Releasing Billfish - not just good practice, it's the law!

mfieldvi

http://www.keysnet.com/2015/11/21/505852_feds-try-to-clarify-policy-on.html?rh=1


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Black Attack

Great article and clears up a lot of questions. Thanks for the post.

Lobstercatcher229

Interesting comment on the article: "so it's ok to kill it, just not stress it.":hairraiser

[email protected] Special

And how long have I been taking heat for pointing out this fact?

conchydong

Ron, remember that most sails caught off the S.FL coast are in State waters. You have criticized people (non HMS permittees) holding these fish in State waters when they were clearly in compliance.

Roc N Rol

All of my bill fish fishing is done north of Palm Beach and in federal water because there is no bag limit in federal water for sails. Thanks to Angler Management's kite fishing seminar it should be a smoke filled winter

SnookMan772

They should just make them game fish status and move on. If you have to smoke something to make it edible why not just catch something else? When it's smoked does it really taste that much better than kingfish, spani mac's, blues, or anything else that normally tastes like ****..?? Serious question, I have never had it before... On a side note, have any of you see Mark the Shark online? Makes me sick seeing him dump those sails into his live well so he can "smoke them". He gets off on being able to keep them along with killing big hammerheads and tigers.

Lobstercatcher229

SnookMan772 wrote: »

They should just make them game fish status and move on. If you have to smoke something to make it edible why not just catch something else? When it's smoked does it really taste that much better than kingfish, spani mac's, blues, or anything else that normally tastes like ****..?? Serious question, I have never had it before... On a side note, have any of you see Mark the Shark online? Makes me sick seeing him dump those sails into his live well so he can "smoke them". He gets off on being able to keep them along with killing big hammerheads and tigers.

It has been a while but I thought that the taste of smoked marlin was great!

Roc N Rol

SnookMan772 wrote: »

When it's smoked does it really taste that much better than kingfish, spani mac's, blues, or anything else that normally tastes like ****..

Yes it does, when its smoked it enters the world of a delicacy, and smoked Marlin is awesome

ameristrat

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Angler Managemnt

I don't understand what's wrong with him keep in and smoking a sail? I don't ever keep them but I don't understand the issue. He's NOT breaking the law at all.

pottydoc

Angler Managemnt wrote: »

I don't understand what's wrong with him keep in and smoking a sail? I don't ever keep them but I don't understand the issue. He's NOT breaking the law at all.

Because according to some of the folks on here, keeping a sailfish is about equal to child abuse. They'll keep,dolphin, Kings, grouper, snapper, and a host of other fsh, and stick a dart in a sword that's legal by 1/4", but anyone who keeps a sailfish is obviously not a true sportsman. I've kept two in my life, my first one at 8 years old, and one that came in tail wrapped and dead. The other 100 plus got released, but I got zero problem with someone keeping one to eat. They're flat good on the smoker.

Osprey45

:Popcorn

dpdash

Ameristrat, please enlighten us on how we are supposed to feel and act, you are after all the only opinion that matters:)

jokerj280

There is nothing wrong with legally taking a sail. Smoked sailfish dip is amazing if you haven't had it before, better than kingfish dip IMO. If you think there are not enough sailfish out there, you're wrong. Do me a favor. Look up any Sailfish tournament and see how many releases there were for those 1-4 days. Then go look up a kingfish, dolphin, or wahoo tournament and check the same numbers of fish KILLED in those tournaments. I'd be willing to bet the numbers will surprise you.

Roc N Rol

SnookMan772 wrote: »

They should just make them game fish status and move on. If you have to smoke something to make it edible why not just catch something else? When it's smoked does it really taste that much better than kingfish, spani mac's, blues, or anything else that normally tastes like ****..?? Serious question, I have never had it before... On a side note, have any of you see Mark the Shark online? Makes me sick seeing him dump those sails into his live well so he can "smoke them". He gets off on being able to keep them along with killing big hammerheads and tigers.

I think they should do away with the billfish tournaments some of those tournaments have releases well over a thousand fish and out of those released how many didn't survive after being stressed add that to the number that got sharked in every tournament added multiplied by the number of tournaments and you probably have way more dead fish that were killed by sportsman looking to win a $ prize. billfish tournaments probably kill more fish tham a few recreational anglers kill.
and maybe you should try more smoked foods ham is great, smoked ham is better I love ribs, smoked ribs are better also

Roc N Rol

ameristrat wrote: »

You know, it's not even the fact that you want to kill sailfish that will tick people off. It's your apparent and blatant disregard for the resource. There's no place for that in fishing

you know its the fact that you think this way that will Tick people off it's your apparent blatant disregard for peoples right to kill what they want inside the law none of the fish I kill goes to waste if I catch more than I need I share it with family and friends and there's always a place for that in fishing

Lobstercatcher229

Roc N Rol wrote: »

I think they should do away with the billfish tournaments some of those tournaments have releases well over a thousand fish and out of those released how many didn't survive after being stressed add that to the number that got sharked in every tournament added multiplied by the number of tournaments and you probably have way more dead fish that were killed by sportsman looking to win a $ prize. billfish tournaments probably kill more fish tham a few recreational anglers kill.
and maybe you should try more smoked foods ham is great, smoked ham is better I love ribs, smoked ribs are better also

Interesting comment on being "sharked". I have caught one white marlin in my life and this summer someone on a boat I was on caught another one and BOTH of them were killed by sharks on the way in. My only other billfish encounter was on a charter boat a number of years ago where the sailfish was removed from the water and measured so that the fisherman could get a replica mount.

nick c

This is more of a guideline than a law IMO. For people to have some respect for the fish. If my customer catches their first sailfish and wants a picture of the full fish, that's fine with me so long as the fish looks healthy. We know how to do it quick and easy with little harm to the fish. If one comes up bleeding or half dead, no! Leave him in the water and revive. Not sure how anyone is going to write you a fine for a fish out of the water because they dont know if it was on legal size and harvested, or if it was in state or federal waters. The different laws in State and Federal water is a issue that needs be cleared up around here.
BTW smoked sailfish is amazing! Nothing pisses me off more than people releasing a dead/half dead sailfish back into the ocean for the sharks to eat. Better off just boxing it if the fish comes up tail wrapped or something.

[email protected] Special

First, I also love smoked sails and keep one every now and then, especially if it looks like it won't survive.

However, to Nick's point, its not a guideline, It actually is a law. Did you read the link with the interviews with NMFS in the Keynoter? This spells it out.

KFO

People significantly underestimate the increased mortality rate due to slime coat damage. "We know how to handle them properly out of the water", "we only had it out for a few seconds for a pic", etc. type comments are pretty irksome, because slime coat damage is just so damning to fish, especially big pelagics. I really wish more studies and education would be published in regards to this to the point where it became common/accepted knowledge.

I actually get more irritated seeing a sail pic out of water than I do seeing a dead sail being kept for food. Because at least the food guys have a plan, are following regs, and not wasting the fish.

ameristrat

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Frydaddy

The best fish dip that I ever made was from a sail I couldn't revive

linesliderRyro

SnookMan772

Thanks for the reply, sounds like I need to try smoked sailfish with all of these rave reviews.