The study will be extended to determine the survival of undersized fish and the impacts of other factors such as water temperature and physiological stress such as spawning. Higher mortality for released fish usually results from the use of live baits rather than artificial baits. Fish booked in the snout, upper jaw, comer of the mouth or cheek generally have the best chance of survival. Fish hooked in the lower jaw, bottom of the mouth and eye area have moderate mortalities while the highest mortalities are those hooked in the gill and stomach areas. Fish that are captured and released may die for many reasons, but stress and wounds are two pr nnary causes.
Stress includes anything that adversely affecu a fish.
Catching, handling and release causes stress to a fish. The rougher a fish is handled from time of hooking to release, the higher the degree of stress. Stress can cause shock which occurs when the blood circulating system shuts down. Shock and death occurs when substantial bleeding lowers the blood pressure. Exertion on the part of the fish while being played causes lactic acid to accumulate in the fish s muscles.