Seagulls!

[gagedylan]

just out of curiosity....


this morning while surf fishing on Beach Haven, a seagull flew into my surf line, got tangled pretty bad, and dropped into the water. i tried to shake him off, but it seemed to make it worse. i was not wearing waders, so i couldnt go in and untangle him, not even sure if i would have. that's the question.....what is the appropriate thing to do in that situation? i understand, it's a living, breathing, creature....but there's thousands and thousands of them, and they might carry disease if pecked by one while trying to free it. i cut my line, and a surfer near by grabbed it, and thankfully freed it. he got cut pretty badly by the things beak though.

         i was just curious what others would do

[Pfishingruven]

I have had birds get tangled in my line, I have also hooked them on rigs and lures!

I always try to get the bird up onto the beach and get the line out or retrieve the hook and lure for a few reasons.  1st, if you don't the bird will probably die.  2nd reason is, when someone sees the injured, dying or dead bird with fishing line or hooks tangled in it, it gives fishing and fishermen a bad image and rap.  I was always taught to leave where ever I fish in the same or better condition than I found it!

With that being said, if you can't safely untangle the bird or capture the bird without injuring yourself or furthing injuring the bird...there really isn't anything you can do.  It happens and is one of the negative byproducts of fishing.  The best way to handle birds is to cover them with a towel or shirt so that they can't flap their wings and so that they can't see.  It is not easy, especially, by yourself on the beach.  It really is a 2 person job.  One person should be controlling the head and beak at all times and will probably want to wear a work type glove!

A side story...About 8 years ago or so, I came across a cormorant at the Manasquan Inlet on the rocks.  I thought it was weird that it hadn't flown away being that I was so close.  So, I was curious and walked closer.  The bird had 2 hooks stuck in it's wing and about 10 yards of line wrapped around it's body.  The worst part was that the sinker was still attached and stuck between the rocks so the bird could only go about 5 feet and then would get pulled underwater.  I ended up covering it with a jacket(which got completely detroyed), cut it free from the rocks and brought it to a bird rehabber in Toms River.  I had a friend with me, so he held the bird firmly from Point to TR, but it got a few bites in.  That's bird's beak and bite hurt quite a bit and drew blood on me several times.

I wasn't able to find anything on the internet about the proper way to handle this type of situation or an official way to handle the birds.  I don't think you can get any diseases from them biting you, but of course it could get infected if they break the skin.  I know that their feces can transmit diseases and that they can have parasites like fleas or lice, etc..., but from what I read the disease part is very, very low to almost non existent at this time.

 

[IrishAyes]

As Phish said, cover them with a towel or rag. Cover the eyes and that usually calms them down so you can work the line out of the wing, which is where they are typically attached.

[Bucktail]

Oh boy!  I've literally hooked or caught over a dozen seagulls, one duck and a cat!  Not a catfish, a CAT!  Man that little feline pulled some drag!

[PeggyLee]

Gagedylan , Its a tuff situation that nobody wants to be in: either on the beach or from a boat. Yes I mean boat too. It has happened to many of us and we do the best to pull the bird in, throw a towel over its head (eyes)and untangle the line qickly and as safely to ourself and bird.I'm sure nobody wants to deliberately harm the bird;but by doing something its better than nothing IMHO.Good Luck.   

[ped579]

I agree with AJ.  I had one fly into my line during the summer and it got tangled pretty good.  I was able to get it ti the beach and threw a towel over its head and when it calmed down I was able to untangle it.  Its your call weather to cut the line or not.  If you are having a hard time I would of cut the line as well.

[Fishin Dude]

It happens to everyone at some point in their fishing adventures. The morally right thing to do is to free the bird as quickly, with as little damage to the bird as possible. Covering their eyes is THE BEST thing you can do to calm a bird down. I've used it myself on Seagulls, Raptors, an Owl, and a Tern.(Watch out for the talons on Raptors & Owls) Seagulls they say "Taste Like Chicken"   <'((((><

[rugman]

Oh boy!  I've literally hooked or caught over a dozen seagulls, one duck and a cat!  Not a catfish, a CAT!  Man that little feline pulled some drag!

[Pops Soul]

Yeap all of the above covering them. THEY DO GIVE YOU A GOOD FIGHT IN THE AIR 

[Hotrod]

I've used it myself on Seagulls, Raptors, an Owl, and a Tern.(Watch out for the talons on Raptors & Owls)

Man Would love to see that..

[Greg7]

I've used it myself on Seagulls, Raptors, an Owl, and a Tern.(Watch out for the talons on Raptors & Owls)

Haha 


Man Would love to see that..

[Angela Rose Charters]

OK seriously.. drag that sh!t offshore.. Sharks LOOOOOOVE gulls... 

I have had it happen plenty of times...do the best you can!!

and dont gimme no sh!t about not wearing waders... some tree hugger would  jump off the golden gate bridge to save a worm.... 

you did the right thing.. if you feared catching a bug from the bird, cut it and hope for the best.. No reason to put yourself in harms way....

how many times do we hook fluke and send'em back with the hook in the gut?