BigBendFishing.Net

This is an interesting article pertaining to fish shrinkage. Hopefully this information can prevent someone from getting into trouble before they keep a just barely legal fish.

Click here to read the article:
http://www.saltwaternow.com/shrinkage.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Brian

I'd rather experience that kind of shrinkage than the alternative

Good info BBB. Thanks

I used to notice shrinkage on ice. Also they just did not look that good after being on ice all day. So I tried something. I put sea water in the cooler up to just under the level of the ice. Now when I toss a trout in instaed of flopping on the ice it swims down into it. The salt in the water makes it supercold. You can hardly stand fishing them out at the end of the day. Also they look like they did when first caught, and with out shrinkage. The shrink because they are drying out. They wont do that in the icy slush. Just keep careful count as they go in. Hard to keep track when you can't see them.

HnM -
I did that per your suggestion on my last trip- It worked like a charm.
They dove down and got quite fast.

Hit-n-Miss wrote: I used to notice shrinkage on ice. Also they just did not look that good after being on ice all day. So I tried something. I put sea water in the cooler up to just under the level of the ice. Now when I toss a trout in instaed of flopping on the ice it swims down into it. The salt in the water makes it supercold. You can hardly stand fishing them out at the end of the day. Also they look like they did when first caught, and with out shrinkage. The shrink because they are drying out. They wont do that in the icy slush. Just keep careful count as they go in. Hard to keep track when you can't see them.

Been doing that for years.Even in fresh water I will add a little salt to my ice and they are easier to clean and the meat seems to be a little firmer when you clean the fish.

Saltwater in the cooler is the stuff. Been doing that for a while. Same concept as an ice cream churn.