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

Abstract

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.

Chasing Northern Pike under Ice: Long‐Distance Movements Following Catch‐and‐Release Ice Angling

“…More information about fish welfare, potential behavioral changes, and fish habitat and space use in winter is required to provide the baseline data that are necessary to help inform best practices for ice angling. Recent studies have shown that winter catch and release induces shortterm and relatively minor physiological changes based on blood biomarkers and reflex assessments in several species (e.g., Louison et al 2017aLouison et al , 2017bBieber et al 2019;Logan et al 2019). In addition, mortality appears to be low under normal circumstances (e.g., when fish are not deep-hooked; Dextrase and Ball 1991;Pierce et al 1995;Louison et al 2017aLouison et al , 2017bTwardek et al 2018), suggesting that fish may be generally resilient to winter catch and release.…”

Influence of Ice Angler Culling Practices on Bluegill Physiological Stress Responses and Mortality

“…effects of catch-and-release ice-angling on fish stress physiology, behavior, and survival when water temperatures and metabolic rates are their lowest (but see Louison et al 2017aLouison et al , 2017bTwardek et al 2018;Winter et al 2018;Bieber et al 2019;Logan et al 2019). Yet, an appreciable number of iceangled fishes are released (Margenau et al 2003;Schroeder and Fulton 2014), including following competitive live release ice-angling events (e.g., The Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza in Gull Lake, Minnesota 2020; The Reel Fun Ice Fishing Tournament in Grand Lake, Michigan 2020;…”

Quantifying biological responses of catch-and-release angling in understudied fish species and practices

“…Reasons for this lack of study include challenges of winter field biology such as cold temperatures, malfunctioning field equipment and higher costs associated with winter field research (Lavery 2015). To date only a handful of iceangling studies that have been published, focusing on hooking location and delayed mortality (Dextrase and Ball 1991;Persons and Hirsch 1994;DuBois et al 1994;Twardek et al 2018;Althoff et al 2020;Somers et al 2021) as well as physiological and behavioural effects of iceangling on fish (Louison et al 2017b(Louison et al , 2017aLogan et al 2019;Bieber et al 2019). These physiological assessments highlight that stress responses exhibited in fish following a C&R event during ice-angling are different than those angled in warmer temperatures (Arlinghaus et al 2009;Louison et al 2017bLouison et al , 2017aTwardek et al 2018).…”

“…Depending on the tissue, when exposed to air (as commonly occurs during ice-angling events) the tissue may freeze and ultimately cause damage to the fish once released. This potential damage to tissues has infrequently been quantified in previous studies (Bieber et al 2019). Specifically focusing on the gill, if substantial damage to the delicate gill tissue occurs during ice-angling events with prolonged periods of subzero air exposure, oxygen uptake and gas exchange may be impaired upon release.…”

“…Fewer studies have focused on physiological or behavioural consequences of ice-angling on fish (Louison et al 2017b(Louison et al , 2017aWinter et al 2018;Logan et al 2019;Bieber et al 2019). These physiological assessments have shown an attenuated stress response following ice-angling in a variety of species when compared to studies performed in warmer water temperatures, which may result from colder water temperatures decelerating enzyme activity (Louison et al 2017b(Louison et al , 2017aLogan et al 2019).…”