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Fishing
Techniques :: Destinations :: General
Catch
and Release
by
Steve Woolbert
Measures to Ensure Catch and Release Doesn't Become Catch
and Die Later Don't get me wrong. I like to eat fish. And
I do. But only one out of a few hundred that I catch make
it out of the water and into the pan. The rest I want to
safely return to their watery abode to go about their business.
Most of the practices that make for a good catch and release
are common sense. But I see folks catching and releasing
fish that looks more like catch and die later, (even those
TV fishing guys!) so I scoured the globe for tips on good
catch and release. And here they are...
Play
the Fish Quickly - If you play the fish until exhaustion,
well... it will be exhausted. The fight is fun, but don't
overdo it. Just like in humans, lactic acid builds up in
fish from over-exertion. But unlike you, the fish can't
lay in bed, rub in some Ben-Gay and have its spouse bring
it dinner. Remember, from the fish's point of view this
tussle in the water is life or death. Hook it, fight it,
and release it.
Keep it in the Water - Reach down there with your hook remover
and slide that hook out. This is much easier done if you
mash down your barbs. Remember this is a creature of the
water. It wasn't designed to be dangled in the air. If it's
in the water its not bouncing on the boat deck or on the
shore.
Handle the Fish with Wet Hands - If you're keeping
the fish in the water you are almost certainly handling
it with wet hands. If you have to take it out of the water,
wet you hands first. The fish has a protective slime on
its body that protects it in the water from bacteria and
infections and other problems. The ordeal of being hooked
and fought is stressing enough. Don't reduce its chances
even further by sending it back without a fighting chance
to ward off ailments.
Don't Squeeze Fish - Unlike humans, the fish's
breathing apparatus isn't tucked away behind a sturdy rib
cage. The gills are right there where you're most likely
to clamp your beefy paws. Don't mess with the gills. The
rest of its organs are nicely arranged and were probably
working unmolested before you yanked it out its environment.
You can take your bruised kidney to the doctor, but your
quarry can't. Leave him in good condition so I can catch
him later.
Support the Fish - The water normally provides
a nice cradle for the fish. All of its vital innards have
been designed to sit comfortably inside the fish bobbing
along in the water primarily on a horizontal plane. Along
comes the fisherman, yanks it out of the water vertically
in the air, and all of the fish's innards slide back to
his tail. If you can, cradle the fish in a horizontal position.
If a fish is giving you particular trouble, hold it upside
down. This seems to calm the fish down. (They're probably
confused having never seen the world upside down before.)
I know with sharks, that when you hold them upside down
some kind of electrical impulse gets disconnected and they
stop thrashing. I assume it's something similar with other
fish. Whatever the cause, it works.
Using a Net - If you feel you have to use
a net, use a net with a soft mesh material. Remember the
fish has that yucky, mucous slime stuff all over him. A
hard nylon net is abrasive. It may be my own ineptitude,
but I haven't had much luck with nets in the first place
so I don't usually mess with them.
Cut
the Leader if Swallowed - With real bait, or even
soft plastics, the potential is there for the fish to swallow
the hooks. Pulling it out will surely kill the fish. Imagine
this - You've swallowed a hook and line and I'm going to
pull it back out. Get it? If you cut the leader as close
as you can at least the fish has a chance. There have been
studies that show that if everything works goes well the
fish can survive this situation. Buckle your line clippers
or Swiss Army knife to your belt for just such occasions.
Mouth to Mouth... kind of - If you've done your best to
abide by rule number one, which is don't overplay your fish,
but the fish is still whipped when you land it, be sure
to attempt to resuscitate the beast. Hold the fish in the
manner discussed earlier, into the current if you're on
moving water, and move it back and forth to get water flowing
over the gills. The fish will let you know when it's time
to go by scooting out of your hands. Don't throw it!
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