To the learnEd herein,
While discussing my fly fishing and releasing hobby with a non fishing friend, I assured him that a very high percentage of (fly) caught fish are lip hooked where there is little or no bleeding involved ( of the fish, of course). His next question was interesting. He had often seen bait and treble hook fishing where the caught fish was bleeding considerably upon release. He wondered, as now do I, does fish blood have the clotting ability that human blood has?? Hmmmmmm…???
I have no idea. I’ve always wondered that myself, though, especially when I see fish that are scarred up from heron attacks and other costs of growing up aquatic but still alive. Hope you get an answer to this one 'cause I want to know, too!
I’m not learned about fish. That’s an understatement. But I just googled it up and there are some articles out there about this and yes, fish blood clots. Times vary by species.
Fish blood will clot. Bleeding that occurs from treble hooks, deep swallowed hooks (baits or flies), is usually a result of damage to the gills, where a lot of blood is sent to regain oxygen before recirculating around the fish. I suspect that anything more than very minor damage to the gills results in a dead fish, even if you watch it swim away.
I think you are right Jeff - think about fish you see that have been injured by birds or similar, they must have clotted to have healed enough to survive.
Hey guys,gal,
Circumstantial evidence, at least, does seem to indicate that fish blood clots. In fact some genetically altered fish are used in making a very effectice clotting agent for human use (per google inquiry). BUT I’m curious that if, as posted above by Jeff Hamm, a fish is bleeding from the gill area, does THAT area clot or is a fish doomed when injured there?
Hi Marco,
I would be surprised if there was something in the gills to prevent clotting. However, because the gills have so much blood in them (hence their red colour) when they are cut, a lot of blood vessals are damaged and a lotof blood is lost quickly before there would be time for it to clot. And, the damage is to the oxygen gathering organ, which can’t be good. It would be a combination of 1) being injured and losing a couple pints of blood while also 2) running for your life (adreneline, sudden burst exercise) and 3) having your lungs damaged at the same time! Even if you are then “let go”, recovering is going to be difficult because you cannot breath well and you have less blood to move the oxygen around!
I would also like to point out, this is just my own “theory” and I have not studied any numbers to determine if it’s correct. But, I would be surprised if the mortality rate for “gill damaged fish” wasn’t dramatically higher than for otherwise hooked fish.
Also, a bleeding fish is not a dead fish, but it has a higher chance of mortality.
A torn gill arch is not a dead fish, but has a very high chance of mortality.
The least amount of tissue damage, fight time, bleeding, handling, slime loss, and time out of water equal the highest survival rates for fish.
Deeply hooked fish, in which you cut the line and leave an engorged hook, will only have a reasonable chance for survival if the hook is embedded in hard tissue. If it’s floating around in the fish’s stomach, the chance of survival is almost nil.
For me, that means fishing artificial flies on single barbless hooks, predominantly releasing fish in-water or via C&R net, and touching them as little as I can. That’s not always condusive to a photo (especially when I’m alone) but I know it pays off in more and better fishing, and lower environmental impact, which I feel good about.
This information is based on lots of research and a year-long study on hooking mortality.
Teeg,
Or anyone,
You didn’t mention the length of a fight and mortality…does it matter or if given time can the fish recover [like we do when we are exhausted?]
I have an argument with a friend on this…Does it do any good to hold the fish …move them in the water…wait till they can swim away on their own???..my friend maintains you can immediately release them and they will recover [if they can] and eventually swim away on their own…even if they are belly up???
My understanding is that if you just release them “belly up” then you are going to make them work (fight what current there is) before they have recovered at all. By moving them gently, you are moving the water over the gills making them “breath”. This, I would think, should help them “catch their breath”.
Now, that being said, if you play a fish to total exhaustion, apparently the build up of lactic acid can reach toxic levels and so even though they may swim away “just fine in the end”, it can kill them a day later.
I can’t quote for every species, but it’s the position of the Atlantic Salmon Federation and many other government and non-government groups, that Atlantic Salmon should be fought for no more than 1 minute per pound if C&R is the goal. I would imagine it would be the same for most other species, but again, I can’t say for sure.