Time is of the essence. Play and release fish as rapidly as possible. A fish out of water for more than three or four minutes will suffer brain damage from loss of oxygen. A fish played gently for too long may be too exhausted to recover.
Keep the fish in the water as much as possible. A fish out of water is suffocating and, in addition, is many times heavier. The fish may injure itself fatally if allowed to flop on beach or rocks. Even a few inches of water under a thrashing fish acts as a protective buoyant cushion.
Always wet your hands before handling the fish.
Unhooking
Remove the hook as rapidly as possible with long-nosed pliers or forceps unless fish is deeply hooked. If deeply hooked, cut the leader and leave the hook in; it will eventually dissolve. Don’t tear out the hooks roughly. Be gentle and quick. Small fish, especially, may die of shock from rough handling. A freely bleeding fish should be killed and kept for the pan, if regulations allow.
Reviving
Some fish, especially after a long struggle, may lose consciousness and float belly-up. Always hold the fish in the water upright, heading upstream. Move the fish forward and backward so that water runs through the gills. This is artificial respiration and may take a few minutes, especially in lakes. When it revises, begins to struggle and can swim normally, release it to survive and challenge another angler.
Stop fishing
Trout do not survive very well when caught and released in warmer waters. Carry a thermometer. When 68 degrees F and above, consider calling it a day, or wait for cooler evening temperatures. At least use heavier tippets, play fast, and liberate the fish with extra care. Better yet, break off your barb and your hook and fish only for the “The Take.”
THERE CAN BE GREAT JOY IN WATCHING A BEAUTIFUL FISH SWIM AWAY FROM YOUR CRADLING HANDS. Man is the only predator who has a choice, a choice to forgo the kill in order to improve the quality of his sport. Thank you for joining us in embracing the concept of “pursuit-and-momentary-capture”sport fishing.