# CAREFUL HANDLING OF FISH



## catch22 (Feb 26, 2009)

What is the proper way to handle fish that must be released? (I already know the answer to this.) I believe that it needs to be addressed so that we are not abusing the fish that need to be returned to waters like Scofield, Strawberry and others.


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## FishMogul (Sep 8, 2007)

I think the biggest mistake people make is trying to get the hook out at all cost. There is nothing wrong with simply cutting the line and leaving the hook in the fish if that's what you have to do. Another mistake often made is releasing a tired fish. If the fish is tired and/or released upside down (rainbows especially) or facing downstream, it may drown. Two other ideas is make sure you let the fish rest a bit in the water before taking it out to pose for a picture Imagine holding your breath after running hard. Also try not to grab it's belly nobody wants to be grabbed around their belly especially after gorging on food. Also never handle a fish with dry hands, lift it by it's head, or touch the gills.. those are just a few pointers I'm sure I left tons out.


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## threshershark (Sep 7, 2007)

There are a number of past threads on this topic, but it's all inclusive and not just limited to how you handle fish, but when and how you pursue them.

?Warmer water holds less oxygen and stresses fish heavily. Avoid fishing when surface temperatures place excessive stress on the target species. For trout, anything over 70° will heavily stress and frequently kill fish regardless of your technique.
?Avoid playing a fish to exhaustion. Use tackle that allows you to keep a fish as fresh as possible.
?Once landed, do not touch the fish or remove it from the water if possible. Use pliers or forceps to remove the hook.
?If you must subdue the fish to remove the hook, use a net that is rubber or cotton, NEVER nylon or any harsh material that will damage the mucus coating and decrease survivability. Keep the fish in the water.
?No squeezing, placing on shore, boat decks, or any other surface. Never handle the gills.
?Active fishing techniques (meaning methods where the angler has the rod in hand at all times, feels the strike, and immediately sets the hook) should always be used if you intend to release fish. Hookings in the lips/mouth are generally less damaging. Hookings in the throat or stomach result in very high release mortality, often over 80%.
?This one seems obvious to me and is illegal, but I have seen it twice this year already so I will mention it: A fish that has been placed on a stringer cannot be released.


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## FishMogul (Sep 8, 2007)

threshershark said:


> ?This one seems obvious to me and is illegal, *but I have seen it twice this year already so I will mention it: A fish that has been placed on a stringer cannot be released.*


Are you kidding me? I will never figure people out complete idiocy. The average size of a fish's brain is the size of a pee. People who practice that C&R technique or the other practice I see frequently that of ripping out a hook and letting the fish bleed out then releasing it. Have brains smaller than the fish they just murdered :evil:


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## catch22 (Feb 26, 2009)

Thanks for the replies. Even I need to be reminded to do a better job. I brought this up because I keep seeing photos of fish in the slots with fishermens' hands and fingers all up in the gills and such and these are fish that have to be released.


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

The hands in the gills is an "old school" way of handling fish. My father in law still does this and it drives me nuts. It's just an old habit for most people, but I still say something.

Another thing to add is to de-barb your hooks. Yeah, you will lose a few here and there, but it isn't too much of a difference and it makes the un-hooking of the fish really fast and easy and much better for the fish.


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Make sure both feet are evenly planted on the fish, one on the tail and one on the stomach. With some lineman's pliers, rip the lure out of his mouth and kick the fish back in the water. Be careful though, you could ruin a good lure this way. _(O)_


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

Always wear a surgical mask when fishing so you don't catch fish flu.


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## Pez Gallo (Dec 27, 2007)

Finnegan said:


> Always wear a surgical mask when fishing so you don't catch fish flu.


I was always told to never drink the water because the fish screw in it! You wouldn't want to catch Beaver Fever! :shock:


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

I don't get too anal about how I handle fish that are to be released. There are a few things that I avoid, if possible, however:

No grabbing by the gills.

No caking it with shoreline dirt or sand.

Don't squeeze the eyes.

Don't drop the fish and then let it go!
_____________

On the other hand:

I see nothing wrong with holding a fish that I just caught. If the fish is obviously under my complete control and not worth a photo, I'll reach down and unhook it instead. Holding a fish in my hand is part of fishing. My hand isn't dry when I hold a fish...I reached into the water to get it.

I understand making an effort to ensure the survival of the fish, but we're fishing here, not coddling. Fish are beautiful and when I catch one that looks nice, I like to take a good look and appreciate that beauty before the release.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Here is some info from the proc on the topic:


> If a fish swallows a hook deeply, simply cut your line and leave the hook in the fish. Don't try to pull it out. The hook will often dissolve inside the fish or work itself free.
> Studies have shown that only 30 percent of deeply hooked fish die if you leave the hook alone. If you try to remove the hook, however, the fish's chance of dying jumps to 60 percent.
> A deeply hooked fish often bleeds profusely. If you land a fish that's bleeding heavily, it probably won't survive-even if you cut the line. If the regulations at your fishing location allow you to keep this fish, please do so.
> When possible, fish with artificial flies or lures. Fish don't swallow them as deeply.
> ...


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## Vivid-Dawn (Jul 18, 2008)

I think this was for one particular species, but I both can't remember what it was... and it probably works for all of them, anyway.

When taking a picture of a fish, don't hold it by the mouth and hang it up. Gravity tugs on the internal organs and can cause damage or trauma.
If you want to take a picture, before releasing, then you should hold the fish horizontally with one hand supporting it near the pectoral fins and the other hand supporting the tail. If you're alone, and can't pose for somebody else taking a picture, lay the fish on a wet surface (I've seen that some people have measuring boards, and use those for both knowing the length of the fish and having it settled for a snapshot)


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

Hold all fish by the anal entry point with needle nose pliers, make sure that you have a firm grasp of all gill areas... these aren't coated with slime and will provide a raspy grip for your sandy fingers. When removing the hook, a quick jerk will often separate the hook from the lower jaw, often times dislocating the fish's jaw... its ok, it'll grow back. Hooks in eyes should be removed promptly, if not bringing the eye with the hook, at least reduce the eye to a gel like mass.... the fish still has one good eye so it will survive and the gel is cool to poke at or scare your kids with. Kicking fish is a good idea.... every fish should be able to survive a punt, even if you miss kick it and have to call a mulligan. Don't wipe the sand off after the mis-kick.... it'll give your foot a better grip and produce a very nice sideways spiral. Pretending the fish is a hot potato with your friends is also good to go. Always get a picture of giving the bass some "sugar" since TV personalities do it, it must be the way we model our own actions. In all fish handling events, make sure your hands are dry..... it would be a waste of time and space to bring a wet towel or even to just make sure your hands are wet to prevent mucous removal from the fish... why do they even have that icky stuff anyway? Lastly.... fish can breath just like humans... I see their mouth opening and closing and their gills flaring while they're out of the water so I know they're breathing just fine. Take as long as you want with the camera.... fish are tough and they can hack a five minute break from swimming. Whatever you do, don't take your dog fishing with you... this is a serious breach of fishing etiquette even if you do everything else perfectly.... **** you for allowing your dog to have a great time with "the boss" and possibly encountering wildlife of any species.... entirely unacceptable even though it is highly unlikely that your pet will ever hurt any fish or wildlife worse than the buffoons who would call you out for having a dog with you. :|

This post is made purely in jest and is not the way I conduct myself on the water, fishing with my dog being the sole exception. If you are offended by this post, you either take yourself way too seriously or just need to get out and show us how a perfect fisherman does things so the rest of the "unworthy" can idolize your practices.  :roll:


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## Troll (Oct 21, 2008)

Pinching down the barb on your hooks makes release much easier. The other thing it does is teach you to never let any slack in the line while fighting the fish. Without a barb it is much easier for the fish to throw the hook, but if you maintain pressure, not so much.

But, if you plan on releasing, you must be willing to immediatly just cut the line and lose the hook if the fish is hooked any deeper than the lips or tounge.


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## HighLakesDrifter (Sep 13, 2007)

Have a pair of surgeon's forceps on hand. If a fish is hooked deeper than the lips or mouth, you can reach into the mouth of the fish and sometimes get the hook out without causing any blood loss. This is much easier if the hook is de-barbed. This works well on bass and other warmwater fish. My experience is that they are a little tougher than the trout. 

I will only give this technique one shot; if I can't dislodge the fly on the first attempt, the line is cut and the fish is released. I tie my own; I don't care about losing a fly. I'd rather see the fish swim off under its own healthy power.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

HighLakesDrifter said:


> Have a pair of surgeon's forceps on hand.


On a serious note, they are pretty nice because you can just clip them on anywhere... don't have to try and dig around in a vest or worry about your pliers falling out of a pocket when you crouch down or bend over to unhook your fish.


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## drJake (Oct 11, 2008)

Is it hard on a fish (trout) to hold it by its lower jaw while taking the hook out or to get a picture? What should you do if you hook a fish in the eye with a lure?


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## Finnegan (Sep 7, 2007)

Okay, I gotta say something about this "just cut the line" folklore. If you cut the line, the hook will not dissolve or magically disappear. It will work it's way throw the digestive system and end up in the end, effectively stapling the anus shut and killing the fish. No fish can pass a hook and a fish that can't excrete will die. Don't believe me? You swallow a hook and watch what happens.

If you expect a fish to really survive, you MUST remove the hook. If you're fishing bait and intend to release, then you need to be using circle hooks. And if you can't remove a hook without damaging the gills or internal organs, guess what? You killed that fish. It won't die today, but it will die. Just because a fish swims away doesn't mean it's "just fine".


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

Finnegan said:


> Okay, I gotta say something about this "just cut the line" folklore. If you cut the line, the hook will not dissolve or magically disappear. It will work it's way throw the digestive system and end up in the end, effectively stapling the anus shut and killing the fish. No fish can pass a hook and a fish that can't excrete will die. Don't believe me? You swallow a hook and watch what happens.
> 
> If you expect a fish to really survive, you MUST remove the hook. If you're fishing bait and intend to release, then you need to be using circle hooks. And if you can't remove a hook without damaging the gills or internal organs, guess what? You killed that fish. It won't die today, but it will die. Just because a fish swims away doesn't mean it's "just fine".


Obviously, the last line is..well obvious! But, what you say...well both the DWR and Minnesota DNR disagree http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fwt/back_iss ... k_dnr.html and I already quoted the DWR proc above where Utah also recommends cutting the line. The article above specifically says that the hook will be dissolved in the stomach eventually. In certain bodies of water release is mandatory and cutting the line certainly gives better odds than trying to rip it out. If the fish is not in the slot it certainly may be better to try and get the hook out, but again chances are not for sure, but certainly better by leaving the hook in.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

drJake said:


> Is it hard on a fish (trout) to hold it by its lower jaw while taking the hook out or to get a picture? What should you do if you hook a fish in the eye with a lure?


On the trout... it really depends on the size of the fish. With Bass, you can effectively immobilize most bass by holding them by the bottom lip. Their jaws are formed in such a way that grabbing them by the bottom lip doesn't really put any undue pressure on the fish or its guts as long as its not held there for a long time. Hold it up, snap a picture and away it goes. On huge bass I've heard its probably better to hold them horizontally so that the weight of the fish doesn't stress the jaws to the point of hyperextension but I've never heard anything about gravity on the guts of a fish... they're just not held that way long enough to have an effect in my opinion... unless you fill em with rocks or something first. Biggest reason I don't hold trout by the jaw in a vertica position?? They don't get immobilized like bass and if they flip around, they'll tear the everlovin hell out of your hands with their jagged little teeth. Same with catfish... you might as well run your hand through a belt sander. On the eye thing... I just try and remove the hook with as little damage as possible. Hooks in the eye are no good but sometimes it just happens.... the fish will survive and I've actually caught trout with eyes partially closed or fogged over, possibly from previous eye injuries... so they won't always die from it.


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## catch22 (Feb 26, 2009)

I just want to add that even if you have effectively "killed the fish" and it is in the slot, you have to release it to die in the reservoir. It is not a loss though, it becomes part of the biomass of the reservoir is is consumed by crawdads, bugs and other such critters, besides adding nutrients to the water. It is illegal to keep this fish you killed.


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## Grandpa D (Sep 7, 2007)

Bump!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Thanks *Grandpa D*. This post is a good refresher course for me. I can always do better....so my fishing pals tell me. :roll:

Doesn't matter if you are keeping the fish to eat, but so important if you want to return it


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## .45 (Sep 21, 2007)

Good reminder, thanks Grandpa D !!


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## joannaLeginsky (Feb 24, 2010)

There were some great tips listed here - thank you. most I knew, but a little reminder doesn't hurt every now and again. thanks!


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## baconeater (Apr 5, 2008)

i find it real easy to get small ice jigs out without even touching the fish i hold the line with weight of fish on it stays tight then i can usually see the hook use your needle nose pliers grab the hook right below the knot then twist it the opposite way that it went in fish drops right back in the hole! in summer if using a small treble hook grab the hook below the knot hold the pliers and fish usually flips around a little and falls right off without even touching the fish if this fails just cut the line 8)


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