After an exhaustive 20 year research effort scientists at the University of Illinois suggest that the vulnerability of being caught is an inheritable trait in Largemouth Bass.

Science like this should stifle them yawns, as it bespeaks of vast changes in your angling habits.

Study anglers were allowed to fish only under a strict reservation system, with all fish logged and tagged over a four year interval. After draining the lake they divided the recovered fish into those that had never been caught and those that had been caught many times.

Isolating the two groups and breeding them over three generations increased the disparity, the “never been caught” group was now even harder to hook, and the vulnerable strain showed a slight increase in their already promiscuous catch rate.

For us bodycount-conscious anglers that suggests we want the catch and release ritual to be stress-free, ensuring the next generation of fish at our “secret spot” are doubly available.

It also suggests that modern vests should have a shoulder holster and special pockets for additional clips of large bore handgun ammo. Treating a caught fish with great tenderness requires us to be equally diligent in the converse, stomping the life out of anything that refuse our flies.

Note: Firing a high velocity round at a shallow angle – especially for “smutting” fish visible to the angler, will result in the far bank getting a fair amount of “skipping” ricochets. Be cognizant of your surroundings, line up both snooty fish and wading anglers – as “conservation minded” includes your ammo as well.

If the cops come don’t use any cheesy psycho lines, tell ’em Darwin told you to do it and they doubly-deserve to die.

These same researchers gave us the model for catch and release fishing, suggesting that the entire ritual take less than four minutes. Advice that Fly Fisherman’s cover-Wookie violated egregiously – as exposed by the ever vigilant Moldy Chum.

An interesting item in their research (on Bonefish) suggested that caught fish take four hours to recover from the ordeal, during that time they’re “woosy” and more susceptible to predators.

… that’s why I have my buddies fish through the hole first – they always think I’m being generous …