It's common knowledge that removing the slime coat is bad for fish, but we rarely get to see the effects of it.
briansII
NorcalBob wrote:Take your pick of damages: 1) use a tailing glove and remove slime from the tail section, or, 2) don't use a tailing glove and drop the fish on it's head. I've made my choice! I use a tailing glove for handling large fish and I do not use a tailing glove for handling smaller fish where I use dehooking device to not touch the fish at all (about 99% of my fish are released using a dehooking device and I never touch it). While a glove does indeed remove much more protective slime than a wet hand, a wet hand has it's own negative issues that cause damage. I make no illusions about how my catch & release activities potentially damage the fish and it's populations, because I know they all have a negative impact. The best thing for the fish is for me not to catch it at all. But then again, I ain't gonna do that! The second best thing is for me to release it so it just might survive (as opposed to killing it).
PS: there is a very good reason why many fish biologists use a tailing glove for large fish while handling it whilst they do their work
NorcalBob wrote: I have never seen any one use a dehooking device whilst releasing a fish, and yet that is by far the best way to handle catch & release and I use one all the time. I'd much rather see a video promoting that rather than criticizing using a glove.
acorad wrote:brianII, how do you put a video on this site so you watch it on this site?
When I added my video in my comment above, it takes you off the site to watch it.
Andy