Catch & Release
Most anglers know that handling a fish badly reduces its survival chances, so treat them with respect. These simple guidelines should help:
Most anglers know that handling a fish badly reduces its survival chances, so treat them with respect.
These simple guidelines should help:
• Use only barbless, single hooks on flies and spinning lures
• Play the fish quickly so as not to exhaust it or distress it
• Handle the fish as little as possible and preferably with wet hands and without nets
• Don’t take fish onto the riverbank
• Keep them in the water as much as possible with gills immersed
• Spring salmon and fresh silver fish are especially susceptible to damage and should only be handled if absolutely necessary
• Long-nosed forceps and needle-nosed pliers can help remove hooks quickly
• Deeply-embedded hooks that are difficult to remove should be cut off from the leader as close to the hook as possible
• Recovering fish, or those being released, should be supported gently in the current – head pointing upstream – until their gills are working properly and they’ve regained their balance.
There are a few simple handling rules which will reduce stress for fish:
• Never place your finger or thumb in a gill cover
• Never squeeze a fish you’re holding or supporting in the water
• If you must take a photo, do it quickly and do not remove the fish from the water
• Don’t weigh a fish. Estimate its size
• Never tail a fish (this will cause spinal damage)
• If using a landing net, make sure it’s a knotless one.
Remember, if you’re having difficulty, ask for help.