With increased public aware- ness of the need for sustain- able fisheries, more anglers are turning to catch-and-release fishing as a means to satisfying their desire for fishing as well as doing their part to conserve local stocks. Typically, an angler opts to re-lease a fish to fight another day. That the retention of a particular species violates a fishery management regulation could be another motivating factor. Such regulations include seasonal catch restrictions, size limits, and bag limits imposed by state and federal fishery management agencies. Catch regulations that require the release of certain individuals are based on the assumption that fish survive capture and subsequent handling; however, the effectiveness of these regulations depends on post-release survival rates.

A happy-go-lucky boatload of people may instantly have their smiles turned upside down when they pull up to a bait receiver in the morning and see the dreaded “Closed” sign hung out. Live bait may not be absolutely necessary – Gulp bait and Powerbait out-produce it sometimes – but most of us feel that live bait sure does add to our fish-hunting arsenal. When it happens to me, I know that today just got tougher because my options are limited. Sure, it is possible to jig up a barely sufficient supply of ’dines or small mackies near most harbor mouths, but we sure feel properly prepared heading out with a full tank of well-cured bait from the bait receiver.