Outdoors
Catch and release fishing tips
Releasing the fish you catch can help sustain and build the population of wild fish. Here are a few tips for ensuring fish have the best chance of survival:
• Use barbless hooks or flatten the barb on the hook before using a fly for the first time. This makes the hook much easier to remove and lessens the potential injury to the fish’s mouth.
• Use either needle-nose pliers or forceps to gently remove the hook from the fish’s mouth.
• If the fish has swallowed the hook, or if the hook is set too deeply, cut the line and release the fish. The hook will dissolve over time without harm to the fish.
• If the hook is in the gills, the throat or an artery, the fish’s chances of survival are greatly reduced. If it’s legal, keep the fish. Also, if a fish is bleeding, keep it if it’s legal to do so.
• Minimize the amount of time the fish is out of the water.
• Once the hook is removed or the line is cut, gently hold the fish in the water, pointing upstream, until it can swim away on its own.
Jun. 18, 2009 at 2:14 pm
a few days ago i caught a 3 foot and 35 pound grass carp
Jun. 2, 2009 at 5:35 am
The spikes on a catfish’s dorsial fin hurt. Rub the spine to make it go down.
Jun. 1, 2009 at 6:22 pm
ive only been fishing twice but ive got like 8 fish
Mar. 28, 2009 at 6:17 pm
i had to release it.
Mar. 28, 2009 at 6:16 pm
I fished for a long time my first cath was a bullhead but my biggest catch was about 30 years old but because it was injured by many other fishermen/fisherwomen.
Mar. 26, 2009 at 9:21 am
Hi I have been fishing a few times with my father and all I ever catch is blue gills any tips on how to catch a whopper?
Mar. 24, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Bassmaster444 I think you got a great fish. Where did you catch it?
Mar. 24, 2009 at 10:07 pm
One time I was fishin I caught somthin big, my grandpa thought it was just a large bunch of seaweed but he was wrong, it was actually a 7 pound 19 in. largemouth bass!