Fish Handling and Gear

Know Before You Go

• Decide beforehand which fish are to be kept and immediately release all others.
• Do not engage in a prolonged debate over whether or not to release a fish after it has been landed.
• Make sure you can identify the fish in your area, specifically the fish you are targeting. Have a resource to help you identify fish you are not familiar with, such as the Fishing Lines guide or a saltwater fish field guide.
• Always be aware of current regulations and know how to measure the fish you target. This minimizes handling time when determining whether or not you can keep the fish you caught.
• Use tackle heavy enough to bring the fish in quickly and avoid using multi-hook rigs or lures.
• If you have a treble hook, you can remove some of the hooks and flatten the barbs. This makes it easier to remove the hooks from the fish and causes less damage.
• Make sure you have all the proper tools and gear on your vessel before heading out for the day.

Check out the Saltwater Fishing Checklist for items you can use for a successful day on the water!

Photographs and Video

Capturing a catch on camera is a great way to share your experience with others and to create lasting memorabilia. 

It is okay to take a picture of a fish that is not allowed to be harvested while it’s in the process of being released, but it still must be let go immediately after. A fish should not be held out of the water for long periods of time just for the purpose of taking a picture.

Remember, when taking a picture of your catch, hold the fish horizontally and support its weight with both hands. This decreases the possibility of damaging the fish internally.

It is best to designate someone on the boat as the photographer, that way when an angler hooks up with a fish, the photographer is ready to go.

Whenever possible, take pictures of the fish while in the water. Tarpon should always be left in the water if they are more than 40 inches long. 

And remember, if you are releasing your catch… Practice CPR-Catch, Photo, Release!

What Causes Angling Mortality in Fish?

Fish may die after release for a variety of reasons. The most common causes of post-release mortality are physiological stress on the fish resulting from struggle during capture, injuries caused by the hook, and mishandling of the fish by the angler. Unfortunately, some fish may die after release even though they appear unharmed and despite efforts by the angler to revive the fish.

Fish that struggle intensely during capture are usually exhausted and stressed from the accumulation of excessive amounts of lactic acid in their muscles and blood. The stress of capture may be more severe for larger fish such as tarpon, therefore, using the proper weight-class tackle, landing your catch quickly, and releasing the fish as quickly as possible increases the fish’s chance of survival. Bringing an exhausted fish out of the water is like asking a triathlon winner to jump back in the water and hold their breath - they both need oxygen to recover!

If you have caught a fish that you do not intend to keep or that cannot be harvested, follow the steps below to increase the chances the fish you release will survive.

Barbless Hooks

Using barbless hooks while fishing is an easy way to give all fish that you release a better chance of survival, since removing a barbless hook is much easier and faster than removing a barbed hook. And the less time you spend handling a fish and keeping it out of the water, the greater its chances of survival.

Crimp the barb on any hook to make the hook barbless. A pair of pliers or small hand crimper should work to flatten a hook’s barb. Or you can use a bench crimper for larger hooks.

You’ll provide the greatest conservation benefit when you use barbless circle hooks that are non-offset and non-stainless steel.

Watch this video to learn about barbless hooks and how to make them.

Non-stainless-steel Hooks

Using non-stainless-steel hooks (steel and bronze) increases survival rates of fish. If these hooks cannot be removed from the fish, they should rust and deteriorate sooner than stainless-steel and cadmium or nickel-plated hooks. They are also less toxic.

Multi-hook Lures

If you use lures with multiple sets of treble hooks, remove one or two of the hooks. Also cutting off one of the three points from the remaining sets of trebles makes it easier to recover the lure from the fish.

Photos courtesy of Florida Sea Grant

Dehooking Tools

Dehooking tools are designed to remove a hook from a fish without the hook being re-engaged. They also allow anglers to release fish quickly with minimal handling, which can increase a fish’s chance of survival. Dehooking tools come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit the need of the angler. Remember, even a pair of needle nose pliers is considered a dehooking tool.

Dehooking tools should match to the angler, the fish being targeted, and the vessel. If an angler is fishing from a boat with a high gunwale, the dehooking tool may need to have a longer “shaft”. If being used on a kayak, a shorter dehooking tool should be used.

If targeting fish with large teeth, spines or sharp barbs, use a long dehooking tool to keep hands and fingers out of harm’s way. Watch this video to learn how to use a dehooking tool. If a fish is gut hooked, cut the line as close to the hook as possible to avoid further damage to internal organs. 

Dehooking tools are required in some areas. Learn more about gear requirements. 

Photo courtesy of Florida Sea Grant

If the fish doesn't immediately swim away or it is lethargic or erratic, some "resuscitation" may be needed.

Revive exhausted but otherwise healthy fish by first placing the fish in the water, one hand under the belly, and the other hand holding the bottom lip or tail. If the vessel is anchored, point the fish head-first into the current to gently force water through the mouth and over the gills. If the vessel is not anchored or there isn’t a current, hold the fish in the water alongside the boat and gently nudge the boat into gear, forcing water through the gills of the fish. If an angler is fishing from a non-motorized vessel, such as a kayak, place the fish in the water, hold its front lip, (you can use a gripping tool if the fish has teeth), and move the fish in a figure “8” motion.

Never move the fish back and forth in the water. This will not allow water to flow properly through the gills of the fish!