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Conservation · 4 min read · Free

Catch and Release: How to Handle Fish Safely

Best practices to land, handle, unhook, and release fish so they survive and swim away healthy.

Catch and release helps keep fisheries healthy, and it lets anglers enjoy the same waters year after year. But releasing a fish only helps if the fish survives. Rough handling, long fights, and time out of water can injure fish in ways that are not visible when they swim off.

This guide covers practical, research-supported practices that give released fish the best chance of survival.

Before you catch a fish

  • Use gear strong enough to land fish quickly rather than exhausting them.
  • Consider circle hooks for bait fishing; they usually hook fish in the mouth rather than the gut.
  • Pinch down barbs with pliers to make unhooking faster and easier.
  • Have pliers and a rubber-mesh net ready before you cast.

Landing the fish

Play the fish efficiently and bring it in without a long fight, which builds up lactic acid and stress. Use a rubber or knotless net, which is gentler on the fish's protective slime coat and fins than knotted nylon. Small fish can be swung in if the line is strong, but try to avoid dropping them on hard surfaces.

Handling, step by step

  1. Wet your hands before touching the fish to protect its slime layer.
  2. Keep the fish in the water or in the net in the water whenever possible.
  3. Support the fish's body horizontally, one hand under the belly, if you lift it.
  4. Never squeeze the fish or put fingers in its gills.
  5. Limit time out of water to a few seconds, roughly as long as you can hold your own breath comfortably.

Removing the hook

  1. Use needle-nose pliers or a hook remover.
  2. Grip the hook shank and back it out opposite the direction it went in.
  3. If the fish is hooked deep in the throat or gut, cut the line as close to the hook as possible. Leaving the hook usually causes less harm than digging it out.
  4. Work quickly and gently.

Taking photos

Have your camera ready before the fish is out of the water. Lift the fish just above the surface, supporting it horizontally, take a quick photo, and return it. Avoid laying fish on hot boat decks, rocks, or dry sand.

Reviving and releasing

  1. Hold the fish upright in the water, facing into gentle current if there is any.
  2. Do not move it rapidly back and forth; let water flow over the gills naturally.
  3. Wait until the fish holds itself upright and swims out of your hands under its own power.
  4. Release it in calm water away from strong current.

Special situations

  • Hot weather: warm water holds less oxygen. Fight fish quickly and keep them wet; consider fishing early in the day.
  • Deep water: fish pulled from depth can suffer barotrauma. Some regions recommend descending devices; follow local guidance.
  • Fish bleeding from the gills: survival is less likely; keep it if legal, otherwise release gently.

Deciding to keep fish

Keeping legal fish to eat is part of fishing too. If you keep fish, follow size and bag limits, dispatch them quickly and humanely, and keep them cold. Catch and release is a choice, and regulations sometimes require it.

Teaching kids to release fish

Good release habits also set an example for other anglers on the water. When people see you handling fish carefully, keeping them wet, and releasing them quickly, they are more likely to do the same, and the whole fishery benefits for years to come.

Children love catching fish, and catch and release is a great way to teach respect for wildlife. Show them how to wet their hands, keep the fish low over the water, and let an adult remove hooks until they are ready. Make releasing the fish part of the fun by counting how quickly it swims away. Using barbless hooks and small, simple rigs makes the process quicker and safer for both the child and the fish, and builds good habits that last a lifetime of fishing.

Gear checklist

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Safety tips

  • Watch for sharp teeth, spines, and gill plates on fish like pike, walleye, and catfish.
  • Keep fingers away from treble hooks on a thrashing fish.
  • Use a jaw spreader or long pliers for toothy species.
  • Clean any hook or fin wounds promptly to avoid infection.

More in our fishing safety guide.

Frequently asked questions

Do released fish survive?
Most do when handled quickly and gently, though survival depends on species, temperature, and hook location.
Should I remove a deep hook?
No. Cut the line close to the hook to reduce injury.
Are barbless hooks better?
They make release faster and easier, and many anglers land fish just fine with them.
Can I hold a fish vertically?
Small bass can be held briefly by the lower jaw, but support larger fish horizontally.

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