Management Briefs: Short-Term Hooking Mortalities of Red Drums and Spotted Seatrout Caught on Single-Barb and Treble Hooks

Abstract

Short-term (3-d) hooking mortalities of red drums Sciaenops ocellatus and spotted seatrout Cynoscion nehulosus caught with single-barb hooks were compared with hooking mortalities for those caught with treble hooks in Texas bays in the summers of 1989 and 1990. Natural baits (primarily penaeid shrimp) and artificial baits (spoons, worms, and fish-shaped lures) were used with both hook types. Overall mortality of 121 red drums was 4.1 % at the end of 3 d after capture, and there were no significant (P = 0.67) red drum mortality differences between hook types or bait types. Mortality of 124 spotted seatrout was 7.3% by 3 d after capture, and no significant (P = 0.27) differences between hook types or bait types were found. Restricting anglers to one hook type (either single-barb or treble hooks) would not reduce unintended fishing mortality for either species.