Chill out: physiological responses to winter ice-angling in two temperate freshwater fishes

Natural resource agencies have developed catch-and-release regulations for Walleyes Sander vitreus of prohibited size and number to reduce mortality in many recreational fisheries. The efficacy of such regulations is contingent upon the released fish surviving, but survival data on Walleyes captured by ice-angling are lacking. We estimated the survival of Lake Nipissing (Ontario, Canada) Walleyes that were captured by both active and passive ice-angling methods using a variety of hook types and lures baited with Emerald Shiners Notropis atherinoides. We also assessed the role of de-hooking methods on the survival of deeply hooked Walleyes. After the angling event, Walleyes (n = 260) were held for 24 h in a submerged holding pen to estimate postrelease survival. Average mortality after the 24-h holding period was 6.9%. Fewer Walleyes captured by active angling were deeply hooked (9.3%) than passively caught fish (50.4%), and deeply hooked Walleyes were observed to have more frequent postrelease mortality (14.8%) than shallow-hooked Walleyes (3.0%). There was no significant difference in mortality rates of Walleyes caught by passive angling (9.8%) or active angling (2.8%); mortality rates of fish caught on circle hooks (6.1%), J-hooks (8.2%), and treble hooks (5.6%) also did not differ. Neither air temperature nor the presence of barotrauma had a significant effect on mortality of captured Walleyes. Survival did not significantly differ between deeply hooked fish that had the line cut (11.1%) and those that had the hook removed (22.6%). Results from this study suggest a relatively high incidence of Walleye survival after catch-and-release angling through the ice.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Postrelease Survival of Walleyes Following Ice‐Angling on Lake Nipissing, Ontario

Twardek

Lennox

Lawrence

et al. 2018

“…The individual fish was then exercised via tail-pinching, in which a person attempted to grab the tail of the fish, which forces it to burst to escape, a method that has been utilized previously to simulate angling (Suski et al 2004). During this protocol, fish were exercised for a total of 30 s, a nonexhaustive time course that simulated the short fight times common to ice-angling (Louison et al 2017b).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Air exposure was carried out for either a "short" period of 30 s or a "long" period of 5 min. These air exposure treatments were based on air exposure times used in previous angling work (Gingerich et al 2007;Louison et al 2017b) and are representative of situations in which an angler either handles a fish quickly, or holds the fish out of the water for an extended period for activities such as photographing or measuring to determine if the fish is legal to harvest (Cook et al 2015;Louison et al 2017a). Each air exposure treatment was additionally carried out at one of two air temperatures, subfreezing (-7°C) or above-freezing (3-8°C), to represent distinct differences in angling conditions (i.e., a cold winter day versus a warm day, or a day at the beginning or end of the ice-angling season).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of Ice‐Angling and Handling on Swimming Performance in Bluegill and Largemouth Bass

Bieber

Louison

Stein

et al. 2019

Self Cite

Many recreational anglers practice catch‐and‐release; however, research indicates that capture and handling has the potential to adversely affect fish. Numerous catch‐and‐release studies have been conducted during warmer months, but little work has been done during the winter when ice‐anglers in temperate regions target fish. We conducted an ice angling simulation that quantified the impacts of air temperature and air exposure duration on swimming performance and gill physiology of Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus and Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides. In all experiments, fish were first subjected to a simulated angling bout in water at 5°C, followed by 30 s or 5 min of air exposure at above freezing (3–8°C) or subfreezing (−7°C) temperatures. The fish were then assessed for critical swimming speed (Bluegill), oxygen consumption (Bluegill), burst swimming (Largemouth Bass), or gill damage (Largemouth Bass). Results showed that Bluegill subjected to 5 min of air exposure at −7°C suffered impaired swimming, with a 47% loss in critical swimming speed (Ucrit) compared with the controls. Treatment had no impact on burst swimming or gill damage in Largemouth Bass. The results demonstrate the possible impacts of air exposure on fish, and we recommend that ice‐anglers make an effort to minimize air exposure duration, especially when air temperatures are low.

“…There is a substantial amount of literature demonstrating that stress causes such reflexes to fail and that the loss of these reflexes may be a useful predictor of delayed mortality (Davis 2002, 2007, 2010; Davis and Ottmar 2006). Although species‐specific RAMP mortality curves are typically produced, a number of previous studies have used this technique to assess fish condition without the use of a mortality curve (Louisson et al 2017; Prystay et al 2017; Eberts et al 2018a, 2018b). Without such curves, it is difficult to ultimately assign final outcomes regarding survival; however, there is a clear relationship between reflex impairment and delayed mortality.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparison of Angler Interventions for Smallmouth Bass Experiencing Barotrauma in Catch‐and‐Release Angling Tournaments

Elliott

Row

Tufts

2021

Black bass Micropterus spp. in North America are commonly targeted by recreational anglers who are participating in catch‐and‐release angling tournaments. In deeper water bodies, Smallmouth Bass M. dolomieu are often caught from depths greater than 6 m and held in a boat’s live well until they are weighed in. Smallmouth Bass that are caught from such depths typically display symptoms of barotrauma, where the swim bladder becomes overinflated and the fish cannot maintain proper orientation. We examined the effects of three common practices that are used by tournament anglers who hold fish that exhibit symptoms of barotrauma: no treatment, weighted fin clips (rubber‐coated weighted alligator clips), and fizzing (venting the swim bladder with a hypodermic needle). After receiving a treatment, the Smallmouth Bass were held in experimental live wells for a period of 3 h and their condition was monitored using reflex action mortality predictors. Condition declined for the Smallmouth Bass that received no treatment, whereas both fin clips and fizzing demonstrated improved fish condition. Fizzing was also found to be a more rapid and effective treatment than fin clips. As the weight and capture depth of fish in the control group increased, there was a significant decrease in final condition, as indicated by reflex impairment. For tournaments that hold fish in live wells prior to release, these results demonstrate that interventions shortly after capture can effectively reduce reflex impairment in Smallmouth Bass that experience barotrauma and that fizzing is more effective than fin clips.