Safe Fish Handling Techniques (To Take The BEST Fishing Picture)
- By: Matthew Lanier
- on
You should ALWAYS be practicing safe fish handling techniques whenever you need to touch a live fish.
Of course, some fish you will want to pose with for a picture to capture that memory.
But, you’ve got to know how to handle that fish and get it back in the water safely to preserve the future of our fisheries.
Learn more in the video!!
Safe Fish Handling Techniques [VIDEO]
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While it is important to get that PERFECT fish picture, it is beyond crucial to handle these fish with care and get them back into the water quickly.
As I am out on the water just about every day, I’ve come up with a way to take effective fish pictures while also releasing fish in a timely and safe manner.
In this example, I hooked into a solid redfish right off of a shoreline with flooded tall grass.
I saw it digging around in the mud so I tossed over the F.R.E.D. the Ned Rig and held on!
This fish was feisty and put up quite the fight.
If a fish spends longer than usual giving you a tough fight, be sure NOT to take that fish out of the water the second you are able to get your net on it.
Try and leave the fish in the water.
You do not want the fish to thrash around and cause issues, and further, you don’t want to deprive that fish of oxygen after it exhausted itself in the fight.
Now that the fish is under control in your net, you can go ahead and wet your hands and ready other supplies to take a picture and remove the hook.
Don’t keep the fish out of the water any longer than it needs to be.
Go ahead and get your camera ready while the fish is still in the water.
Personally, I don’t take the fish out of the water until my camera is set up and I’m 100% ready for a picture.
Now you can take the fish out of the net, take your hero picture, and remove the hook.
I like to set my phone to a 5-second timer and take a few pictures before releasing the fish.
In total, the fish spends about 45 seconds out of the water.
All that’s left is to revive the fish if needed, and let them go on their way!
With this technique, the fish are often ready to swim right off and onto the next meal!!
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Practicing safe fish handling increases the health and longevity of the species we ALL enjoy targeting and catching.
Have your equipment ready and handy before you head out on the water.
Oh, and be sure to keep the fish in the water for as long as possible!!
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Again, good stuff Matt! I’m new to all this. Could you tell me about the gear that holds your phone for the picture?
Good stuff Matt. I’m sure it’s been done in the past but I’d like to see a video demonstrating proper handling of sea trout, the most delicate of our inshore species. I see so many videos of people manhandling trout and know their chances of survival a very low after being held with the death grip most folks use to handle trout.
Great tips, Matt! I have gotten to the point that I don’t take many pics, unless the fish is of some size, like an over slot red. For the fish that don’t get a photo, I don’t even get them out of the water, unless hooked difficult. The less stress on the fish the better….
Awesome tip on fish handling and getting that perfect pic with a phone.
Thanks Davis! Wea appreciate you watching!
Have you ever tried using the voice commands with the GoPro or the remote for the GoPro? I’m thinking it might be quicker than setting up a separate phone or camera?
I do have the gopro running and I have the ability to grab still pictures from video, but most people don’t have that ability.
This is for those that may only have a phone on board.
Great suggestion though!
Great video Matt! Solid tips in there!
Thanks Pat!
Yes bro!!! 🎣🤙🏼
🫡🫡🫡
What is that yellow float setup you have on your phone?
It’s actually a gopro float I just clipped to my phone. lol
I have it on a small bungee. In case my phone goes over the side, it won’t sink.
Good eye!
I personally dig the refreshers Matt, thanks man!
Thanks for watching Jamie!
Great tips on handling fish. Everyone who fishes should take a minute to learn.
Something we all can use a reminder of from time to time.
Thanks for watching Horace!