Barry Stokes - Southwest Outdoors

Hey Barry - Can you hold your breath for 90 seconds? I notice in this weeks episode your holding bass out of the water for over a minute while you talk. Just curious if you think it makes sense to do so.

Does Brian get on here? 90 seconds does seem a bit long. TV production.

I can hold my breath for 90 seconds. Didn't seem to hard and it sure beat being cut in to fillets. If your gonna complain about trivial things like that, why even catch them in the first place. Holding your breath hurts alot less than having a hook spear your lip.

Did he have is gloves on??

USA 1,
Really??? You just that bored? Go fishing or something. Let a guy do what he wants with the fish HE caught.

Are you serious??? Your gonna bash a guy on here for 90 seconds? How many people on this forum take over 90 seconds to cull during a tournament or to take a photo of a big fish. Good lord..

Yes I'm serious. Catch your fish and let it go. You don't need to be holding it out of the water longer than necessary! Take your photo if not hurry and put the fish back in the water!!!

It is people like you that turn people off from fishing. If someone catches a fish let them enjoy it!

I hate it when people piddle around. Put the fish back, Jack!!

You got that right jack! Its people that respect his catch and understands its his responsibility to as quickly as possible put the fish back in the water especially in the summer. It can be stress enough for fish caught during the hot summer time. But I guess as you type this your sitting under AC!

If you respect fish that much, why would you even bother catching them then? It doesn't matter the situation catching one is stressful for the fish period. Another 90 sec of being out of the water, Come on man! Let the guy enjoy what he worked so hard for.

Your absolutely right it is stressful for the fish being caught. And I guess its why its our role to do everything possible to lesson it further so we get the joy out of it while being as easy on the fish as much as possible.

I will admit that I have no idea how long it takes for a bass gills to start to dry out and cause problems to it. I am sure it differs by time of year and health of fish. But its not the type of research I want to be trying to figure out. But it just doesnt make sense when I see a person on TV talking holding the fish out of the water especially in the summer time for longer than necessary and talking. Just put the fish back and then talk. I think it shows more for the guy on TV to do that. I like to fish like the next guy and enjoy catching. However, I try to do my best to help the fish. If the hook is buried and taking longer than needed to get out, I will place the fish in the water so to keep gills wet and help the fish get some air. Does this help the fish...I dunno, but it cant hurt I guess.

Just so you know, it was not Brian Hughes that was holding the fish. it was the host Barry Stokes. Brian Hughes does the TX fresh water report and had no fish in his hands. Just so you're not bashing the wrong guy.

correction made. thanks!

For what it's worth, the folks at Sure-Life told me that oxygen deprivation stress in a fish can happen in as little as 45 seconds, even quicker in hot temps. I know from my own experience that when I've had a tough time getting a hook out when the water temp is above 85, I've had fish become severely stressed or die very quickly. Just my take on it, but I think what USA-1 is trying to say is that people who broadcast themselves as sportsmen to the general public should be aware of the image they project as guardians of the resource. Giving PETA and the other "anti's" ammunition to shoot us with doesn't make sense.

But I understand bashing USA for his post. It's easier to do than actually giving thought to a topic.

It's a fish. Filet, eat, mount, or release it. There's no reason to be upset unless you can prove they have feelings. Comparing a fish to a human being is just plain ignorant.

I saw a correction from Mr Perfect but no apolgy to Brian.

Who in this post compared a fish to a human? He said "stressed" as in causing a decline in physical well being.

the very original post

I certainly lose some respect for Barry every time he treats his catch this way..... Might be ignorance as he would't overstress or kill fish intentially surely. And No, just because he caught them does not mean they are His bass to do whatever. He always releases them so since he doesn't harvest them, they are not his fish.


Same for the supposed pros lipping and breaking and dislocating the jaws of their 10 lb + bass. ....

What about that Honey Hole guy. He's always holding them backwards, over his wrist. Now that's a jawbreaker.

this is a good reminder to always have your livewell cool and ready to go. put her in after un hooking her and let her rest for awhile. it gives you enough time to head to another part of the lake for the photo op, or treat any wounds with please release me as well. take your time with a trophy and get the pics you deserve while being the bass ambulance insuring the health of the fish.

WOW

+100000

Barry is a great guy. Met him when he did his show on Pine Creek up here last year. I think people need to use a little common sense when it comes to bashing someone else. How is this any different than swinging a fish onto the carpet and letting it flop around while you use the trolling motor to hold your boat position? Or measuring and weighing and photographing before you release? Come on man...lighten up a little.

I had a sports writer in the boat in April. Caught one over 6lbs off the bed, he had the fish out of water for over 5 minutes....I began to get antsy and nervous.

I set the fish back in, she sat on top right side up for about 1 minute then went down..

The guys with the cameras dont give a squat about the fish, just the story.

It is what it is as they say.

It isn't exactly like holding your breath. This study (although conducted at a maximum water temp of 75 degrees) had bass out of water for up to 15 minutes with no ill effects:

http://www.bassparade.com/science-fish-water

I don't think 90 seconds or 2 minutes is really that big a deal unless the fish is already injured/stressed so bad it's going to die regardless.

Can't we all just get along!

Ok ok so let me get this straight… my thinking of good fish care was once I bring the fish out of the water it was my responsibility to quickly get it back into the water. Obviously many believe its not necessary to follow this. So I have one question for you (I won’t list names that disagreed because there are several but you know who you are):

Since its going to be really difficult to pinpoint exactly when damage to a bass really begins (many factors involved such as condition of fish, water temp, etc) help me understand where people like yourselves draw the line on time limit? If you think a minute and a half is no problem then what is okay with you?

PS. Do you guys notice sometimes when Bill Wilcox on TV says “lets hurry up and get this fish back in the water” …well this makes a lot of sense to me!

Let me rephrase my last statement. I'll hold my breath for 90 seconds if tourney anglers will spend a day in a livewell. Is that the comparison that was being made?!

Its his fish,he caught it, he can do whatever he wants with it. I dont know how some people have the time to worry about what everyone else is doing. I barely have time enough to concentrate on what Im doing.Good idea? maybe not. But its his fish! I kinda like Barrys show,sometimes informative,occasionally amusing, just never thought of it as controversial.Note to self: And now I have wasted more time than I ever thought I would on this particular topic. Have a nice day

dog days of summer have set in

Lol. The fish police are out in full force.

barry barely catches anything anyways. not hurting too many fish.how did he get a show. and yes i do know him .

This reminds me of the catch and keep or catch and release argument. Yes for those of us who practice catch and release it's hard to watch someone fillet-ing a 9 pounder, but it is the fisherman's catch, and they can do as they please with it.

Fish can survie out of water longer than we can survive under water DUHHHHHHHH You must have been realy bored to post something as stupid as this!!

I think we can all agree to take care of the fish we catch and eat/realease. But jumping on a forum and bashing someone is rather pathetic. If you have a problem with someones fishcare, why don't you spend a little time and contact that individual personally instead of dragging everyone else into such a stupid argument about what someone does with his catch of a legal fish to do with as he pleases?

Flower sniffin', tree huggin', bleeding hearts with double standards. you'll stick a treble or a worm hook in a fishes gut but by all means dont hold them out of the water cause it'll hurt em.

I bet if Barry was holding a sand bass outta the water for 90 seconds he would be considered a hero and ratings would go thru the roof.

Especially if he did that at Lake Fork.

Just how long can a fish survive out of water and be released with no harm done?

Think that is bad? One time Barry put dirt in my compost pile!

have not heard about barry stokes in years.

Does Barry ever visit this site. If not let's stop bashing him since he's not here to offer a response. If u have an issue with his bass handling skills shoot him an email.

God knows I've made the same mistake countless times. I think all of us bassin dudes have done the same thing a time or two.

let he who is without sin.....

...to put it simply, that is greatness!

USA-1,

Your message surely got through.... Barry this week for the 1st show ever properly handled the many bass he landed supporting them carefully and he was careful getting them released back in a reasonable amount of time.

A couple times he had to do re-takes, but at least he did video edits. Good job getting this corrected as his show influences many novice anglers on how to properly handle and relase summer stressed bass.