Landing & Releasing a Fish safely

I love fishing. The learning process never ends. It takes some time & no small effort to learn how to catch a fish but if you don't know how to handle a fish, you could potentially lose it too. I have lost countless fish because of my inexperience in landing & handling a fish.

Here are some tips on how to land & handle fish safely.

Always tire the fish first before attempting to land it, don't be hasty.

For fish less than 2kg toothless species, eg. tilapia, catfishes & croakers, hold on it's mouth & clamp it with your fingers to lift it up. Do it firm & swiftly.

 

For toothy fishes like Snakeheads, Pacu & some predatory fishes, best to haul it up with a net. Otherwise, a lip grip is often the next best solution.

Avoid hauling fish up solely with the leader & hook attached to it's mouth. It is very damaging to the fish.

Always use a pair of pliers to remove hooks. Use hand only if you are confident & the hook is barbless.

Always remember. Wet your hands first before handling fish. This is to prevent loss of slime which is needed by the fish as a protective coating. Also, find a patch of grass or soft sand to handle the fish. Doing so on rough ground would potentially injure it's scales & skin.

If you want to release fish, here is the proper way to do it.

Hold the fish horizontally with both hands.

Slowly walk down to the bank & dip the fish into the water.

If fish is still energetic, it will start to trash & kick, let it swim away by itself.

If fish is in shock & immobilized, gently rock it back & forth to awaken fish & push water into it's gills.