Be gentle with that release

We’ve been talking fishing and fishing regulations the last few weeks. Before I venture off in another direction, I’d like to discuss a subject near and dear to my heart — and not necessarily in a good way.

The recently released additional king salmon restrictions for our area mandate a catch-and-release scenario for several of the most commonly fished Northern District drainages during some part of the fishing season. Many folks also want to release that too-small fish or perhaps a pink or chum salmon that bit when a silver was being targeted. Many trout fishers release all their wild-caught fish or most of the larger fish landed.

Catch-and-release can provide a lot of additional fishing opportunity while still protecting the vast majority of fish involved, but only if the practice is done correctly. That’s the rub I have — most people don’t know how to properly release a fish without doing significant damage to it prior to release.

How many of you have witnessed an angler hooking into a nice salmon and playing it for as much as 15 to 20 minutes before bringing it, totally exhausted, to the side of the boat or to the riverbank? If it’s a boat landing, chances are the net used has a knotted twine bag and the fish is hoisted out of the water and into the boat. While it is flopping around on the boat floor, the angler is using long-nose pliers to forcibly jerk the hook free from the jaw. The fish is then unceremoniously dumped back into the river with high-fives all around.

A large percentage of the time, that fish will roll belly up and slowly sink to the river bottom and die. The scenario is even worse if bait was used because, chances are, the fish swallowed the baited hook and the angler is tearing gill arches and other internal structures trying to free the hook. If the landing is on a riverbank, we’ve all witnessed the fish being dragged through the sand until it is fully coated. The angler may hold the flopping fish down with his foot while ripping the hook loose and then kick the fish back into the river. What are the chances that fish will survive?

I’ve painted a grisly picture of how the worst offenders practice catch-and-release, but I’ve actually witnessed these handling techniques. Usually, this nightmare angler takes great offense when you try to point out the error of his ways and he goes right on killing fish with his heavy-handed practices.

The Palmer Fish and Game office has a pamphlet available titled “Tips for Saltwater Catch & Release,” which presents the proper way to safely release a fish with minimal damage. These same procedures are equally applicable to freshwater fishing. First, use rods, reels and line strong enough to bring the fish in quickly; second, fish are much more likely to survive the encounter if caught on artificial lures or flies rather than with bait; and third, barbless hooks reduce injury and make a quick release easier.

Always land the fish quickly, don’t fight them to exhaustion. Use knotless or rubber mesh landing nets to reduce damage to the fish’s skin and mucus layer. Never gaff a fish intended to be released. When handling your fish, wet your hands before touching the fish; never squeeze the fish; keep your fingers away from eyes and gills; and take photos and measurements while the fish is still in the water. Under most situations, it’s illegal to remove a fish intended for release from the water in Alaska.

When removing the hook, begin with a barbless hook; use long-nose pliers to back the hook out of its entrance hole; if the fish is hooked deeply, cut the line near the hook; and, finally, remove the hook as quickly and gently as you can while keeping the fish in the water.

Once you are ready to release the fish, make sure it is able to swim off under its own power. If the fish is unable to do that, hold it upright and move it back and forth in the water, facing into the current, until it revives and swims out of your hands.

Personally, I’m not a big fan of catch-and-release, but when I must, these are the steps I try to follow. You should, too.

Howard Delo is a retired fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. You can leave him a message by emailing sports@frontiersman.com.