Handling Bc Steelhead

[Whistler]

Hi all, after reading a recent thread and checking out some good photos of nice fish caught on a first time Skeena trip I thought it would be timely to post the following reminder.

 

Please DO NOT wear gloves when handling wild Steelhead as it removes their protective slime. To ensure their safety Steelhead should be tailed with a bare wet hand. Over the course of winter and spring spawning you can tell the fish that have received the glove treatment as they have fungus in the wrist area in front of their tails. If you are not confident in your ability to tail fish in the water and must use a net or cradle please ensure that the netting is such that it removes the least slime as possible ie rubber.

 

thanks guys, don't mean to preach but thought some may not know.

 

btw I am sure there are a few glove pics somewhere on my site so please don't take this post as hgih and mighty.

 

Brian

[maxwell]

amen brian! for al fish for that matter.. i dont thing tailing gloves are needed for nay fish! it does damage and as c&r anglers we should take the precaution and care too handle all fish as minimal as possible! we all learn by our mistakes! me included!

[jack]

Not an obsessed "steelie guy", but have often wondered about thin, thoroughly wet,(as in dip in the water immediately prior to tailing a fish) cotton gloves. Any thoughts?

j

[agbff]

I think any fish that needs a tailing glove would have a fat enough tail to grab a firm hold of with out the glove.... I am still waiting to catch a fish that size!

[jack]

I just wonder what's worse, tiring the fish out so much that they don't fight the unhooking and release or using a glove to tail a still somewhat energetic fish ?

j

[kipper]

In the early 90's I went fishing on the Kitimat with my cousin, who at the time, owned a Tackle Store there. When I had my first Steelhead to hand I brought it out of the water for a picture and my cousin started telling me to "keep in the water". He didn't want any of the fish brought to hand to be handled for more than an admiring look - a picture was "iffy" at best as the fish were still a bit lively as well. Of course having caught a few gave me more respect for them - as with any fish - I think tailing with a glove would not be a good idea.

[maxwell]

i here ya jack but u dont need too tire a fish too exhaustion too tail a fish without a glove .. i find its easiest too tail a fish with just your thumb and index finger.. using your full hand makes it harder for you and easier for a fish too slip away!

[ogilvie]

Hi all, after reading a recent thread and checking out some good photos of nice fish caught on a first time Skeena trip I thought it would be timely to post the following reminder.

 

Please DO NOT wear gloves when handling wild Steelhead as it removes their protective slime. To ensure their safety Steelhead should be tailed with a bare wet hand. Over the course of winter and spring spawning you can tell the fish that have received the glove treatment as they have fungus in the wrist area in front of their tails. If you are not confident in your ability to tail fish in the water and must use a net or cradle please ensure that the netting is such that it removes the least slime as possible ie rubber.

 

thanks guys, don't mean to preach but thought some may not know.

 

btw I am sure there are a few glove pics somewhere on my site so please don't take this post as hgih and mighty.

 

Brian

Yeah...Brian is quite right about this...it is a real issue for fish that will or might be returning to the Ocean for their next Journey.

With the technology we have today with Cameras there is no real need to lift the fish out of the water at all...and if you have to keep it partly in the water