Fish Release Methods
Our reader, “Bill,” recently asked about the chances of a speckled trout living after being released. Here’s what what Larry suggested for a better survival rate. (edited for content)
There is no doubt that some trout, both large and small, die after being released. First of all, it’s important to note that a big speck’s chances of making it are dead-zero if it’s tossed into an ice chest. So any release is at least a step in the right direction.
We do, however, have to be realistic. It all boils down, to a large degree, to how the fish is handled. The less hand contact, the better.
Please let me emphasize, though, that if you are going to photograph a fish before release … something I do all the time … you should :
Always wet your hands before handling the fish, because dry hands remove the fish’s protective slime coating and leave it susceptible to fungal infections;
Keep the fish out of the water for as little time as possible, and don’t hesitate to even put it back in the water every 30 seconds or so if you need to change film, etc.;
If you’re not going to shoot a photo, simply pop the hook(s) free, with the fish still in the water, and therefore completely avoid hand contact, and
Upon releasing the fish, move it via hand in a forward direction in order to create a water flow through its gills and provide it oxygen. (Think about it; fish don’t swim backwards, so pulling one to and fro is in essence drowning it.) At the very least, keep a light grip on the tail and sway the fish right and left as you, again, move it in a forward direction to increase water flow through the gills.
A few other factors come into the release formula as well. For one thing, if a fish is hooked deep in the throat (which most commonly occurs when a fish is taken on small live bait, particularly shrimp on small treble hooks; larger baitfish on wide-gap single hooks have the opposite effect, with a very high percentage of fish jaw-hooked), cut the line and let it go with the hook intact. You’ll almost certainly kill the fish if you try to extract the hook. This, by the way, is the reason I am so adamantly opposed to the use of stainless steel hooks as opposed to those that will quickly corrode and “rust away” in a week or so.
Again, a fish taken on a live baitfish … croaker, pinfish, piggy perch, mullet, Black Salty baitfish, etc. … is usually taken on a wide-gapped hook that almost invariably protrudes through the jaw and very rarely goes deep.
Sadly, a topwater plug … one of my favorite weapons for assaulting big specks … can and often does inflict serious harm to speckled trout. Redfish are tougher critters, and can withstand a bit more in the handling department. But a trout, large or small, taken on a topwater … especially one with three hooks, for example, the Excalibur Super Spook … should be very carefully handled. Unfortunately, the barbs often end up alongside the gill plate or the pectoral fin, and they should be very carefully removed with a pair of pliers … something you should always have on hand, whether in your boat or on a wade-fishing belt.
Gerber multi-tool fishing pliers and similar all-in-one devices are extremely handy (I like the Gerber because of its elongated nose style, which is virtually custom-made for hook removal. Just be sure to tie ‘em on your belt; it’s all too easy to drop pliers in the water. Whatever brand you choose, use pliers to remove hooks from fish.
If you’re really serious about reducing topwater-induced damage, you can always go with barbless hooks. One of the things I like about the MirrOlure Top Dog, She Dog and Rapala Skitterwalk, by the way, is that … aside from being extremely easy to “walk” … the baits only have two hooks. There are times, however, when big trout prefer one bait over another. Whichever one you use, use it as responsibly as possible.
Finally, a BIG factor in the trout (and largemouth bass, for that matter) release equation: Water temperature. The hotter the water, the lower the dissolved oxygen content and the higher the probability of fungal infections and other contact-induced ailments. A big speck released in February or March has a considerably better chance of making it than one caught in July or August.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fish for big trout during hot-weather periods. Most of the fishing during that period is done with live baitfish on wide-gap single hooks, which at least allows the angler to pop the barb free while the fish is still in the water. With that style of release, I daresay a trout’s chances of survival after release … even in the heated waters of “dog day” summer months … are extremely good.
Again, they’re a heck of a lot better than the odds given a fish that is tossed into an Igloo. I keep fish on occasion, though not near as many as I used to. I found myself tossing out freezer-burned fillets, which made me sick, so I now only retain enough for two or three meals.
Plus, when I run out of fish I have a ready-made excuse for hitting the water again as soon as possible … not that I need one.
Howdy. I am 
