Top 5 Catch-and-Release Tips

With catch-and-release becoming more and more popular amoung fishermen who want to ensure that their favorite fishing spot remains good, it is important that we all make ourselves aware of how to remove hooks from fish properly. It is also very important to make sure that the fish's safety is a top priorety, so that it may carry on living without injury once you've released it.

To help you out, here are 5 catch-and-release tips.

1. Use Fish-Friendly Hooks

Research has shown that the most important factor in the fish's survival is where the hook is caught in the fish's body. Hooking a fish in the gills or gullet gives it a 65% chance of survival because of the risk of fatal internal injuries. However, hooking a fish on the lip or jaw area misses any vital organs, giving the fish a 95% - 99% chance of survival.

It is best to use a Barbless Circle Hook or a "J" Hook.

2. Reel In Quickly

After hook location, the second major factor in the fish's survival is the amount of stress the fish has been put through during the course of the struggle. The closer the fish has been pushed to exhaustion during the reeling in struggle, the less chance it has of survival, while one that is caught and released with less stress can recover within 24hours and can often not even show no side-effects from its experience.

To increase your chances of reeling in your catch quicker, make use of a heavier leader.

3. Learn How to Handle a Pair of Pliers

The quicker you get a fish back into its natural habitat, the less stress it experiences. You must work fast and knowing how to handle a pair of pliers will help you with that. Make sure you keep the fish underwater and use the pliers to remove the hook. Grasp the hook with the pliers and twist your wrist, so that you can unhook and release the fish at the same time.

Touch the fish as little as possible. The slimy, protective mucus coating on its skin helps protect it from disease, so you need to avoid damaging it. Always make sure your hands are wet if you need to handle the fish.

4: Pacify a Difficult Fish

If a fish-friendly hook has been used and it hasn't hooked in to deeply, then unhooking and releasing a fish will be pretty easy. If you're faced with a big, strong fish that has plenty of fight in it, the constant movement from the fish could make it difficult to getting it unhooked.

We suggest you try this trick: while keeping the fish underwater, turn the fish belly-up. This disorientates and pacifies the fish for a few seconds, giving you enough time to safely remove the hook and release it.

5: Know When to Leave the Hook in the Fish

If, despite you taking all the necessary precautions, you are faced with a fish hooked in the gills or gut, or even if it seems to be stuck into it's lip, DO NOT try to remove it. Trying to remove it may tear the fish's flesh or internal organs and increase its injuries. Simply cut off as much othe hook as possible and release the fish back intot he water. Most hooks that are left in will rust and fall out or dissolve.

It is therefore important that you do not use hooks made from stainless steel or any other corrosion-resistant material. Also avoid using treble hooks as they not only have two extra points which increase the chances of hurting the fish, but also take more time to remove.


Remember it's not enough just to throw back a fish after you've caught it. Using good catch-and-release techniques, especially when it comes to removing the hook from a fish without causing serious injury, are very important to ensuring that your fish has the best possible chance of survival.

If you would like to share some of your own "Catch-and-Release Tips" you can do so in the comments below or post them to our forum.