Best Practices for Catch & Release Fishing

1 min read

Sustain our robust fisheries by counting your total catch and handling with skill all the fish you release.

Here's What's In Store For You...

Minimize handling, since this can remove protective slime from the fish.
If you handle a fish, use clean, wet hands.
Support the fish beneath the head and belly.
Minimize exposure to air, maximum 15 seconds.
Avoid using mechanical lip-gripping devices on active fish, since this can cause jaw injury.
- If a fish’s weight is desired, attach a cradle to the scale to support the fish’s weight.
Keep fingers away from the gills, damaged gills make it harder for the fish to breathe.

Use barbless hooks, since this reduces the amount of handling needed to remove the hook.
When fishing with bait, use circle hooks.
If a hook is deep within the throat, cut the line as close to the hook as possible.
- This causes less damage than removing a deeply-set hook; most fish are able to reject the hook or the hook dissolves over time.

Keep the fight short, but not too short.
- Long fight times result in an exhausted fish, which is more vulnerable to predators.
- A fish reeled in too quickly may thrash about, increasing its chances of injury.
Use tackle that matches the fish and conditions.
If a fish loses equilibrium (it rolls over or goes nose down on the bottom), retrieve it until it can swim upright, then shorten the fight time on future fish.
When retrieving a fish, be sure that water passes over the gills from front to back.
- Move the fish forward or hold it upright in the water allowing it to pump water through its gills.
High water temperatures may negatively impact bonefish survival after release. In warmer water, reduce fight and handling time.

Since predators can decrease the survival of fish after release, when predators become abundant and appear to become attracted to your fishing activity, consider moving to another fishing location.
If you have caught a fish and potential predators are near, consider using a circulating live-well to hold your fish for a short time to allow releasing it some distance away from them.

Use AnglerAction.org’s on the water trip record or iAngler phone apps to record your whole catch while fishing. (Remember to record all sizes and 0 catch as well).
Review your trips for accuracy when you are at home on www.angleraction.org