[codman]

If you are fishing from a party boat and picked up a few 5 pound cod and ling (you have enough for tablefare) and then you hook into a 30lb steaker. Here comes the question....

You alert the mate to your intentions to release the fish, they get it aboard (net vs. lip gaff?) you snap a quick picture and return the fish to fight another day. If a digital scale was present, should you be pool eligible? Do headboats do this? Should they?

Just bored and thinking

 

[Captneilf]

Hi,

Yes, some boats will do that. I am a firm believer in doing this.

Capt Neil

 

[Blazetoy]

I agree....good idea to save the spawners.

 

[CaptPaul]

Not on My Watch!

On my boats, the pool is determined by putting two fish against each other on a balance scale. At the same time. After the trip is finished.

Especially in the ocean, I would like to see anyone here put a fish on a digital scale on a boat, and give me an accurate weight. Would you call it 31.7 lbs., or 31.5 lbs. Or, wait, we have 32.1 lbs.! And, is a tenth of a pound really accurate enough to weigh-and-release? Go to a certified scale w/ hundredths of a pound. You'll puke watching the numbers roll up and down. We determine the Dock Pool at Captree w/ a certified scale, measuring to hundredths, and I'll tell you I watch it go a few hundredths w/ the breeze, and that's on land. I've weighed plenty of fish on deck, and the scale just won't serve the purpose.

If you are truly interested in releasing larger fish, don't enter the pool, or at least don't expect to win it w/ a big fish. I can't imagine I will ever deny a pool to someone who has a fish in his hands, but was beaten by a weight from a released fish, especially if it was within a few tenths. It's just not the spirit of the contest.

The pool is a contest between anglers on a head boat, to spice things up. Head boats historically kept fish for the duration of the trip- not just for a few minutes, and the pool is reflective of, and based upon, this premise. If you don't intend to keep the jumbo, think about developing a different contest, or just focus on the fishing. Releasing a big spawner should be reward enough for the trip, if that's what you really want to do.

Paul

 

[LarryNoBoat]

I fish on a party boat where the pool is determined by the longest fish not the heaviest. Sometimes it is a split pool, half for the longest released fish and half for the heaviest kept fish.

This post edited by LarryNoBoat 09:50 PM 02/05/2008

 

[capant11772]

NOT....the pool should actually be determined at the dock.

 

[ctwhitechin]

I fish on a boat that I will not mention here, and fish there quite often, fish of substantial size are weighed and recorded, and fish are cleaned throughout the day. Captain's log determines who wins the pool...how about up north here where in the fall after 11/1 all cod have to be released?

When I worked deck in NY I would have said you're crazy, balance beam on the way back to the dock, but I've seen it done efficiently the other way, no problem.

 

[TonySMJC]

MY .02

It seems easy and may be on alight day say under 12 people

with a big crowd I can hear it now .

what fish I didnt see a big fish , I saw it. Well I didnt and the pools mine ..........

We have had a few big tog released on both boats that did win they were clear winners on light crowd days and luckily were caught very near the end of the day .

On a full load day or as a steady diet Im not a fan It will lead to problems , hard feeleing lost customers and more typing on these boards defending myself and my crew

While do like the idea in spirit As a practical matter not so much.

 

[CaptPaul]

Also, keep in mind that the pool is run for the clients, and the crews', benefit. Always, a client benefits. Hopefully, most of the time the crew also benefits. That said, I have not received more greif from any other single aspect of my busines, than the pool. I have lost clients over it. I have had myself, and crew menebers accused of theivery. I have seen bad blood come out between clients who were great friends for years, over a simple two dollar pool. And I get nothing out of it. It will be a long time before I add a big margin of error and contention to my vessel's atmosphere.

That's where I'm coming from.

Paul

 

[Fishgeg]

I undersatnd how it may cause problems, but I would have no problem if the rules were clearly spelled out beforehand. Yes there would be some variance on the weights, but the Captain or head mate would have to make the final decision and all would have to agree. Will there be sour grapes by some- of course, but that will always be the case, but at least a few of the breeders would last another couple of spawns.

 

[Capt. Jamie]

Paul i agree if i had my way i would get rid of the pool but then that would cause problems with custermers wanting the pool it realy is a losing battle when it cames to pools. posting rules good idea but every year sombody comes up with an other what if?

 

[MisterX]

On some boats, pools are run by the customers. If there is enough interest, you could run your own pool: catch and release only based on weight or, as Larry said, length of fish.

 

[628852]

POOL

Total length seems fair but I will assume there would be several ties. Digital scale seems like a good idea as well.

This post edited by Fishark531 08:34 PM 02/06/2008

 

[Seajay2]

I would certainly take offense if I had the largest pool eligible fish at the end of the day on the boat, and then the mates came by to tell me I lose because someone else had a bigger fish that was thrown back. As one of the PB captains stated earlier, the contest is for the biggest fish on the boat at the end of the day.

 

[Togster2]

IMHO...show me a picture,or a "slip of paper" at the end of the day That says.... 30"fish, 18 1/2lbs.

MY Fish is 301/2" AND 19 lbs.....Let's put MY fish and your photo or "slip of paper" on the balance beam........

Now, prove to me that a picture or "slip of paper" can tip a balance beam in your favor,I'll give you the pool,plus buy you dinner.

This is without a doubt, the most ridiculous question I have ever seen posted on this site.

 

[codman]

"This is without a doubt, the most ridiculous question I have ever seen posted on this site."

Thats a pretty ignorant statement there. I'm not a frequent partyboat fisherman, I was simply asking a question in the partyboat forum if this has been done. Apparently by the responses above, it sometimes does happen.

If this is the "most ridiculous" question you've seen posted here, maybe you should read the boards. Or better yet, read none and not ridicule others in your post.

 

[makoman450]

I agree with capt.paul that the fish should be matched up at the end of the trip on a balance scale. It's the most accurate way to match up two fish. Working deck on a head boat, i have seen this problem arise before, and as much as i am in support of catch and release, i feel the pool should b left alone and only fish that can be matched against each other should be eligible.

 

[droppedit]

Capt. Tommy Lukegard used to love releasing the pool fish. He would weigh the fish, if possible walk it around the boat and then release it. As far as the pool goes, he would subtract 1 pound from the weight and compare that to the biggest fish on the boat. It was fair and up front and I never heard too many people complain about it.

 

[angryseas]

droppedit wrote:
1 pound from the weight and compare that to the biggest fish on the boat. It was fair and up front and I never heard too many people complain about it.

this just makes sense imo... as long as its explained to bith sides and should be encouraged, but i can see where it may be an issue when the pool is very large sucjh as offshore trips but that being said most people take the pool way to seriously again imo

 

[654434]

pool

I was on a party boat a few years back and had a pool contender. When the other persons fish was thrown on the cutting board two sinkers rolled out of its mouth. The mates tried to cover this up obviously because they were in on the scheme. I will not mention the name of this boat but you will never see me on this partyboat again.