NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/977334
12 NEBRASKAland • MAY 2018 Catch and Release By Julie Geiser Many anglers enjoy taking home what they catch to eat, while other anglers release every fish they catch. If you choose to release fish you catch, remember that proper care and handling is vital to survival. There are many reasons to catch and release fish: A fish may be too small and does not meet the minimum size required by state laws; the fish may be legal in size but too small for the angler to clean; or the fish species may not be the angler's preferred fish to eat. It is also good etiquette to release trophy-size fish, which are rare. Practicing catch and release of big fish will provide another lucky angler with a great experience in the future. To properly catch and release fish, follow these guidelines: • The less you handle the fish, the better off it will be. Be particularly careful of the mucus coating or slime on a fish. This coating protects fish from infection, so the less you remove, the better. If you need to handle the fish, wet your hands first; this will cause less slime to come off the fish. If possible, keep the fish in the water when removing the hook. • Rubber mesh nets also tend to be less harmful to fish. Netting a fish prevents dropping them in a boat or laying them on the ground and can help you get the fish back into the water faster. • To hold a fish, firmly grip behind the head with your thumb on one side and your fingers on the other side, holding the gills shut. Use your other hand to hold the tail. Never hold a fish by the eye sockets or inside of the gills if you intend to release the fish. • Remove the hook gently with needle-nose pliers by twisting the hook shank while pushing it toward the bend. Remove hooks if at all possible, but if removing it will cause more harm to the fish, then consider harvesting that fish. • Cutting the line and leaving the hook in should be your last resort. If the line is cut and the hook is left inside the fish, the old school of thought was to cut the line as close to the hook as possible. It is now believed that by leaving several inches of line attached to the hook, the trailing line will lever the hook to the side and allow the fish to continue feeding and give it a better chance of survival. • Sometimes a fish is so exhausted from a fight that even though it is alive, it can't move water through its gills fast enough to recuperate. You can revive fish by moving the fish through water, headfirst, to force water into its mouth and gills; do not swish a fish back and forth as water entering the gills from the rear can be damaging. Support the fish by placing one hand under its belly, keep it upright. Hold the mouth open with your other hand if necessary, provided that it is not full of sharp teeth, making sure you are not blocking the gill flaps. The fish will revive in most cases and swim off on its own when ready. • To preserve the memory of a fish, take photos before releasing it. If your fish qualifies for a Master Angler Award you can still receive the award for released fish. Land, measure and release the fish in the presence of a witness or take a photograph to verify your catch. Then fill out the Master Angler application stating you released the fish, along with the witness' signature or a photo. Do not weigh the fish; measuring a fish's length is quicker and requires less handling. • Replica mounts are popular for those wanting a fish hanging on the wall, even after catch and release. These fiberglass forms can be created to look exactly like the fish you caught without sacrificing the actual fish. Take photos of both sides of the fish and from different angles. Also measure the fish from the tail to the tip of the snout, and get the circumference around the widest part of the fish for the taxidermist. We can have larger fish in our waters if we give them the proper amount of growth time, good habitat and moderate fishing pressure – and use catch and release. It is one way to make a difference. ■ PHOTO BY JEFF KURRUS PHOT PHOT PHOT PHOTO BY O BY O BY O BY JEF JEF JEF JEFF KU F KU F KU F KURRUS RRUS RRUS RRUS A smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu) caught on a woolly bugger fly is handled carefully prior to releasing. A 14-inch fiberglass yellow perch replica mount by Coast to Coast Fish Mounts.