Handling Trout for C&R

[MickyFinn]

You've probably seen some variation on this:

The guy cranks in a nice fish, then proceeds to handle it (plenty) with dry hands. (Guess he intended to keep those hip waders he was wearing dry for the duration.) Guy then tosses the fish back into the current and takes out a rag to wipe the slime off his hands.

At least it was C&R. Hopefully, the fish recovered.

I've been trying to get better with my own fish-handling. This seems to be a good discussion on the topic:

https://troutbitten.com/2019/05/29/how-to-hold-a-trout/

[Fishybig]

You've probably seen some variation on this:

The guy cranks in a nice fish, then proceeds to handle it (plenty) with dry hands. (Guess he intended to keep those hip waders he was wearing dry for the duration.) Guy then tosses the fish back into the current and takes out a rag to wipe the slime off his hands.

At least it was C&R. Hopefully, the fish recovered.

I've been trying to get better with my own fish-handling. This seems to be a good discussion on the topic:

https://troutbitten.com/2019/05/29/how-to-hold-a-trout/

Gr8 topic!! Landed a couple doz fish this weekend...didnt touch any of them..in the net , unhooked and released with the net....if I wasnt fishing alone , I might have handled a few for a quick pic....other than pictures, there is rarely a time when trout NEED to be handled...

[coaltrout]

For people not following good C&R methods (like even the basics), some of it may just be lack of awareness, but i know half of it is just not caring. Likely some people just dont care enough for conservation vs the way they've been fishing for years. And refuse to change.

[Rusty Spinner]

Modern rubber mesh nets make C&R so easy these days. That and a good pair of hemostats. As others said, there really is little need to ever handle the trout or other fish if your plan is to release it unharmed. As for when you do handle a fish, it takes but a mere second to get your hands wet before you touch their bodies.

[lightenup]

Modern rubber mesh nets make C&R so easy these days. That and a good pair of hemostats. As others said, there really is little need to ever handle the trout or other fish if your plan is to release it unharmed. As for when you do handle a fish, it takes but a mere second to get your hands wet before you touch their bodies.

I wet my hands when we took a picture of that Brookie...

[Drossi]

Most of the time with barbless flies they pop out as soon I net the fish. I use a rubber bagged net when fishing 2 fly rigs instead of just popping the hook out with the fish in the water like I do when fishing buggers, anybody care to guess why ?

[MickyFinn]

Yeah, those barbless hooks DO come out easily--sometimes before I get the fish to the net!! (Four out of five times today!!)

[joe_panella]

You've probably seen some variation on this:

The guy cranks in a nice fish, then proceeds to handle it (plenty) with dry hands. (Guess he intended to keep those hip waders he was wearing dry for the duration.) Guy then tosses the fish back into the current and takes out a rag to wipe the slime off his hands.

At least it was C&R. Hopefully, the fish recovered.

I've been trying to get better with my own fish-handling. This seems to be a good discussion on the topic:

https://troutbitten.com/2019/05/29/how-to-hold-a-trout/

Gr8 topic!! Landed a couple doz fish this weekend...didnt touch any of them..in the net , unhooked and released with the net....if I wasnt fishing alone , I might have handled a few for a quick pic....other than pictures, there is rarely a time when trout NEED to be handled...

This seems like the best way too do it and how I do it. The last fish I took a pic of on the ground was snapped by a buddy. It was out of the water for less than a minute and on thunderstorm drenched dirt. That was 5 years ago. I am not much of a picture guy but it was my first fish on bamboo.

[Troutman]

all my pictures & unhooking fish are now done in the net with fish partially or fully submerged now. Ever evolving into a better angler day by day 1 fish @ a time