... I've read suggest that different species sustain significantly different fishing mortality rates. My recollection is that bass typically sustain a high mortality rate, and that trout sustain a much lower one. Bait fishing generally produces higher fishing mortality, regarless of species, than fly fishing.

Speaking of trout only, and fly fishing only, it is likely that fishing mortality rates will vary among populations of trout, or other fishies, based on the quality of their habitats, all other things being equal.

I suspect that some of the study results also include stocked trout populations, and that alone would most likely affect the outcome, compared to studies of wild populations in favorable natural habitats.

My own experience is almost exclusively with wild trout, and, in good part, with wild native trout in very favorable habitats. The figure often cited for fishing mortality for trout - 5% plus or minus - always seems very high to me based on my experience. From the very low number of trout I see bleeding at all, and the vigor which most of them exhibit after release, suggests to me that given quickly landing them and employing reasonably good C & R methods, that the mortality is probably down in the 1-2% range, if that high.

I did have occasion this summer to fish for some smaller stocked rainbow trout in an Idaho "put and take" fishery. Those were the most pathetic little fishies I've ever seen. I fished there twice, got bored and got sad, and gave that up for good.

For those who haven't seen it, the linked thread might be of interest, or at least enjoyable. It features one wild native Westslope Cutthroat that I caught four times over a period of almost four months, another one that I caught six times in a matter of weeks, and a number of other fishies caught multiple times.

http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/s...8-Same-fishies-!!

One point made in the linked thread, is that wild trout, and especially large wild trout, are a lot tougher than most people give them credit for. That cutt with several osprey talon marks in his back had it worse the day he almost got ate than the two times that I caught and released him.

John