Catch And Release
By practicing the proper catch-and-release techniques, you can teach your kids firsthand about conserving resources.
by Alan Jones
March 29, 2006
Hook It Right
Most anglers, at one time or another, have gotten carried away when the fishing is hot, and
have ended up with more fish than they can use. Go ahead and keep what you need for dinner, but let
the rest go, since fish are too valuable to only catch once. The key to a successful release is
what happens prior to its landing. First, to avoid hooking the fish too deeply, use circle hooks,
which usually hook the fish in the corner of its mouth.
If you're using lures with treble hooks, remove them and replace them with single hooks, or
at least take a pair of needle-nose pliers and mash the barb down on the hooks to make their
removal easier. If you keep the line tight when fighting a fish, you'll be surprised to discover
how few fish you'll lose because of not having a barb on the hook.
Land It Quickly
One of the best ways to ensure a released fish will survive is to land the fish as quickly
as possible. As oxygen in the fish's muscles is depleted, a substance called "lactic acid" builds
up - much like what happens to a marathon runner when they "hit the wall." The greater the buildup,
the harder it is for the fish to purge it from their system. If the fish is fought to total
exhaustion, it's unlikely it will recover, especially in warm water where there's less oxygen
present. In order to minimize the fight time, use tackle that's stout enough to handle the size
fish you'll likely be catching. Next, always keep pressure on the fish during a fight. Don't let it
rest - it sounds counter-intuitive, but if you put unrelenting pressure on a fish, the fight will
be shorter and it will be more likely to give up, which makes the rest of the process easier.
Be Prepared
When the fish is ready to be landed, have all your tools ready, including your camera. Many
people use a net, but it can remove a fish's protective slime. A better device is the lip-grabber,
which doesn't require you to handle the fish. When you get the fish alongside the boat, grab the
leader in your left hand to stabilize the fish's movement and clip the grabber onto the lower lip.
Really large fish shouldn't be removed completely from the water, or you can damage the jaw. When
using a J-hook for smaller fish, grab the leader and lift, then, with the other hand, use a simple
de-hooker device that looks like an ice pick with a bent end. Slide it down the line until it
reaches the bend in the hook, pull until the line is just past horizontal, and bounce the fish to
release it. With deeply hooked fish, just cut the line.
Revive The
Fish
Take the time to revive any fish that has given you a hard battle. After de-hooking it, hold
it in the water next to the boat. If it has teeth, hold it from the tail (for sharks, hold onto the
dorsal fin). If it doesn't have teeth, grab the lower jaw with your thumb and forefinger and gently
move it back and forth in the water. If you're not anchored, you can bump the boat into gear and
drag it slowly through the water. Really large fish, like a tarpon, might take several minutes to
revive, so take your time. If you're holding it gently, the fish will let you know when it's ready
to go by trying to swim off. If you want to make a lasting impression on your kids, lead by example
and practice catch and release. When they grow up, that fish of a lifetime they catch might just be
the one you let go today.