Pitchinkid and I fished a tourney this weekend in a lake known for deep rocky ledges and clear water. We went through the normal steps of filling up the live well after the first keeper, and putting a cap full of Catch and Release in the water. The fish were hitting the bait of choice so subtle it felt just like a bluegill bite.

Well to make a long story short, I set the hook too late on a healthy two pounder which resulted in a deeply hooked fish. We cut the line close to the hook and put the fish in the live well. I couldn't leave well enough alone, got my cutting pliers and tried to cut the hook as close as possible to the barb. I tried every way possible to get at that hook shaft, even through the gill plate, it wasn't happening.

The fish started bleeding badly after finally getting at the hook. It then proceeded to belly up in the live well. Man, I felt so bad and it was totally my fault for not leaving well enough alone. I was still not willing to give up. I flushed out most of the water from the live well and added another heaping cap full of Catch and Release to the water. The fish was still belly up. I closed the lid and looked at Pitchinkid in a disgusted way. He told me to leave it alone and keep fishing. I did just that but was still hating what I had done in a big way.

About fifteen minutes later, we catch another keeper. We raise the live well lid and were completely shocked. The fish was swimming normally and wasn't distressed in any way. I looked at Pitchinkid and he looked at me, we were both speechless. That fish should have been dead and I strongly believe it was the Catch and Release that saved that fish.

It's nice for a product to come along every once in a while that actually lives up to the hype. I can think of a few like KVD Line and Lure Conditioner, Bow to Stern, and now the products from Sure Life Labs. I will definitely recommend this product to everyone I know. Thank you to Tony and Lane Gergely of Sure Life for making a great product.

P.S. Thanks also to Pitchinkid for carrying me all day in the tourney. I could not get hooked up to save my life. His ability to catch fish under pressure carried us to our second tournament victory for the year.

It wasn't the C&R, AJ just peed in the livewell.

Good post Blaine. I agree 100%. Please Release Me and Catch and Release are both outstanding products. I use one of the two everytime a fish goes in my livewell.

Congrats on the win by the way!

I know exactly how you felt...I'm glad the fish made it o.k. And congratz to both of you.. 8-)

I always thought gill damage was the kiss of death, until yesterday.

I caught a bass, and have a witness who also saw it if necessary, that had a gill raker that had been severed at one end.

I thought some type of worm was hanging from behind the gill plate when I landed it, but it turned out to be the gill raker.

It had completely healed at both ends where it had been severed.

The fish was vigorous and healthy.

I haven't had a chance to use C&R yet, the past couple of tourneys were cancelled due to high water. Jimzee good post.

Congrats to you and pitchinkid for the victory.

                                        joe

Pitchinkid and I fished a tourney this weekend in a lake known for deep rocky ledges and clear water. We went through the normal steps of filling up the live well after the first keeper, and putting a cap full of Catch and Release in the water. The fish were hitting the bait of choice so subtle it felt just like a bluegill bite.

Well to make a long story short, I set the hook too late on a healthy two pounder which resulted in a deeply hooked fish. We cut the line close to the hook and put the fish in the live well. I couldn't leave well enough alone, got my cutting pliers and tried to cut the hook as close as possible to the barb. I tried every way possible to get at that hook shaft, even through the gill plate, it wasn't happening.

The fish started bleeding badly after finally getting at the hook. It then proceeded to belly up in the live well. Man, I felt so bad and it was totally my fault for not leaving well enough alone. I was still not willing to give up. I flushed out most of the water from the live well and added another heaping cap full of Catch and Release to the water. The fish was still belly up. I closed the lid and looked at Pitchinkid in a disgusted way. He told me to leave it alone and keep fishing. I did just that but was still hating what I had done in a big way.

About fifteen minutes later, we catch another keeper. We raise the live well lid and were completely shocked. The fish was swimming normally and wasn't distressed in any way. I looked at Pitchinkid and he looked at me, we were both speechless. That fish should have been dead and I strongly believe it was the Catch and Release that saved that fish.

It's nice for a product to come along every once in a while that actually lives up to the hype. I can think of a few like KVD Line and Lure Conditioner, Bow to Stern, and now the products from Sure Life Labs. I will definitely recommend this product to everyone I know. Thank you to Tony and Lane Gergely of Sure Life for making a great product.

P.S. Thanks also to Pitchinkid for carrying me all day in the tourney. I could not get hooked up to save my life. His ability to catch fish under pressure carried us to our second tournament victory for the year.

Heres the deal. Im the best there is. I mean, i wake up in the morning and i spit excellence. Nobody can hang with my stuff. Im just a big, hairy, American winning machine. If you aint first, your last. lol ;D

One more thing to add to your arsenal - a bottle of Sprite soda. When they start to bleed, pour it in the fishes' mouth. Tightens up the capillaries and reduces bleeding dramatically.

I know it was during a tournament, but have you seriously tried fishing with barbless hooks? I think most folks don't realize that they will catch just as many fish with the barbs crushed down, as they will with using fully barbed hooks. And it's a lot easier on the fish. JMO!  

Great thread!

8-)

Pitchinkid and I fished a tourney this weekend in a lake known for deep rocky ledges and clear water. We went through the normal steps of filling up the live well after the first keeper, and putting a cap full of Catch and Release in the water. The fish were hitting the bait of choice so subtle it felt just like a bluegill bite.

Well to make a long story short, I set the hook too late on a healthy two pounder which resulted in a deeply hooked fish. We cut the line close to the hook and put the fish in the live well. I couldn't leave well enough alone, got my cutting pliers and tried to cut the hook as close as possible to the barb. I tried every way possible to get at that hook shaft, even through the gill plate, it wasn't happening.

The fish started bleeding badly after finally getting at the hook. It then proceeded to belly up in the live well. Man, I felt so bad and it was totally my fault for not leaving well enough alone. I was still not willing to give up. I flushed out most of the water from the live well and added another heaping cap full of Catch and Release to the water. The fish was still belly up. I closed the lid and looked at Pitchinkid in a disgusted way. He told me to leave it alone and keep fishing. I did just that but was still hating what I had done in a big way.

About fifteen minutes later, we catch another keeper. We raise the live well lid and were completely shocked. The fish was swimming normally and wasn't distressed in any way. I looked at Pitchinkid and he looked at me, we were both speechless. That fish should have been dead and I strongly believe it was the Catch and Release that saved that fish.

It's nice for a product to come along every once in a while that actually lives up to the hype. I can think of a few like KVD Line and Lure Conditioner, Bow to Stern, and now the products from Sure Life Labs. I will definitely recommend this product to everyone I know. Thank you to Tony and Lane Gergely of Sure Life for making a great product.

P.S. Thanks also to Pitchinkid for carrying me all day in the tourney. I could not get hooked up to save my life. His ability to catch fish under pressure carried us to our second tournament victory for the year.

Heres the deal. Im the best there is. I mean, i wake up in the morning and i spit excellence. Nobody can hang with my stuff. Im just a big, hairy, American winning machine. If you aint first, your last. lol ;D

Rofl, your such a complete tool... lol

That's an excellent testimonial to the product.  

Nice report Jimzee.

Now take some smelling salts to AJ. He is positively delusional.

This fish had two barbs of an Owner 3/0 2X Stinger Treble buried in its gills. It was bleeding worse than any bass I have ever seen. Water was about 75 degrees, air temp was about 85. I was convinced that she was a goner. Cut the hooks out, and treated her with Catch and Release, both topically and in the well.

After an hour in the box, she swam away stronger than just about any lip hooked fish that I released immediately. Soaked me well.

I am convinced that this product saved this fish from certain doom.

Pitchinkid and I fished a tourney this weekend in a lake known for deep rocky ledges and clear water. We went through the normal steps of filling up the live well after the first keeper, and putting a cap full of Catch and Release in the water. The fish were hitting the bait of choice so subtle it felt just like a bluegill bite.

Well to make a long story short, I set the hook too late on a healthy two pounder which resulted in a deeply hooked fish. We cut the line close to the hook and put the fish in the live well. I couldn't leave well enough alone, got my cutting pliers and tried to cut the hook as close as possible to the barb. I tried every way possible to get at that hook shaft, even through the gill plate, it wasn't happening.

The fish started bleeding badly after finally getting at the hook. It then proceeded to belly up in the live well. Man, I felt so bad and it was totally my fault for not leaving well enough alone. I was still not willing to give up. I flushed out most of the water from the live well and added another heaping cap full of Catch and Release to the water. The fish was still belly up. I closed the lid and looked at Pitchinkid in a disgusted way. He told me to leave it alone and keep fishing. I did just that but was still hating what I had done in a big way.

About fifteen minutes later, we catch another keeper. We raise the live well lid and were completely shocked. The fish was swimming normally and wasn't distressed in any way. I looked at Pitchinkid and he looked at me, we were both speechless. That fish should have been dead and I strongly believe it was the Catch and Release that saved that fish.

It's nice for a product to come along every once in a while that actually lives up to the hype. I can think of a few like KVD Line and Lure Conditioner, Bow to Stern, and now the products from Sure Life Labs. I will definitely recommend this product to everyone I know. Thank you to Tony and Lane Gergely of Sure Life for making a great product.

P.S. Thanks also to Pitchinkid for carrying me all day in the tourney. I could not get hooked up to save my life. His ability to catch fish under pressure carried us to our second tournament victory for the year.

Heres the deal. Im the best there is. I mean, i wake up in the morning and i spit excellence. Nobody can hang with my stuff. Im just a big, hairy, American winning machine. If you aint first, your last. lol ;D

Just don't let bake in the "shake and bake" steal your girl now. ;D

Heres the deal. Im the best there is. I mean, i wake up in the morning and i spit excellence. Nobody can hang with my stuff. Im just a big, hairy, American winning machine. If you aint first, your last. lol ;D

Admit it, you like crepes.

Heres the deal. Im the best there is. I mean, i wake up in the morning and i spit excellence. Nobody can hang with my stuff. Im just a big, hairy, American winning machine. If you aint first, your last. lol ;D

Admit it, you like crepes.

Uh oh! Next comes the broken arm.

Beautiful fish Jay.  That guy with you looks familiar.  Been a while since I've seen a few posts from him.

Great testimonial... I use Please Release Me, just curious how different its formula is from Catch & Release?  Or are they basically the same?

Please Release Me is like first aid.  Use it when the fish is bleeding. So it's used in only certain situations.

Use Catch & Release the moment a fish is put into the livewell.

Here's a video that explains in more detail, and includes a ton of info about fish care - http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/fish-care-in-the-livewell.html

Please Release Me is like first aid. Use it when the fish is bleeding. So it's used in only certain situations.

Use Catch & Release the moment a fish is put into the livewell.

Here's a video that explains in more detail, and includes a ton of info about fish care - http://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-videos/fish-care-in-the-livewell.html

Thanks Glenn... guess I need to pick up some C & R!

great video

Good video Glenn.