Catch and Release Best Practices

What Do I Need To Know?

Catch and release is a great conservation strategy, but simply letting a fish go does not guarantee it will live. The actions you take before, during, and after you land a fish can improve its chances of survival, keep fish stocks healthy, and keep fishermen fishing.

What Can I Do?

Choose the Right Gear

• Use circle hooks, barbless hooks, or hooks with crimped barbs. These can increase survival rates and make hook removal easier. Some fisheries require the use of circle hooks, so be sure you know the rules and regulations before you hit the water.
• Use non-stainless steel hooks. These will corrode and fall out over time if a fish or other wildlife is accidentally hooked and escapes before they can be dehooked.
• Use tackle strong enough to quickly land the fish you’re targeting.
• Use a wet, soft knotless mesh or a rubber landing net. These cause less damage to a fish’s eyes, fins, scales, and protective mucus coating.
• Use a release tool such as a dehooker. These minimize handling and make it easier to release the fish without removing it from the water.

Handle With Care

• Never fight a fish to exhaustion.

• Never gaff a fish you plan to release.
• Dehook the fish in the water whenever possible.
• Cut the line as close to the hook as possible if a swallowed hook can’t be easily removed.
• Keep air exposure to a minimum if you must remove a fish from the water. Less than 60 seconds is ideal.
• Handle the fish as little as possible and only with wet hands.
• Avoid touching the fish’s eyes and gills.
• Support the weight of any fish removed from the water along the length of its body. Never suspend a fish by its lip or mouth. 
• Resuscitate a sluggish fish by facing it into the current until it regains strength and can swim away on its own. 

 

Release at Depth

Fish caught in deep water can suffer from barotrauma—the build up of gases within their bodies that makes it difficult or impossible for them to swim back down. A fish caught deeper than 30 feet will generally suffer some effects. Look for the following signs of barotrauma:

• Bulging eyes.
• Stomach protruding from mouth.
• Bloated midsection.
• Sluggish swimming
• Lifted scales.

The best way to ensure a fish suffering from barotrauma survives is to release it as quickly as possible at depth. There are a variety of recompression tools you can use, including descender devices, release weights, and release baskets.

Read more about barotrauma and recompression tools

 

If quickly releasing a fish at depth with a descending device is not possible, venting is another option. Use established guidelines for venting, such as those found at CatchandRelease.org. 

Additional Resources

Careful Catch and Release Brochure (for large saltwater pelagic fish)

Los Anzuelos Circulares (circle hooks)

FishSmart Release Brochure