After some feedback from other members, I've made a couple of changes to ensure clarity. If anyone has suggestions of their own that I haven't included, feel free to chime in. Lets keep it educational
As we're nearing the end of winter steelhead season on the coast, we've had numerous threads where people have been flamed for holding wild fish out of the water, and just poor fish handling in general. This weekend, I was on the Queets and I saw multiple people net fish from the boat, drag them in, hold them up for 15-20 seconds for pictures (one guy holding the fish by the gills!) and then toss the fish back in the river, high fives all around, lets go kill another one! This kind of activity KILLS fish guys. We all whine and complain about rivers getting shut down, new regulations, less opportunity, and yet many of these same people are the ones out there abusing the resource. Show these fish a little bit of a respect for the journey they've made by treating them well when you catch them, and lets continue to have the opportunity to chase these amazing animals every year.
I don't want to turn this into a rant, but would like to offer up some tips and advice from 20 years of catch and release fishing, and 10 years of guiding anglers. These are tips on how to effectively land, handle, photograph, and release a fish without having to remove it from the water. This not only will reduce the impact on the fish itself, but keep Johnny Law off your back! If anyone else has input or tips of their own, please add them.
Landing FishLets start at the beginning. You've hooked a dandy. He's tearing up the run and you're loving life. Some people want to enjoy every minute of this and milk the fight for as long as possible. Not a good idea. Here is how to do it quickly and efficiently.
Tip #1: Hit the bank.
- This may not always an option, but given the way almost all of our coastal rivers here in WA are structured, you will have a bank on one side, and a bar on the other. If you have access to a gravel bar, or even a bank that you can negotiate, there is no reason to net and handle the fish from the boat, regardless of what you were using when you hooked it. A fish hooked on a plug, jig, worm, rag, or bait can ALL be netted and handled easier when you're standing in the water with them as opposed to hanging over the side of the boat. If you are not planning on taking a photo of the fish, then this isn't as big of an issue, but if you intend to photograph, you cannot easily do this in a legal and appropriate fashion.
Holding the fish out of the water over the boat is not only illegal in the state of WA, but it poses all kinds of risks for the fish. I can't count how many times I've seen fish flop and end up in the bottom of the boat thrashing around, knocking coolers over, spilling tackle boxes, and just beating themselves to death. They may take off like a shot when they eventually do get back in the water, but the damage is done. Many of these fish suffer internal injuries, and their slime coating (which is their defensive immune system by the way) is probably spread all over the bottom of your boat.
Tip #2: Land the fish as quickly as possible.
- If this fish is going to be released, releasing it with as much energy as possible will increase his odds of survival tremendously. You do not have to wear a fish down to complete exhaustion to land them. Which leads us to our next tip.
Tip #3: Get a net.
- This one isn't always an option, especially if your a bank angler. If you are in a boat of any kind though, you have the ability to carry a net with you. You can often land a fish in almost half the time with a net that you could trying to tail them. The type of net you use is also important. Knotless nets are the rule now. I use a full rubber mesh landing net. They have numerous benefits for me and the fish. They are soft, stretchy, and knotless, causing almost no harm to the fish. These nets also do not get caught in the fish's gills or fins which allows you to keep the fish underwater to breath and recover without having to worry about getting all wrapped up in your net. Also, because they are 100% rubber, not coated, hooks absolutely do not tangle in them. This increases your efficiency in getting the gear out of the net, photo taken, and fish on its way, which allows you to get back to fishing faster.
Handling the fish - This isn't so much a tip, but basic common sense. You're on the bank, your trophy is in the net. Chances are the fish needs a break anyway. Cutting an exhausted fish loose immediately after a hard fight without a break of any kind is not a good idea. Many of those fish rush back out into heavy water and can't hold anymore. They end of wearing themselves to complete exhaustion and dying. At all times keep them upright, head into the current so they can breath, and allow them a moment to recover. With a good knotless net, the fish can do this inside of the net so you can get a quick picture of him when he's revived. If the fish is sitting in the net belly up, you need to help that fish get upright and keep it upright until it is completely revived.
A few simple rules for proper fish handling:
- Don't lift them all the way out of the water.
- Don't under any circumstances, put your hands in their gills. How would you feel if you just sprinted a 400m dash and someone came up, slapped you on the back, stuffed your head underwater and shoved their hands down your throat?
- If their heads have to come out of the water, limit it to a few seconds. There is no need for more than that even for a great photograph.
- Don't let the fish go until it tries to leave. These fish are often tired. Many of them won't try to leave because they're to wiped out. Hold them in the water, head into the current until they decide its time. This may be 10 seconds, this may be 5 mintues. Giving them the time they need to recover is critical to their survival.
PhotographingHere it is, it's time. You've landed your trophy, all your gear is stowed and he's had a minute to recover in the net while never leaving the water. Take a minute and get some good measurements (for a replica mount maybe?). Now I don't consider myself an expert photographer by any means, but I have taken thousands upon thousands of fish photos, and I feel that I know what works, and what doesn't.
- Have the photographer get down to your level. Pictures from up above of you holding the fish at water level never turn out well.
- Don't have sun directly behind you, or directly on you. These fish are shiny and direct sunlight will blow out the photo. Angled sun will provide the best option for you if its sunny. If its cloudy, then it doesn't matter.
- Have the photographer get close enough that you almost fill the frame of the pic. If he's 15' away, you're not going to get the detail you want.
- YOU hold the fish by the wrist of his tail with one hand, and the other slid on his belly up under his pectoral fins. Again, DO NOT EVER put your hands in the fish's gills.
- YOU hold the fish straight up and down, and straight lengthwise. You don't need to stretch the fish, but you don't want to contort the fish either.
- YOU lift the fish so that an inch or two of the fish's belly is left in the water. This is the only time that I will remove the fish's head from the water. If you're set up appropriately, this will only happen for 3-5 seconds and then they are back in the water entirely.
- Lastly, and this is partly fish handling as well. If the fish doesn't want to be photographed, don't force it. Some fish are just uncooperative and theres nothing you can do about it. I've been left many times with a picture of me with a face full of water. You may really REALLY want a picture of that beast, but his life and well being is more important than your photo. Remember that.
From the moment the fish slides into the net, to the snap of the picture should not have to take more than about 30-45 seconds. If the fish needs more time to revive, give it to him, but the act of landing, unhooking, picture taking, should be done very quickly to minimize the impact on the fish.
You've done it! You've landed your trophy in a timely manner AND you were able to get a fantastic photo of him, all while maintaining the letter of the law. That fish is most likely in very good shape and will continue up river to make babies so that we can continue to pursue these fish for years to come. Please take this to heart, its more important than many people feel it is. Now for the photo documentary. Enjoy.
