Hey everyone! I made a fun short and sweet video of me and my son out at the lake having fun that I wanted to share plus it has some footage of both my rods going down resulting in four fish on at once which is always cool : )

I also wanted to let everyone know I have several "how to" type videos over downrigging on my youtube channel now if anybody is considering buying a downrigger, new to downrigging, or just want to see if there is something I'm doing differently than you who are downrigging. I basically wanted to make some videos that I sure wish were around three years ago when I got started downrigging!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a9mu_C1xTo

You might want to google how catch and release effects stripers and hybrids in hot weather. We have all done it, but its not a good idea.
Glad you are being successful!

I have googled it and I know they can have a high mortality rate. I just wonder if those studies included people who unhook the fish while in the water or immediately through it back. Or did it include a lot of fishermen that cracked open another beer and fumbled around for their cameras as the fish flops on the floor?

The bottom line is that temperate bass do not do as well as say a catfish out of the water. The best tips I have found for safe catch and release outcomes for the hybrids is to leave the fish in the net or on the hook while getting the camera ready so they stay in the water. Most the fish I catch I unhook while in the water and NEVER take them out of the water. The few that I take out of the water are only out of the water for about 20-30 seconds tops. They seem to swim away as healthy as when I caught them leading me to believe that my fish do okay when released. If you keep them out of the water for much longer it is apparent they struggle and maybe even float belly up.

Its more about lactic acid build up from the fight (longer the fight higher the mortality - not really the release, but I am sure what you are doing is much better than keeping them out of the water for 60 seconds

I've heard the fight itself can be tough on the fish. I would love to know the answer because the last thing I want is to be doing unintentional harm to the hybrid population at my lake. The studies I've seen seem to range from mortality rates anywhere to a single digit up to 50-60% range so there seems to be a huge variance. It is something that I am very concerned of and take extra precautions when handling these fish. The video shows me pull one fish out of the water for probably two or three seconds max then throwing it back in the water which is usually what I do if even that when I fish solo. If I have guests is when more picture taking takes place which I try and make as quick as possible. I'd really love to know the answer! I drive around the windblown areas of my lake often looking for schooling fish plus looking for any dead floating hybrids and I'm happy to say I rarely see a dead floating hybrid and I fish up to three times per week. The bad thing is if it is causing harm it makes it tough on a guy wanting to learn the lake. As seen in the video I almost limited out in one pass of that particular school. I hope you know I absolutely respect your concerns for catch and release!