I've seen several floating spoonbill recently. How many floaters has everyone seen/picked up... Just currious. I saw at leat 12 on the banks below Truman Dam.
I was up there on the east side fishing of peir saturday and saw several floating around. Most of them were missing their bills. Around dark i saw a guy drag one out of the water,he took his tackle to the truck first then came back and grabbed spoony and hightailed it up to his truck and took off. It looked from where i was that the fish had been dead for quite sometime. Its funny what people will do risking a ticket. :confused2:
I saw around a dozen floating around and stuck up in the brush today. :angry:That was just from Drake harbor to the dam.
Happens every year, they run up to the spillway and get knocked around. Pales in comparison to the numbers taken by snaggers so I wouldn't get too worked up about it.
we caught a bill yesterday that been it by a boat ( I am guessing). it had a huge gash on top of its head. was bigger that a hook could make. I also noticed a few dead ones only 5 maybe. do you guys think very many fish are killed by boats?
A few get killed from props of motors. Many times when snagging at night we have had spoonbill literally run into the boat. I'm guessing they are up right on the surface filter feeding and then along comes a boat and WHAMO!!
I was talking to some snaggers the other day at White Branch Marina. They told me that they have personally kept 11 in 3 days. Sounds like a lot of fish are dying. I guess once snagging season ends we will see an increase of floaters. I do however agree with Marty. Snaggers have really been catching thier share.
Some people will use a gaff on every spoonie they land regardless of size, and if they are under limit they have to be thrown back after being injured from gaffing, therefore it's possible that could be contributing to the amount of dead fish you're seeing.
Welcome to the BOC sorry to hear that you found some dead spoon bill, last year I was at the Kentucky river, and I was walking around the river banks and I seen alot of dead spoon bills but most of the fish that I seen was already decayed.
It is a shame to use the gaff on a fish you might have to release. However, fish if not kept must be returned to the water unharmed immediately. I personally use what animal control people use. Catch them by the bill and it works good. Doesn't hurt the fish.
it is not legal to gaf here in ok. and 1 per day limit ...and when you keep that 1 then you cant fish for them any more. I wish people would treat them kinder if they are going to let it go...that goes for all living things:wink:
I rarely use a gaff on a spoonbill unless it's a really big one that we are for sure keeping and even then we still gaff them in the mouth and use the gaff to help lift into the boat. My first trip up to Truman Tailrace last year I seen a guy land about a 45 pound blue right besides me and his buddy got out a gaff and ran it right through the fishes side. They were keeping it to eat, but it sure made me cringe seeing that happen to a big blue cat. :cool2:
