Catch and Release Information
Here at the Bow River Blog I always practice catch and release. I do not eat fish on a regular basis so for me there is no reason to keep my catch. I would like to provide you with some important guidelines on how to properly release trout after they have been hooked and somewhat tired out. After I have landed the fish I will do several things to prevent the fish from dying.
The first thing I do is keep the fish in the water at all times if possible and remove the hook from its mouth without ever removing the fish from the water using hemostats or pliers. If that is not possible than, I will first wet my hands making sure to keep the trout’s protective coating intact. I hold the fish with two hands so the fish doesn’t flop out of my hands and land hard onto the ground.
After I have gently removed the hook with the push back and turn method. I gently place the fish back into the water. When handling the fish, be sure you keep your hands well clear of the Trout’s gills. Now gently face the fish upstream with its nose pointing upriver and not downstream. I then very slowly move the fish a little back and forth to get the water to flow through its gills again. As I start to feel the fish’s tail kick, I will then let go of the fish and let it swim away.
Remember to never let a fish flop around on the ground as this may very well kill the fish. Also remember to never squeeze a fish to hard either, this adds extra stress to the fish and can also be fatal. And lastly, never throw a fish back into the water like an old boot, gently lower the fish into the water and give it enough time to properly get its breath. If you wish to add to this list please leave a comment as I might have missed something here. Good luck on your next fishing trip. Mike.
