John, I agree with you 100% and I have been very vocal about this subject also. And in bringing this up there were allot of very good suggestions on how to avoid this in the future and many were very good. But the biggest thing that gets in the way of making any changes is the DNR must manage the lake based on the treaty. There hands tied in so many ways.

Here is the study of the mortality of catch and release, I was talking about.

http://www.acuteangling.com/Reference/C&RMortality.html

This should be required reading by every angler.

Good post metroWalleye.

I agree that if handled properly, it is by far a good thing. Unfortunatly, I would say a good number of people don't know how or don't care. I had all the proof I needed on Mille Lacs, especially that summer a few years ago when the fishing was unbelievable. What really torched me was how the estimated floaters were considered part of the take, but nobody made use of them. What a shame.

It basically comes down to educating anglers on the proper methods of handling fish. The more that people understand what is the proper, and improper, ways to deal with a fish once it leaves the water, the fewer "floaters" we will see in the water. This starts with each angler making sure the people in their boat practice the proper methods and ask them to make sure other anglers they fish with do the same thing. I think the "word" is getting out there, but it will take some time for everyone to do the right thing.

John, do a thread search on hooking mortality as this has been all hashed out there. You are taking this tread a little off course.

You all know that video was just a couple mins long and it probly showed the worst part of the harvest, And you guys are making your judgements based on that? So other than that you got no proof that the bands are damaging the fishery not even no study ( metrowalleye).Yeah the sky is defintely falling!

I'm not upset about the video. Believe it or not, I've seen fish in a bucket before.

I shouldn't HAVE to provide a study to prove that releasing breeding females back into the lake is a good thing...and pulling them out of the lake is not a good thing. Do you really need me to provide a study to confirm that?

First accurate statement in this thread. Yes, the sky is falling. Primarily due to global warming, netting, and high(at least in the mind of americans) gas prices.

AND ITS ALL BUSH'S FAULT

OK

It is a little relevant, though.