Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 2813 Tight Lines Bulletin - Winter/Spring 2014 For years the WPBFC has encouraged its members to prac- tice catch, weigh & release for fish they are entering in annual club contests, especially fish that have little food value like jack crevalle, or for fish that are out of season or not of legal size. However, it quickly became ap- parent that the practice was sometimes harmful to the fish being released and ran contrary to the catch and release ethic. Recognizing there was a need for a better approach the WPBFC developed the Snook Sling, a tool that enables anglers to keep the fish in a horizontal posi- tion without physically attaching a hand scale to the fish. Weighing and releasing some species of fish, especially snook, tarpon and trout, in a vertical orientation can dam- age vital internal organs, or sometimes damage the throat latch or gills.  "Because the Fishing Club has been such a strong advocate of catch, weigh & release we wanted to de- velop and promote the use of a tool that minimizes our im- pact on the fish.  Using a Snook Sling is just a more ethical approach to weighing your catch," said WPBFC Chairman Pete Schulz. Freshwater muskie fishermen and marine scientists have used similar slings for years, but their use by saltwater recreational anglers has been minimal. The WPBFC is trying to change that mindset, especially for trophy snook fishermen. Not surprisingly anglers are using the club's sling to weigh more than just snook. Recent orders from places like Alaska and Ala- bama confirm that the sling is being used for other species like salmon, freshwater trout and redfish. Several club members in the Florida Keys are using the sling to weigh bonefish. The WPBFC Snook Sling has undergone several modifications since the original sling was de- signed. The new version is made out of a durable blue material called textilene that does not show stains and has a more open mesh. Additionally, the upgraded Snook Sling fea- tures integral end caps that help keep the fish securely cradled. The WPBFC Snook Sling is designed for use in a saltwater environment and can be easily folded and stored on a boat. The weight of the sling, which is 1 pound, is easily deducted from the fish weight. "There is a genuine need for a product like this. It makes sense that the West Palm Beach Fishing Club with its long history of conserva- tion advocacy is the one that helps initiate its development and use," continued Schulz. WPBFC Snook Slings sell for $55 and are available for sale on the club website and at Fishing Headquarter's tackle shop in Jupiter. Dan Kleiser uses a club snook sling to weigh his 24 lb., 8 oz. red fish caught on fly last summer. WPBFC Sling Not Just for Snook