Hybrids have been fun

[navery]

Generally once the water temps reach 80 and above, you might as well keep them. They usually die from over exhaustion and lack of oxygen at those temps. Lack of oxygen more so. This is why temperate species are usually the first to die in a fish kill below a dam when the core screws up the oxygen levels and why they don't survive long in a livewell. I release them regularly below that temp and they survive as far as i know. (I don't sit there for 2 days and look for floaters, but have friends that guide for them and fish the same spots daily without seeing any dead or floating.)

Like mentioned, always good to have a cooler with ice if one doesn't swim off or if you are planning on keeping any. They are extremely good to eat and i prefer them over anything including all the walleye i catch and give away. 

[top_dollar]

On 4/21/2022 at 8:21 AM, Smalliebigs said:

I have been really concentrating on Temperates since last Fall and have had the normal success. A guy in a boat on the river yelled at me while I was releasing this one that they all die once you release them and I should just keep them. He was pretty pissed I was releasing a nice Hybrid. So am I being dumb by releasing the Hybrids I catch?? I personally think they are very fun and a tad unusual in their behaviors but, very cool. IMG_5081.MOV 48.7 MB · 19 downloads  

 

Kinda seems like he was just jealous.  I probably would be too, but instead of complaining about it I'd be asking you questions and trying to siphon information from you lol.  

[sitting fishing]

maybe he was hungry and broke needing them to eat