Live Release fish program ripe for records
On July 25 Jeffrey Henderson of Milwaukee tied into an extraordinary fish on Nagawicka Lake in Waukesha County.
Although it was slightly less than a foot long, in the world of rock bass, Henderson’s catch was, as anglers sometimes say, a tank.
Henderson recognized the fish wasn’t just big, it was record-book big.
He snapped a couple photos of it, including one against a ruler. And since he didn’t want to kill the fish, he quickly released it. Less than two weeks later, the fish is indeed enshrined in the annals of
Wisconsin angling.
Henderson’s 11-inch rock bass is recognized as the state record in the Live Release program of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
The program, which the DNR initiated in 2017, taps into the catch-and-release ethic practiced by many anglers.
It requires a photo of the fish next to a measuring device and a simple application. There is no charge to apply or participate. It also relies on the honor system and asks that anglers practice good catch-and-release methods.
I’ve been a fan of the program since it was introduced.
But despite the popularity of catchand-release, especially among bass anglers, the program hasn’t seen a ton of participation.
Only 12 of the 32 eligible fish species have had an entry over the last two years.
And the slots for both of the primary bass species – largemouth and smallmouth – are wide open.
With the fishing season in full swing and many prime months still to come, it seems a good time to help raise awareness of the Live Release program.
Four catch-and-release records have been entered this year. In addition to Henderson’s rock bass, they are: a 303⁄ 4- inch walleye caught April 12 on the Fox River by Mark Schram of Fond du Lac; a 13-inch yellow perch caught June 8 in Lake Altoona by Jeff Hebert of Eau Claire; and a 31-inch shovelnose sturgeon caught July 7 in the Chippewa River by Mark Helling of River Falls.
The four anglers have two things in common. They caught fish that exceeded the minimum length requirement,
Mark Helling of River Falls measuresthe 31-inch-long shovelnose sturgeon he caught July 7.
and, just as important, they knew about the program.
I’d wager more than a dozen fish are caught and released each month in Wisconsin that could take one of the top Live Release spots among the 32 species. Anglers either aren’t aware of the program or choose to not participate for various reasons.
In case you’re wondering, yes, some anglers are actually modest and don’t want to call attention to themselves.
But most anglers would consider a catch-and-release record as a badge of honor.
I think there is significant room for increased participation.
The following are among the 20 species that remain vacant in the Live Release program: northern pike (40-inch minimum length requirement); largemouth bass (23); smallmouth bass (22); tiger musky (45); brown trout (inland, 24); brown trout (Great Lakes, 34); rainbow trout (Great Lakes, 36); black crappie (15); and lake sturgeon (70).
Despite the relatively low number of entries, the program has generally been well received, said Karl Scheidegger, DNR fisheries manager.
“People enjoy the ability to get a record and not kill the fish,” Sheidegger said. “We’ve gotten plenty of positive comments about it and support for having started it.”
In the realm of historical Wisconsin fish records, some of the oldest arguably will never be broken, such as catch-andkeep records for musky (69 pounds 11 ounces, caught in 1949) and walleye (18 pounds, 1933).
They are also the source of the most controversy.
Those debates can be had another time.
The DNR’s Live Release program is part of the new era of sport fishing.
Put it on your radar and read up on the minimum qualifying lengths. And next time you land a fish that qualifies, you’ll be ready with camera and tape measure to get your name on the record roll.
Tips for catch-and-release
Among recommended practices to increase the survival of released fish, anglers should:
❚ Have release tools (for example, a net and forceps) and camera ready before landing the fish.
❚ Land the fish as quickly as possible. ❚ Keep the fish in the water as much as possible.
❚ Wet your hands prior to touching the fish and handle the fish as little as possible.
❚ If the fish is deeply hooked, cut the line and let the fish go.
❚ Treat the fish gently throughout the release.