# My snook died! during closed season!



## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

You did the right thing. [smiley=1-thumbsup2.gif] It happens, they just don't make it sometimes, and as painful as it is to see them go to "waste", it's not worth the risk of a fine.

Although it's been just a very small fraction of the total released, I've watched many of many different species float away over the years, but keeping under/over/closed fish is not justifiable...ever!


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## beyondhelp (Nov 6, 2008)

This is often a hotly debated issue. I think you did the right thing by leaving the fish. 

Imagine a person with lower standards in almost the same scenario. "oops this one died too... better keep it" "dang another one, better keep this one too" 

I am nearly 100% positive that it is illegal to harvest an out of season fish for any reason including accidental death. I am sure someone could find a loophole but is it really worth it?


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## freeflyfree (May 12, 2010)

Thanks guys!, I told my wife to monitor this thread, she loves snook (with lemon and butter that is), she wasn't that convinced about the technicalities of open/closed season rules. 

Felipe.


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

If you ever have a question about legality, the best thing to do is ask FWC. You can submit questions right online and they answer quickly. I've done it several times.

In your case, the question has already been answered. I've included the link to the full text below.
Ask FWC



> _The most important rules for catch-and-release fishing, whether the release is voluntary for conservation or required by bag or size limits, are to land the fish quickly, handle it carefully and return it to the water as soon as possible. Circle hooks help reduce the instance of fish swallowing the hook or damaging their gills, and flattening or filing away the barb helps with hook removal. Attempt to remove the hook with the fish in the water. If it is necessary to lift it, avoid gaffs or landing nets (especially those with knots), and gently hold the fish with wet hands. Avoid squeezing too hard and keep your hands away from the gills. For bass, it is okay to grab the lower lip, but don't force it down or hold the fish out horizontally by the lower jaw. Keep the body supported. If the hook is deeply embedded, cut the line. The hook will dissolve (bronze hooks break down more quickly than stainless steel and are desirable for this purpose). When you return the fish to the water, don't throw it back. Gently place it in the water facing into the current and allow it to revive before releasing. *One special note -- even if the fish dies accidentally, you cannot keep a fish that is illegal to possess (e.g., due to size or bag limits).*_


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## SOBX (Sep 29, 2009)

Ours is a "blood sport" even when we pactice C&R techniques such as single barbless hooks and never removing a fish from the water (even for pics)! Don't get me wrong, I both eat some of the fish I catch and injure some that I release, but the laws are there to protect the fish. 

A dilemma, yes, the tough decision you made, correct, and remember that the fish either stopped bleeding and made it or it was an easy meal for something that needed one, it was not waste because it didn't end up in a frying pan or on the grill. 

Good Fishing!!!


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## skinny_water (Jun 11, 2008)

You did the right thing! Just two weeks ago I was almost faced with the same problem. I had a fly in the back of the tounge of a 20" Snook. We tried to push it out with pliers to no avail. I just cut it and let it swim away. This happens a lot when fly fishing. The fish tend to eat the fly pretty deep unless you are right on them with the strip/strike. Trout are the main offenders.

....this leads into the debarbing hooks. I will stop here for the preservation of this thread.


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## Shadowcast (Feb 26, 2008)

It happens. You did the right thing.


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## Michael (Jul 22, 2009)

I agree with the folks that think you did the right thing. I'm sure you realize that this fish did not go to waste as someone pointed out. The crabs gotta eat too!


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## Green_Hornet (Nov 1, 2008)

> I agree with the folks that think you did the right thing. I'm sure you realize that this fish did not go to waste as someone pointed out. The crabs gotta eat too!


It's that whole "Circle of life"thing! You did the right thing.
Plus you never know who's watching if you don't release it. The guy fishing next to you ould always be the man in green.


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## Brett (Jul 16, 2008)

Feeling guilty? That's normal.
Everyone hates seeing a fish go to waste.
Especially when there's a simple solution.
Change hooks. Eliminate the J's.
Start tying with circle hooks.
Most patterns work just as well on circle hooks.
Many professional guides have switched over to using them.
Research indicates just as many hookups
with most hooks embedded in the corner of the mouth.
The difference in use? No hook strike.
Let the line become tight and hang on.
Try it, you'll like it...

http://epflies.com/flies/circle-hook.html


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

That is not that uncommon as stated above and I have had it happen as well. I feel horrible when I take a creatures life only to have it go to waste. What I do now is, for example, with snook closed I change my target species and fish locals that have a lower perpencity to catch a restricted species. Can't always be avoided by you can lower the odds.


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

> Feeling guilty? That's normal.
> Everyone hates seeing a fish go to waste.
> Especially when there's a simple solution.
> Change hooks. Eliminate the J's.
> ...


IMHO the jury is still out on this one...

the design looks good on paper and does work as expected...









well usually, but not always


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## SOBX (Sep 29, 2009)

This circle hook thing deserves a post of it's own, but while I'm here ----- tried em flyfishing the Roanoke River in NC back when I lived up there (20 years). We would hook and land over 3000 stripers (rockfish) on my boat in a 3 month season on the spawning run and found that while circles worked, most times the hooks (even barbless) were tougher to get out than barbless J hooks!

They're designed to hook fish in the jaw and also to hold onto the fish so they can be harvested ---- perfect for fishing live/dead bait and for commercial folks who need the fish to stay hooked til they can harvest them. 

I'll stay with barbless Js and strip strikes. 

Good Fishing!!!


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## deerfly (Mar 10, 2007)

> This circle hook thing deserves a post of it's own, but while I'm here ----- tried em flyfishing the Roanoke River in NC back when I lived up there (20 years).  We would hook and land over 3000 stripers (rockfish) on my boat in a 3 month season on the spawning run and found that while circles worked, most times the hooks (even barbless) were tougher to get out than barbless J hooks!
> 
> 
> I'll stay with barbless Js and strip strikes.
> ...


I agree 100%. My initial thoughts on trying them (this was July 07) was for tarpon, thinking maybe the circle hook would up the odds a bit of a good hook set. Unfortunately we only jumped one on that particular trip, so I wasn't able to draw any conclusions there. However, between the dozen or so snooklet's and ladyfish we did manage to catch I wasn't convinced the circle hooks provided any real advantage avoiding deep hook sets or increasing hooks ups over what I might have expected with J hooks. And you're right, they are much harder to dislodge, especially on the deep sets. 

I've only tried them 1 other time in 08 and have since returned to my old ways...


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## HaMm3r (Dec 11, 2006)

I also don't care for circle hooks for tying. In my limited experience with them, I found that because fish tend to recognize a fly as non-food much quicker than conventional soft plastic baits, they spit the fly out almost immediately and they never come tight to hook themselves. If you try to set the hook before they eject it, you usually just pull the fly out of their mouth. Personally, I'm much happier with standard j-hooks.


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## capt_gordon (Sep 10, 2007)

I was using flies tied on circle hooks back in 99 before most had even thought of it. They do hook and hold but in my experience the picture of the ladyfish with the hook in it's gills is something that happens way too often and then is impossible to get out without doing major damage. If you are fishing for a fish with flies during a no take season just fish barbless regular hooks.


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