How do you release your fish?

[JoeOverlock]

What's the best way to release a fish?

[Uplander]

Wet hand is sufficient for the little brook trout I fish for.

[bscanman]

Two different questions-How do you release your fish? or Best way to release a fish?

How do you (me) release your fish? Depends. I love taking pictures of fish and the surrounding environment while I'm fishing. If I'm worried that I overplayed a fish then it's a quick twist of the fly and he's gone. If he came in quick, the water is nice and cold and he's too beautiful to pass up-I'll take a picture if I've got the camera, which I usually do. Sometimes I'll cradle him in
my wet hand, lay him in shallow water, or wet moss, gravel or rocks then get him back in the water. Depends on what's available at the time. There was a pretty heated discussion about this on another flyfishing site that I frequent that discussed taking fish pictures. In my opinion overplaying a fish (especially in warm water conditions) causes a lot more damage than limited handling.

Best way to release a fish? Play it quick, ketchum release or fly twist with the fish never leaving the water.

[jlibs]

Personally, I prefer to cut Joe's line and let the fish swim away with his favorite fly.

JLIBS

[Uplander]

Humane release of a fish is definitely important when one is practicing catch and release. However, we should never forget that fishing is, in fact, a blood-sport at its heart. Endeavoring to remove any and all traces of the baser, visceral aspects of fishing serves to further remove us from the realities of Nature than our cosseted modern life already does. Every once-in-awhile, a little fish-slime and blood on our hands is good for us. It serves to remind us that both life, and death, are part of the natural rhythm of existence.

[AgMD]

I carry a net but when I can I just reach down and slip the hook out with out taking the fish out of the water. Sometimes I do need to use the wet hand method,( when held belly up they don't struggle) and sometimes with a really agressive large fish I will resort to the net. Do nets injure fish? Ever watch the hatchery folks scoop the fish out of the truck and dump them into the water? Yup -- they use nets.
Last month I made my first attempt at "tailing" a LL Salmon. After three totally incompetent tries , I used the net. The next day one of the locals told me the secret is a light , thin cotton glove and thumb and index finger toward the tail. not the other way around as I was trying ( naturally). Just wait untill next year!
AgMD

[jed]

I also carry a katchem release tool which is great for removing hooks with a minimum of touching.

jed

[JoeOverlock]

jed said:

I also carry a katchem release tool which is great for removing hooks with a minimum of touching.

jed

I've seen that tool in the catalogs. Does it work better then a surgical clamp?

[strbender]

Newbie here! I was a lurker until now. I also have a Katchem Release. I hope to get better at using it. I tried it with a Muddler Minnow but it was a struggle. I don't think it's intended to be used with something that big.
Happy Thanksgiving to all

Steve