Ocean fishing equalizer devices for rock fish now mandatory

[Ken07AOVette]

Don't get caught without them. I bought 2 from Harbor Chandler for $65 each, they are $89 at PNT Prince Rupert and $150 on Amazon. I would bet when word gets out that DFO and the RCMP are handing out mandatory court appearances for fishing without the devices the prices are going to go through the roof.

LOL- HC has already upped their price to $89.99 in less than a week. Just checked prices again.

https://www.harbourchandler.ca/shop/fishing/seaqualizer-fish-release/

ROCKFISH DESCENDING DEVICES

The use of a descending device is now required by condition of licence to
assist in the conservation and survivability of rockfish being returned to the
water. Because of their closed swim bladders, rockfish brought to the surface
suffer barotrauma, causing the swim bladder to inflate and reducing the
probability of their survival upon release. Handle catch as little as possible,
using wet hands to preserve the protective slime coat, and return to the water at depth of capture as quickly as possible (under two minutes). To avoid catching rockfish, move to another fishing location.

https://notices.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fns-sap/index-eng.cfm?pg=view_notice&DOC_ID=220071&ID=all&fbclid=IwAR0k8zxz0-1upWeyzU53xzT6JJnxp9vqI7H5CGwaIpcJWcUuTo_TizSK7Ts

I have heard the fine starts at $2500.00. I guess the eagles aren't going to be getting fat off pliar fish anymore.

[Drewski Canuck]

Ken,

By the looks of it, every boat will need one even though they are trolling for salmon and not jigging for rock fish????


These things are as simple as a clamp with a spring release that grasps the jaw of the fish and attached to the down rigger ball. You would lower your down rigger ball to depth.

You would trip the release from a fishing rod connected to the spring lever once the fish is at depth.

How could it be any more than $20?

Drewski

[Ken07AOVette]

Hey Drew. Even easier is an inverted barbless hook and a downrigger to take to depth, but I think $65 is cheap insurance when it comes to overzealous guys with guns and itchy pen fingers.

Some guys use a milk crate with a weight on top, this is just what they recommend, you can set the depth to match the depth the fish was caught at. We have caught countless rock cod fishing for salmon, far more than when trying for ling.

I saw what looked like plastic vise grips being used in videos but could not find a source anywhere. This was just the easiest way to prevent tickets.

[panic]

There's all kinds of different versions out there. This one looks simple enough to make in the shed.

http://fishsaverdevice.com/

[honker_clonker]

I wonder if these actually work or if the fish just die at the bottom rather than float on the surface?

[Boatbuilder]

I always wondered as well if the fish just die down there and get eaten by other fish??
Still had good results of fish staying down after sending back down.

[sdb8440]

Looks like an 80% survival rate, a reasonable balance.

https://www.wired.com/2015/06/seaqualizer-gives-doomed-fish-fighting-chance/

[honker_clonker]

Looks like an 80% survival rate, a reasonable balance.

https://www.wired.com/2015/06/seaqualizer-gives-doomed-fish-fighting-chance/

Much better than 0!

[Smoky buck]

Looks like an 80% survival rate, a reasonable balance.

https://www.wired.com/2015/06/seaqualizer-gives-doomed-fish-fighting-chance/

Still would not be good to go out and do deep water C&R with rockfish for fun because some are blinded from damage to their eyes from the pressure. Good for incidental catches to increase thier survival odds though

If a guy wants to play C&R with rockfish it’s still best to target the shallower water for species like black rockfish

[Ken07AOVette]

Still would not be good to go out and do deep water C&R with rockfish for fun because some are blinded from damage to their eyes from the pressure. Good for incidental catches to increase thier survival odds though

If a guy wants to play C&R with rockfish it’s still best to target the shallower water for species like black rockfish

Does anyone C&R rock fish?

[Smoky buck]

Does anyone C&R rock fish?

Yes C&R fly fishing for black rockfish(black bombers) is the most popular. I have targeted rockfish C&R in shallow water with both light spinning a fly gear

[Joe Black]

Can't believe I've never heard of these.

Great device for lakers or deep caught rainbows.

Will invest in a couple.

[fluxcore]

Can't believe I've never heard of these.

Great device for lakers or deep caught rainbows.

Will invest in a couple.

The reason these are so important for rockfish is they can’t equalize pressure in there bodies unlike lake trout and other salmonids.

[Joe Black]

The reason these are so important for rockfish is they can’t equalize pressure in there bodies unlike lake trout and other salmonids.

Yes they can, but don't always do. Had my share of bloated trout come up.

Especially in 80 plus feet. And if your trolling with a lot of line, when the down rigger pops the fish normally surfaces too quickly.

And once bloated, it's the same problem as a rock fish at the surface.

[Smoky buck]

Pull lakers out of 200ft+ water they don’t regulate too well

[aulrich]

It would be very useful for perch and walleyes out of 30'+.

[Mackinaw]

have one that attaches to my down rigger for deep lakers don't have to use it much. going to make a recovery tank for back of boat for this year.

mack

[Ken07AOVette]

have one that attaches to my down rigger for deep lakers don't have to use it much. going to make a recovery tank for back of boat for this year.

mack

Mack would F&W look at that as a livewell? I thought that livewells on lakes were illegal in Alberta?

The regs sure seem to be subject to interpretation and hard to find. MWA says

Don't cull your catch
Holding fish in a live well or on a stringer with the intention of releasing them once a larger fish is caught reduces survival rates after release. Studies show that mortality of released fish significantly increases if they are held in live wells. If you plan on keeping a fish, you should dispatch it quickly and keep it cool, preferably on ice.
Culling is unlawful if the practice occurs beyond a person’s legal bag limit.


I read this to mean that keeping a live fish until you find a bigger one is legal. I think F&G would disagree.

https://mywildalberta.ca/fishing/safety-procedures/fish-handling/default.aspx

[Scott h]

Thanks for the heads up. I guess it's time to look into one of these to keep on the boat.

[Moosetalker]

Fishing perch in water over 15 ft I use a large barb-less hook tied to the drop line vertical point down, once fish is returned to depth a snap and its off can see fish on camera as long as you send em back down asap they recover OK they lay there right side up for a bit for the bladder to re adjust then after a few minutes it swims off.

[RavYak]

I have used a heavier bullet jig successfully. Just tie the line to the shank part of hook lightly hook the fish and then lower him down and give it a pull up once you get him deep enough. Mind you I haven’t tried this in really deep water, usually 100 for or less and a guy only has to get them part way down for them to be fine. Will be curious how they enforce this if something like a heavy jig is acceptable.

[Marty S]

Does it have to be a specific type of descender device? Guys have been descending fish for ages in Alaska and other coastal USA regions. Lots of guys use a heavy halibut jig, barbless, and tie to the bend of the hook, lip hook the fish and drop. Must be very slow compared to a cannonball.

So having such a device is nice, like the real ones, but people still have to use them. Last years guide was too lazy. Claimed his descender was broke so he stabbed his fish, like a ______. The next day he just hucked them overboard. It was windy and it disturbed him. A good 30 km/h! He couldnt even pee off the boat in the afternoon!

Long ways from 30 km/h to 30 knots/h eh?

Is that a funny story? Funny parts and maddening/sickening parts. I really should tell his boss.

I'm kinda bitter too... poor me.... wanting to catch a couple chinooks on the ole salmon highway on my annual Pacific Ocean trip, but Bobbert too scared to go anywhere. We did lots of inshore coho fishing tho. Sure wish I'd have busted both lines on the first day and got brand new sharp hooks on both downrigger harnesses... we woulda got way more coho too then. Such a grand location, such a horrible guide... but he did bring anchovies!!! Then I'm so stinking Canadian, we still gave him a tip.

Sorry... I'm rambling!!!

[trike_flyer]

One of these would be great for it and way cheaper.

http://www.fishonproshop.com.au/fishonproshop/SelectProd.do?prodId=290&manufacturer=Fish+On+Pro+Shop&category=Release+Weights&name=FE+RELEASE+WEIGHT+-+40oz&model=FERW-40

Just tie it on a hand line of the length you need stored in a bucket and let it go. Just have to remember to tie it off to the boat when you go out. I can definitely see the DFO boys writing as many tickets as they can on this one.

TF

[Ken07AOVette]

Does it have to be a specific type of descender device? Guys have been descending fish for ages in Alaska and other coastal USA regions. Lots of guys use a heavy halibut jig, barbless, and tie to the bend of the hook, lip hook the fish and drop. Must be very slow compared to a cannonball.

So having such a device is nice, like the real ones, but people still have to use them. Last years guide was too lazy. Claimed his descender was broke so he stabbed his fish, like a ______. The next day he just hucked them overboard. It was windy and it disturbed him. A good 30 km/h! He couldnt even pee off the boat in the afternoon!

Long ways from 30 km/h to 30 knots/h eh?

Is that a funny story? Funny parts and maddening/sickening parts. I really should tell his boss.

I'm kinda bitter too... poor me.... wanting to catch a couple chinooks on the ole salmon highway on my annual Pacific Ocean trip, but Bobbert too scared to go anywhere. We did lots of inshore coho fishing tho. Sure wish I'd have busted both lines on the first day and got brand new sharp hooks on both downrigger harnesses... we woulda got way more coho too then. Such a grand location, such a horrible guide... but he did bring anchovies!!! Then I'm so stinking Canadian, we still gave him a tip.

Sorry... I'm rambling!!!

I can't honestly answer that Marty, I am not sure what designation or certification is required to make it DFO ready, I just know that I am going to do everything I can to keep the badges happy

[SNAPFisher]

Thanks for the great heads up Ken!

[fish99]

Does it have to be a specific type of descender device? Guys have been descending fish for ages in Alaska and other coastal USA regions. Lots of guys use a heavy halibut jig, barbless, and tie to the bend of the hook, lip hook the fish and drop. Must be very slow compared to a cannonball.

So having such a device is nice, like the real ones, but people still have to use them. Last years guide was too lazy. Claimed his descender was broke so he stabbed his fish, like a ______. The next day he just hucked them overboard. It was windy and it disturbed him. A good 30 km/h! He couldnt even pee off the boat in the afternoon!

Long ways from 30 km/h to 30 knots/h eh?

Is that a funny story? Funny parts and maddening/sickening parts. I really should tell his boss.

I'm kinda bitter too... poor me.... wanting to catch a couple chinooks on the ole salmon highway on my annual Pacific Ocean trip, but Bobbert too scared to go anywhere. We did lots of inshore coho fishing tho. Sure wish I'd have busted both lines on the first day and got brand new sharp hooks on both downrigger harnesses... we woulda got way more coho too then. Such a grand location, such a horrible guide... but he did bring anchovies!!! Then I'm so stinking Canadian, we still gave him a tip.

Sorry... I'm rambling!!!

where were you fishing at

[Marty S]

NW V Island area. Shouldn't say where, hate to damage a guy's business when one guide simply needs a good swat across the face with a lingcod that's been laying around on deck all day.