Outdoors

Catch and release fishing tips

By Ken Olsen
Illustrations by Robert Prince
From the April 2008 Boys' Life magazine

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.

Read 31 comments about “Catch and release fishing tips”

Comment page:   [4] 3 2 1 »

1. 31 - mets says:
   August 29th, 2008 at 9:32 pm

   it kinda hard to get it out of the eye trust me on this one guy
   you’ll have kill the fish

2. 30 - oakway vol.fire dept says:
   August 17th, 2008 at 1:47 pm

   what if you pay 6.50 for your fishing lure nobody would do that.

3. 29 - mustangfisherdog2400 says:
   August 12th, 2008 at 5:13 pm

   fishing is fun. i have never kept a fish that i have caught, but i have only caght seven fish i think and they were all 3 - 4 inch bluegill

4. 28 - ausman08 says:
   July 24th, 2008 at 12:47 pm

   thats cool i just getting into fishing

5. 27 - Ghostrider13 says:
   July 19th, 2008 at 11:34 pm

   I been fishing at Lake Ontario for 3 years now and have only caught 9 fish.

6. 26 - boo boo says:
   July 18th, 2008 at 7:57 pm

   I think these tips are very helpful

7. 25 - Mr.Meaty says:
   July 18th, 2008 at 3:03 pm

   If you dull the tips enoughf to not seriously injur the fish you wouldn`t catch any thing!!!!!

8. 24 - arod says:
   June 28th, 2008 at 12:17 pm

   i think they need to tell you how to hold the fish without its gills cutting you.

9. 23 - aar says:
   June 25th, 2008 at 6:24 am

   my dad needs to know this !

10. 22 - jabenero says:
    June 22nd, 2008 at 1:04 am

    whats the easiest way to catch a fish?

    Have some one throw it at you

Comment page:   [4] 3 2 1 »

Write a comment about “Catch and release fishing tips”