Tips for Helping Released Fish Survive

Reproduced from "World Record Game Fisheries" published by IGFA

• Play and release the fish as rapidly as possible. A fish played gently for too long may be exhausted to recover.
• Keep the fish in the water as much as possible. A fish out of water for more than three or four minutes suffers brain damage due to loss of oxygen. In addition, he is suffocating and may pound himself fatally if allowed to flop on land or boat deck.
• Gentleness in handling is essential. Keep your fingers out of the gills. Do not squeeze small fish; lift and hold them by the lower lip, if possible. Nets are helpful provided the mesh does not become entangled in the gills.
• Removed the hook as rapidly as possible with long nosed pliers unless is deeply hooked, in which case cut the leader and leave the hook in. Small fish, especially, may die from shock from tearing out the hook. A freely bleeding fish should be kept for the pan.
• Revive the fish if it appears stunned or unconscious after a long struggle. Hold the fish in the water upright, heading up stream. Move the fish forward and backward so that the water runs through the gills. This is artificial respiration and may take a few minutes. When it revives, begins to struggle and tries to swim away, and then release it.