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CAREFUL ANGLERS THINK ABOUT THE FISH THEY KEEP AND THE FISH THEY RELEASE. Both keeping and releasing are done for fun and sport. But they are done carefully, legally and in a way that helps fish populations thrive. The key to healthy fish populations is successful spawning. If we kill too many fish before they can spawn, we doom ourselves to poor fishing in the future. We have size limits to allow fish to grow to spawning age and creel limits to make sure that they aren't all killed as soon as they get there. Honoring fishing regulations is part of being a careful angler. But, while releasing any fish helps, it is usually the biggest fish that are the most valuable spawners and the hope of future anglers. Released fish continue to spawn, contributing to the spawning stock biomass, and improving fish populations in the longer term. Being careful about your catch includes sometimes releasing the larger fish you catch to preserve their spawning ability. Releasing a beautiful fish is often more enjoyable than keeping one.

THE BENEFITS OF RELEASING FISH ALIVE ARE WIDELY RECOGNIZED. Numerous studies of freshwater fisheries have shown that most fish survive catch and release. Bait caught fish typically suffer a much higher hooking mortality than fish caught on flies and lures. At least 1 out of 3 fish caught with bait will die after release. Over 60% of deep hooked fish die. Cutting the line on deep hooked fish and not trying to remove the hook increases survival significantly. The major cause of hooking mortality is hooking injury itself. Most fish that are bleeding from being hooked will not survive. Generally 9 out of 10 fish caught on flies or lures will survive after release. Studies have shown that there is only a 1 - 2% difference in the survival of fish caught on flies compared to those caught on lures. When fishing deep water (deeper than 30 feet) most fish caught cannot be released with any assurance that they will survive. Bringing fish up quickly causes blood chemistry changes as well as an expansion of the air bladder to many times it's normal size, often causing it to protrude out of the fish's mouth. Keeping the fish in the water and quickly releasing it so it can get back down to deeper water helps some.

WHY FISH DIE:

Exhaustion - The fight is tough on the fish. It can upset the fish's chemical balance if it lasts too long.
Loss of Slime - Fish have a slime coating, which seals out infection. Rough handling can destroy this protection.
Time out of the Water - As long as it is out of the water, a fish can't breathe or restore its chemical balance.
Wounds- Anglers can do a lot to minimize the damage of hook wounds both before and after the fish is hooked.

WHY RELEASE FISH:

-A fish is too valuable a resource to be caught only once.
-A personal commitment to conservation adds fun to fishing.
-Size, season, and bag regulations make release mandatory.
-Stressed fish populations need your help to recover.
-The future of sportfishing is in your hands. Pass it on!

HOW TO BEGIN:

-Decide to release a fish as soon as it is hooked.
-Land your quarry quickly; don't play it to exhaustion.
-Set the hook immediately. Try to prevent a fish from swallowing the bait.
-Work a fish out of deep water slowly, so it can adjust to the pressure change.
-Always keep release tools handy.

CHOOSING YOUR TACKLE:

-Use strong line to bring your catch in quickly.
-Fish caught with flies or lures survive at a higher rate than fish caught with bait.
-Use hooks appropriate to the size of the fish.
-Use steel hooks that will rust out, avoid stainless steel hooks.
-Flatten the barbs on hooks or using single, instead of treble, hooks on lures

HANDLING YOUR CATCH:

-Land your fish as carefully and quickly as possible.
-Fish can not remain healthy out of water for longer than you can hold your breath.
-Leave the fish in the water (if possible) and don't handle it.
-Do not let fish flop about in shallow water, on the ground, or in the bottom of your boat.
-Net your catch only if you cannot control it any other way.
-When you must handle a fish; use wet hands or a wet glove or rag to hold it.
- Turn a fish on its back or cover its eyes with a wet towel to calm it.
- Don't put your fingers in the eyes or gills of your catch.
- Avoid removing the mucous or scales.
- Get the fish back in the water as quickly as possible.

REMOVING THE HOOK:

-Cut the line close to the mouth if a fish has been hooked deeply or if the hook can't be removed quickly.
-Back the hook out the opposite way it went in.
-Use needle-nose pliers, hemostats, or a hookout to work the hook and protect your hands.
-Do not jerk or pop a leader to break it. This damages vital organs and kills the fish.

THE FINAL MOMENTS:

-Place the fish in the water gently, supporting its midsection and the tail until it swims away.
-Resuscitate an exhausted fish by moving it back and forth to force water through its gills.
-Watch your quarry to make sure it swims away. If it doesn't, recover the fish and try again.
-If a fish can't right itself in the water it probably won't live.

REMEMBER A RELEASED FISH HAS AN EXCELLENT CHANGE OF SURVIVAL WHEN HANDLED CAREFULLY AND CORRECTLY.