Common Myths of Catch and Release
Let’s go over a few quick myths of catch and release so we don’t make the mistake of thinking we did a good job, but likely sent the fish off to his death.
MYTH 1 – THE FISH SWAM OFF SO HE’S OK
This is a big fat lie. Over 90% of fish mortality happens after the fish swims off. I’ve seen fish released by people only to see the fish belly up 2 hours later. This is why we need to practice the best technique in catch and release every time because once we let go of that fish if we didn’t do our job right, the chances of survival are thin.
MYTH 2 – HE WAS ONLY ON THE ROCKS or bank FOR A MINUTE
I know most of you don’t “usually” take the fish out of the water let alone place them on the rocks, but if you’re fishing C&R having the fish out of the water and onto anything is terrible for them and reduces their chances to live substantially every second they are out of the water. Never put the fish on rocks or on dry grass on the bank to unhook or take a photo. The lack of oxygen and the slime loss drastically reduce the chance of survival.