We had to keep four hybrids that we couldn't revive/resuscitate. Wiggled them by the tail and worked their bodies, but they would go belly up when released so we threw them in the livewell. I cleaned them when we got home and distributed the filets to friends and neighbors.
Luckily, the two big rockfish stayed healthy. We waggled them around and let them fight their way out of our hands and both swam down out of sight pretty strongly.
The problem came with the hybrids when we got five on at the same time. It was just get one in the boat, throw it down, reel in another one. So I think we kept some out of the water too long.
Gotta refine our catch and release methods, I don't like to keep very many and I have plenty of fish in the freezer. No need to stockpile as I can always go catch more.
Funny thing is, see the boat in the background? That is the longest running professional guide service on JPP. They were going by us about 100 yds off the port side when we hit our school of hybrids and five rods went down. They circled our position four more times and we never saw anyone get off their seats to handle a rod. The guide puts out two umbrella rigs, trolls them at 2.9 mph all day. And that is all he does, two rods. We had 8-9 rods out using live bait, trolling .7-.9 mph.
I'm going to go out and try aero's method with the Riviera boards off the side, trolling jig and twister tails and down rigging a couple of Tennessee thumpers. We worked our butts off today trying for bait. it was extremely scarce and hard to catch.
Last edited by agelesssone; 08-30-2014 at 07:32 PM.
Reason: added narrative
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