Keeping Barbel Alive

T

TimJan

Sealiner
Hi Guys

This is a horrible question for me to ask but might be necessary sometimes.
How do you keep a barbel alive for a day or 2 after you caught it?

I don't own a keep net plus I would think keeping a barbel bigger than 5 kg in a keep net for longer than a couple of hours will kill at as it is too small.

I have seen guys put a piece of rope through the mouth and gills but wont that kill it eventually?


The reason I am asking this is I am considering entering the Bloemhof Bonanza but if luck would have it and I catch a barbel bigger than 20Kg that might actually have a chance of winning a prize how do I keep it alive for a day or so so that I can weight it in and release it again?

Are there any other method of keeping them alive plus how long will a big barbel survive in a keep net? or will it survive at all with a rope through its mouth and gills?

Else I will give the comp a miss.
 
T

TimJan

Sealiner
I donno this will be my first?
Plus if you are moored with the boat between nowhere and nothing how will they find you?

What happens if I catch the fish at 16:00 and the weigh in station is more than 1 hour away?
 
W

wayney

New member
hi if you want to keep barbel alive at home get big empty drum fill with tap water important let it stand minium 2 days in sun for chlorine to evaporate/blisters skin and damages gills and eventually kills them.If you have a lot of barbel have seconddrum filled on side remove some water and throw declorinated water in it every 24 hours..lot of fish release lot of mud from pores and deplete oxygen.For river or dam keep in net in water as long is its out of sun burning on skin..they die quick if skin not kept moist.remember to tie long rope onto keepnet or sack big fish can sometimes swim away with it .Can keep for longer period in river or dam than at home
 
E

Enigma

Moderator
1m Carp Sack. The barble lays still and calm. Nets cause to much damage to the fish.

If you want to rope the fish rather get a Stringer rope..... looks like a rope with a few giant size snapon swivels. These you clip through the jaw and tie the fish to the boat.

Personally...... If I catch a 20kg fish in the Bonanze and it could mean winning a Bakkie or R100k it's up anchor and go weigh it and then back to fish. Not worth the risk of losing it or it regurgitating the last 1kg meal while waiting for a weigh in.

Least stress for the fish and return it kicking back to the dam.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top