I just changed the Subject line for this post adding 'Releasing fish in general' in hopes that people would post some good general information on handling fish that you release to help ensure the best survival rate.

Original post specific to releasing fish off a stringer:
I use a metal stringer with 8 hooks/loops. I always hook the fish by the bottom jaw poking a small hole through the thin area on the bottom jaw. I never run the stringer through the gills. I have often kept fish on this stringer overnight and they stay alive just fine. If I keep the fish overnight on the stringer, they always get eaten.

I do not see any issues with releasing a fish that's been on the stringer for a while if I catch some walleye which I prefer to clean and eat.

What do you all think? Will fish that have been on the stringer for a couple of hours survive after being released?

That's a really good question and I'll be interested to know if there are any fishery biologists out there who weigh in. Seems like snapping turtles have eaten the fish left on the stringer overnight. The first time it happened I was sitting by the fire only a handful of feet away when thrashing in the water about knocked me out of my seat!

That said, it's rare we have fish overnight as we usually keep enough for a fish fry at night and let the rest go. When we have fish for breakfast, we get up early and catch 'em...or just have pancakes!

You can release a fish off your stringer, but it is illegal to be culling or sorting. A fish on your stringer counts as part of your possession limit.

A fish in good condition released off a stringer likely survives.

bobbernumber3: "You can release a fish off your stringer, but it is illegal to be culling or sorting. A fish on your stringer counts as part of your possession limit.

A fish in good condition released off a stringer likely survives."

That's my understanding as well. In the OP's example of having SMB or Pike on the stringer as an insurance policy and then releasing them after catching his preferred table fare (walleye), I think he's clear of any cull/sort/possession laws?

On your last sentence, yes in general, but probably NO for lake trout since they can't thrive in the warmer surface water for the majority of the season in MN. If I reduce a laker to possession it's going to end up wrapped in foil on the fire that night, period. I've had some days when I ended up with two 14 inch trout that just barely fed two guys, and it was a little painful to release the 18-22 inch fish caught later in the day. Patience sometimes pays and sometimes stings, there are no guarantees.

Agree Gopher... no lake trout released from a stringer will survive.

I've RARELY tried to keep any fish overnight. Like on one hand amount of times. Of those...I've had enough snapping turtle issues I'll never do it again. In fact, I don't hardly leave fish on a stringer at all once done fishing. They're getting cleaned and eaten...even if it means moving supper up an hour or whatever.

cyclones30: "I've RARELY tried to keep any fish overnight. Like on one hand amount of times. Of those...I've had enough snapping turtle issues I'll never do it again. In fact, I don't hardly leave fish on a stringer at all once done fishing. They're getting cleaned and eaten...even if it means moving supper up an hour or whatever. "

If you have the stringer tied off close, the turtles will get the fish but fish can easily avoid the turtles if you give them enough slack so they can swim away. 20 feet of rope tied to the stringer and the other end to a tree or rock on shore will have your fish still swimming in the morning. Tie it good or you lose the fish and the stringer.

cyclones30: "I've RARELY tried to keep any fish overnight. Like on one hand amount of times. Of those...I've had enough snapping turtle issues I'll never do it again. In fact, I don't hardly leave fish on a stringer at all once done fishing. They're getting cleaned and eaten...even if it means moving supper up an hour or whatever. "

Ditto. I remember as a teenager, we stayed at a campsite that had a makeshift livewell already built. We put a solid-sized Pike in there overnight to filet and eat in the morning. You already know the ending to that story. Amazing how none of us considered the potential outcome of that idea.

If I put a fish on a stringer it gets eaten.

I learned my lesson the hard way. I learned to just give them LOTS of rope. As 1 person said, give them 20 feet or so...let them swim around in deeper water and you have a HIGH chance (I dont know, 90%) they will survive until morning.

I HATE making fish for breakfast because of the mess right away and I am not a morning person. What I will do, if I catch 3 or 4 walleye right at dark/evening is just let them swim in deep water all night and then fillet them in the morning while others pack up camp and then keep the fillets in a plastic bag in a food pack and when we get to our next campsite around lunch time, have a nice shore lunch.

This might not work in late summer with temps but in the shade, they should be ok. I trip in June or early July and it has worked great.

Also, I NEVER put them on a stringer through the gills...ALWAYS poke a small hole in the lower jaw...they will last SO much longer that way.

AmarilloJim: "If I put a fish on a stringer it gets eaten."

Agreed. Unhook it and make your decision then and there. Whenever one comes off of the stringer, it goes onto the fillet board.

As others have stated in most states (MN being one of them) culling is illeagal so once a fish is put on a stringer it is considered part of your possession limit. It’s not very enforceable though. If you let it go but what you kept and let go didn’t go over your limit you are okay as I understand it.

I generally do not let fish go. Once a fish goes on the stringer they just don’t last long. But I do go in the summer. That warmer water on the surface is just too hard on them, any fish I let go would certainly suffer delayed mortality. If a fish swims off strong and heads back to deep water it is likely to survive, if they list to the side, stays in shallow…from what I have read they will die later.

Colder water early season fish are a lot hardier. I could see fish still being in good enough condition to release. Just have never done it. I just make a decision right away.

T

I don’t put a fish on the stringer I don't plan on eating. I only hook the clip through the bottom jaw. Every fish is alive when we leave the lake. But it is really important to have the correct stringer. Each clip should have its own swivel too. If you don’t have a stringer with swivels on each clip your fish will be controlled by the strongest fish, and some fish will be upside down and die. My stringer has a 20’ cotton rope so I can put the fish in deep water. We always fish after supper and our Walleyes go out on the stringer overnight. We put the fish out in deep water and tie another rope to the stringer. Then in the morning we can have fish for breakfast. Rarely do we have a problem with turtles or otters this way.

timatkn: "As others have stated in most states (MN being one of them) culling is illeagal so once a fish is put on a stringer it is considered part of your possession limit. It’s not very enforceable though. If you let it go but what you kept and let go didn’t go over your limit you are okay as I understand it.

T"

Seems like if you are letting fish off your stringer while you are fishing, you could be seen as violating. If you get back to camp and release some fish, probably not a problem. ??

I had a mink try to take my stringer once in Canada. We came in late from fishing and were chilled to the bone, so we just tied the stringer up and made something quick to eat. I was sitting by the fire and heard the stringer moving. The mink had grabbed a fish and was giving it all he had trying to pull it off the stringer. The stringer was down in a crevasse about 4 feet down. I stood right over him and he would not let go until I said "get away from my fish". I sank the stringer in deep water after that knowing he would likely come back.

I generally use a longer rope and get the stringer in deeper water that is cooler.

RMinMN: "

cyclones30: "I've RARELY tried to keep any fish overnight. Like on one hand amount of times. Of those...I've had enough snapping turtle issues I'll never do it again. In fact, I don't hardly leave fish on a stringer at all once done fishing. They're getting cleaned and eaten...even if it means moving supper up an hour or whatever. "

If you have the stringer tied off close, the turtles will get the fish but fish can easily avoid the turtles if you give them enough slack so they can swim away. 20 feet of rope tied to the stringer and the other end to a tree or rock on shore will have your fish still swimming in the morning. Tie it good or you lose the fish and the stringer."

Didn't think of this...thanks for the tip!

bobbernumber3: "

timatkn: "As others have stated in most states (MN being one of them) culling is illeagal so once a fish is put on a stringer it is considered part of your possession limit. It’s not very enforceable though. If you let it go but what you kept and let go didn’t go over your limit you are okay as I understand it.


T"

Seems like if you are letting fish off your stringer while you are fishing, you could be seen as violating. If you get back to camp and release some fish, probably not a problem. ??"

I would assume correct. You aren’t culling then if you wait till camp. I would assume the person wasn’t over the limit so just letting fish go isn’t an issue.

T

Once a fish goes on my stringer it's going to end up in the frying pan. A caught fish goes under a lot of stress, and keeping it on a stringer only increases the stress. I can't imagine many fish survive after being on a stringer, especially after a long period of time. I say, don't put a fish on the stringer unless you plan on eating it.

I don't use a stringer. I release all fish until I'm ready to eat. Then I paddle back to my campsite, catch a fish there, and eat that fish with all due gratitude and humility for its sacrifice.

I would say that it depends on a lot of factors. As someone who studied fish biology and knows a couple of fishery biologists, I would just say that the majority of people vastly overestimate fish survival. Many studies have been done on this, and a fairly large number of fish that are severely stressed or injured will die from delayed mortality. How strongly a fish swims off when released is a poor indicator of their eventual survival as infection from wounds or skin damage can take weeks or even months. Stringers are very hard on fish and I personally believe that release from stringers should be minimized due to the much higher mortality that could result from this. I would add that, in my opinion, Lake trout would have little chance of survival unless water was very cold, as even immediate release with no injury in warm water results in significant mortality according to studies. Pike would be the next most vulnerable (especially large ones), then walleye, with bass likely the "toughest" of the bunch.

missmolly: "I don't use a stringer. I release all fish until I'm ready to eat. Then I paddle back to my campsite, catch a fish there, and eat that fish with all due gratitude and humility for its sacrifice. "

What if that fish from camp was a BASS!!

While not necessarily illegal, it's directly addressed and discouraged on the MN DNR website.

There's a whole spectrum of fishing ethics out there and we all fall on it somewhere.

There's fishing and catching only enough for a meal, fishing entirely barbless and catch and release everything, using a jig and leech to catch and release 50 plus walleye, catch and release lake trout from 20 plus feet down, culling your stringer for more desirable fish. None of the above is illegal.

To answer the OP's question - I think the chance of survival for a fish being released from the stringer after a few hours is slim, regardless of how it looks when you send it off.

mgraber: "I would say that it depends on a lot of factors. As someone who studied fish biology and knows a couple of fishery biologists, I would just say that the majority of people vastly overestimate fish survival. Many studies have been done on this, and a fairly large number of fish that are severely stressed or injured will die from delayed mortality. How strongly a fish swims off when released is a poor indicator of their eventual survival as infection from wounds or skin damage can take weeks or even months.”

Thank you for bringing this to light. I think many people are far too complacent when it comes to properly handling fish they intend to release. I’ve been surprised at how many You Tube BWCA fishing videos show people reeling fish in, hoisting them into the boat, letting them flop around on the floor of the canoe and then fumble around with clumsy paws before tossing what must be a stressed fish back into the lake. Even though they swim off, based on what you said, a shameful number of these fish eventually die.
If you value the resource you owe it to everyone to educate yourself and practice proper handling techniques.
As to the stringer question, using a stringer to cull your catch is at best, unethical.

All good information here. Thanks so much for contributing to the discussion and keeping it civil. If we keep things civil, everyone will read the information and take it into consideration.

I have heard information in the past about fish survival. I think the first I heard of it was with trout fishing in streams as a young fisherman. I was told to handle the fish with wet hands because the slime layer is a protective layer. I agree that trout are likely the most sensitive to catch and release.

I like to eat fish, but another main goal is to be a good steward of the resource. I bow hunt for deer and had to come to terms with the fact that there is a risk of a bad shot on a deer and I may not recover every deer that I shoot. I practice and do my best to make ethical shots and we teach the kids that we take hunting the same. I have to keep in mind that nothing in nature goes to waste. Something will eat it, but we need to respect the animals that we are harvesting.

Same with fishing. Some of the fish that I release whether from a stringer or just released will not survive.

That all being said, based on feedback from you all, I plan to eat every fish that goes on the stringer going forward.

If anyone has additional information on handling fish you plan to release, please post it. I have heard one example that rubber nets are easier on fish. Any articles one this topic would also be appreciated.

Thanks

The one time we had a turtle issue at camp was near the Picto's near LBF. We'd caught some for supper in the afternoon and came back to camp to start the fire and meal and such. It was my first trip ever, we had aluminum canoes and the one w/ the stringer of fish was pulled part way up on the shield rock w/ the stringer in the water tied to the side of the canoe. We're all around the campsite and hear really loud banging at the landing, that canoe is rocking back and forth like crazy and hitting the rocks. Eventually got the stringer untied and the beast wouldn't let the bass go....tug of war with it in the water and adult on shore. Fish gave way and he got the one nice (alive) bass and didn't touch the 3 fairly dead northerns on the same stringer.

After that, I've never left fish in the water at camp for very long at all if any. And many other sites and trips I've noticed a big camp site friend hanging on the bottom by the usual landing waiting for the next meal.

bobbernumber3: "

missmolly: "I don't use a stringer. I release all fish until I'm ready to eat. Then I paddle back to my campsite, catch a fish there, and eat that fish with all due gratitude and humility for its sacrifice. "

What if that fish from camp was a BASS!!"

I don't eat bass. As I near my campsite, I troll a crankbait, which catches a pike, walleye, or lake trout, and I like to eat all three.

I admire you, HayRiverDrifter, for deciding to keep fish differently. It takes courage to change your ways and double courage to do so in a public forum.

I admire you, HayRiverDrifter, for deciding to keep fish differently. It takes courage to change your ways and double courage to do so in a public forum."

+1 Thanks for spurring on a healthy discourse. This site and it’s members do a great job educating, sharing and helping us all become better stewards of this place we love.

RMinMN: "

cyclones30: "I've RARELY tried to keep any fish overnight. Like on one hand amount of times. Of those...I've had enough snapping turtle issues I'll never do it again. In fact, I don't hardly leave fish on a stringer at all once done fishing. They're getting cleaned and eaten...even if it means moving supper up an hour or whatever. "

If you have the stringer tied off close, the turtles will get the fish but fish can easily avoid the turtles if you give them enough slack so they can swim away. 20 feet of rope tied to the stringer and the other end to a tree or rock on shore will have your fish still swimming in the morning. Tie it good or you lose the fish and the stringer."

Good suggestion. I had not thought of this.

bobbernumber3: "

missmolly: "I don't use a stringer. I release all fish until I'm ready to eat. Then I paddle back to my campsite, catch a fish there, and eat that fish with all due gratitude and humility for its sacrifice. "

What if that fish from camp was a BASS!!"

In another thread I posted my keeper size would be 14-16". So yeah, Bass? I'd scarf that deliciousness down.

HayRiverDrifter: "I just changed the Subject line for this post adding 'Releasing fish in general' in hopes that people would post some good general information on handling fish that you release to help ensure the best survival rate.

Original post specific to releasing fish off a stringer:
I use a metal stringer with 8 hooks/loops. I always hook the fish by the bottom jaw poking a small hole through the thin area on the bottom jaw. I never run the stringer through the gills. I have often kept fish on this stringer overnight and they stay alive just fine. If I keep the fish overnight on the stringer, they always get eaten.

I do not see any issues with releasing a fish that's been on the stringer for a while if I catch some walleye which I prefer to clean and eat.

What do you all think? Will fish that have been on the stringer for a couple of hours survive after being released?"

If I'm keeping a fish or two for dinner (depending on species/size), it goes on the stringer. I don't swap one for another.

It's amazing how delicate fish are. I can't stand watching YouTubers holding fish out of the water for long periods of time as they talk to the camera, then fumble around to grab a photo after all of their talking, then release. If your intent is to catch and release, then catch/net quickly, carefully unhook, grab pic, release, then talk about the fish after it swims off.

One other good tip, throw away your old uncoated/non-fish-friendly nets (not the entire handle - just net. It sucks to do, knowing some of the nets aren't inexpensive, and the coated/rubber nets aren't inexpensive either. We're not keeping every fish we catch, and the fish/fisheries deserve better. So replacing the net with conservation friendly netting is a solid good on the fish.

As the water warms, fish being cold-blooded, their body temp and metabolism increase. Also lactic acid builds up in their system more in warm water. Thus fish kept on a stringer, the chances the fish will die goes up. Also the longer it is on the stringer pulled behind the canoe, the more will die even after releasing them. Bass is probably tougher than some fish along with northern pike.