Catch and Release in Marine Recreational Fisheries

Hook Location, Fish Size, and Season as Factors Influencing Catch-and-Release Mortality of Striped Bass Caught with Bait in Chesapeake Bay

R. Lukacovic and J. H. Uphoff, Jr.

doi: https://doi.org/10.47886/9781888569308.ch11

Striped bass Morone saxatilis catch-and-release mortality is influenced by hook location, bait and hook type, angler experience, and season (Diodoti and Richards 1996). Anatomical location of hook wounds is the most important factor in hooking mortality (Muoneke and Childress 1994). In comparison with artificial lures, natural baits generally cause higher mortalities because they tend to be swallowed more often (Muoneke and Childress 1994). Temperature, salinity, and fish size were cited as risk factors when Maryland’s striped bass catch-andrelease policy was formulated.

We conducted two catch-and-release mortality experiments on striped bass using natural bait, one each during October 1996 and June 1997, to measure mortality associated with fish size, hook location, and season. We also appraised the potential of nonoffset circle hooks to reduce deep hooking of released fish.