Survival of three fishes caught on trotlines

Most (greater than 60%) black drum (Pogonis cromis), red drum (Sciaenops ocellata), and spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) taken off trotlines while alive will survive if they are released back into the water. No black drum, red drum, or spotted seatrout died in 48-h winter cage studies in the Laguna Madre. Survival during summer was 67%, 100% and 64% for black drum, red drum, and spotted seatrout, respectively. The majority of all fishes taken off Texas Parks and Wildlife Department trotlines were alive regardless of position of line or bait used. This was expected because most fish were hooked in the lip or mouth. The percentage of spotted seatrout found alive on trotlines was lower than for black drum, and red drum because more spotted seatrout were hooked somewhere other than the lip or mouth. Spotted seatrout populations could be adversely impacted if trotline methods are used that catch spotted seatrout in high numbers during summer.