Catch,
Photograph & Release !!
Catch and Release - How to do it
Properly.
By
William D. Anderson
...
For bass and other fish that don't
have teeth capable of removing your
fingers, you can hold the fish by
their lower jaws, however larger fish
should be supported by their bellies.
Some catfish may not be able to puncture
your skin with their teeth, but the
bigger ones can certainly crush your
fingers to the point of breaking them.
There are devices available that allow
you to grab muskies, pike, and other
large fish that have teeth. One that
I've seen is similar to a towel that
wraps around the fish with a handle
at each end. This allows you to hold
the fish and keep your hands while
at the same time allowing the fish
to keep most of his protective mucous
coating.
The type of net you use makes a difference
too. Try to avoid netting a fish when
possible. But if you must, use a cotton
mesh net or something other than hard
nylon. Some have said that certain
rubber nets are ok too, but I've never
used one. Also, avoid the use of "knotted"
nets. These knots act like sandpaper
on a fish and can easily remove scales
or damage eyes. Another type of damage
occurs when the tissue between the
spines on the fins gets ripped. This
impairs the fish's ability to swim
properly. Never try to net a large
fish with a small net either. No matter
what the material, you'll do a lot
of damage if the net is too small
to properly accommodate the fish.
Prior to netting the fish, the way
he is played makes a difference too.
When a fish is hooked, he will fight
to free himself. This requires a great
deal of energy. When a fish fights,
he builds up lactic acid in his muscles
very quickly. This is similar to what
happens to us when we exercise. If
you've ever had sore muscles after
a workout then you understand what
I'm talking about. In fish, this build
up is highly toxic and can cause death
days later. To prevent this, avoid
'playing him out' and retrieve the
fish as quickly as possible.
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