you never put it through the gills. You take the spike on the stringer and push it through the thin membrane just below the lip. It will come out just to the side of the tongue and you run it back through the loop on the other end of the stringer for the first fish so it won't pull through.