As a fishing finatic, I am a member of many fishing pages, and I am the admin of the australian_bass_finatics Instagram page. Keeping up to date on social media fishing pages is a great way to learn new fishing techniques and to get some tips and tricks on all things to do with fishing. However, over the years, I have seen lots of fish being poorly handled on social media, often without the angler in question knowing they are mishandling the fish.
Our sport of fishing is always under scrutiny from the public and from people with a certain political way of thinking who are not keen on catch and release fishing. As such, it is important as fisho’s that we always have best practice fish handling at the forefront of our minds once we have caught a fish. That way, we can ensure we do not give those politically minded catastrophisers any excuse to complain about the sport we are so passionate about. In turn, by handling fish correctly, it has one other major benefit: we get to improve the chance of the next generation of anglers, having the same opportunities we do to catch trophy sized fish.
THE SCIENCE - What Does The Science Tell Us About Poor Fish Handling?
There are roughly 47 billion fish caught by recreational anglers each year, and a staggering 60% of those fish are released.[1] That is, to put it bluntly, a hell of a lot of fish that are released by recreational anglers each year! That’s right guys, recreational anglers release more fish than they keep for the table! With those sorts of numbers, correct fish handling NEEDS to be at the forefront of each and every recreational angler’s mind when handling fish before releasing them back into the wild to live another day.
"There are roughly 47 billion fish caught by recreational anglers each year, and a staggering 60% of those fish are released."
In preparation for writing this article, I scoured the internet to find scientific articles which discuss the impacts of fish handling on the survival rates of fish. After many hours of reading scientific articles on fish handling (and I am no scientist), the following are what the articles state as the main factors impacting on the survival rates of fish after they are released by recreational anglers (known as “mortality rate”):
1. Lengthy exposure to air throughout the fish handling process (air exposure during dehooking, measuring, and photographing the fish). The effects of air exposure in fish causes the fish to suffer from “acute hypoxia” and can increase the chances of predation after release.[2] It is worth noting, the science is not clear on what is accepted to be the “minimum time” the fish should spend exposed to air and it seems to depend on the species of fish in question.[3] You could write a PHD on the mortality rates of fish once they have been exposed to air – but for ease: FISH EXPOSURE TO AIR IS BAD BECAUSE THEY BELONG IN WATER. As little as ten seconds of air exposure can increase mortality rates in fish.[4]
2. Contact with dry/hot surfaces.[5]
3. Poor fish handling. Lifting fish by the lips with the belly not being supported causes injury to the fish’s organs and vertebrae/spine.[6]
4. Lip gripping and the use of weighing devices can cause damage to the fish’s jaw when the weight of the fish is unsupported. In some circumstances, this can break the jaw of the fish or detach the tongue from the bottom of the fish’s mouth. Lip gripping injuries can result in the fish surviving for 48 hours after capture, but then succumbing to their injuries after this time once their ability to find food is impacted.[7]
5. Hooking injury (deep hooking/bleeding) – this is the primary factor impacting fish mortality after capture. [8]
6. Inexperienced/novice anglers are more likely to injure fish when dehooking fish.[9]
7. Once hooked, extended fight times cause fish stress. This is particularly evident when the fight lasts longer than five minutes but is more common in fights lasting longer than 20 minutes.[10] Fight time stressors are more common in species such as sharks, tuna, and billfish.[11]
8. Extended fight times can cause the fish to become entangled in fishing line or to be hooked by further hooks, increasing the chance of injury and then in turn, increasing the chance of mortality after release.[12]
9. Landing fish can bring the fish in contact with abrasive surfaces causing damage to the fish (the boat, the shore/sand/riverbed, and landing net).[13]
10. Handling of fish causes the fish to lose its natural slime which increases risk of fungal infections and mortality upon release. [14]
A big take away from the scientific material is that mortality rates increase in poorly handled fish 48 hours after the fish has been released – this is even the case if the fish swam off strong, seemingly unaffected by injuries or fatigue from being caught by the angler.
If fish are poorly handled, they might swim off strong and appear to be healthy, but the effects of poor handling causes a higher mortality rate after 48 hours.
There are three other terms you need to understand when it comes to the science surrounding catch and release fishing. These three terms are:
A. Barotrauma;
B. Thermal Shock; and
C. Lactic Acidosis.
Barotrauma:
Barotrauma is a condition mostly affecting fish caught in deep depths because once hooked and brought to the surface of the water, the swim bladder of the fish fills with gases which affects the fish’s ability to regulate its buoyancy. Typically, Barotrauma makes the fish float and unable to swim back down to deep depths. In extreme cases of Barotrauma, you will see the swim bladder expand so much it protrudes from the fishes mouth.[15]
Thermal Shock:
Thermal shock can occur in fish caught in deep depths when they are brought up through the water column. Fish caught in deep depths are used to being in water of a particular depth and temperature, but when caught, they are forced to experience dramatic and rapid changes to water temperature, resulting in suffering thermal shock.[16]
Lactic Acidosis:
Lactic Acidosis in fish is a term which refers to what the general fisho would basically refer to as “fish exhaustion”. When a fish fights to get away when they are hooked by an angler, their physical exertion builds up lactic acid in their muscles which has a negative impact on mortality rates when the fish over expends itself.[17] Fish that have experienced Lactic Acidosis in the fight to capture them, are more likely to be eaten by a predator, and this is especially the case for species such as bonefish which are notoriously one of the hardest fighting fish in the ocean.[18]
Not liking this article. Check out our "Top 7 Australian Bass Surface Lures" article.
Best Practice Fish Handling:
The big take away from the science literature surrounding catch and release fishing, is that poor fish handling upon capture can result in increased fish mortality after capture (the fish dying after it is released).[19] As recreational anglers, we need to do everything within our power to decrease the chances of the fish dying after a catch and release event.
The following are some tips and tricks to see anglers lower the chance of fish mortality when catch and release fishing:
1. Be prepared for when you do catch a fish. Have the camera ready and don’t keep the fish out of the water for too long. Keep the fish in the water when and where you can.
2. Do not bend the neck of the fish or bend out the gill rakers of the fish. Take care not to twist the spine of the fish unnaturally or hang the fish by the jaw because this makes the fish's vertebrae/spine take the full weight of the fish and will cause damage to the fish’s jaw or vertebrae/spine.
3. Fish with lures rather than bait. Fish caught on lures have a better chance of survival after release because they do not hook the fish as deeply down in the gills, as some bait fishing hooks and techniques.
4. Minimise the fish's contact with abrasive surfaces such as the shore/riverbed/landing net. We recommend handling the fish in the water and unhooking them in the water to minimise air exposure time. Where you use a landing net, ensure your landing net is of a suitable size for the targeted species, and that it is a landing net which is not going to damage the fish (e.g. use an enviro net where possible).
"We recommend handling the fish in the water and unhooking them in the water to minimise air exposure time."
5. Landing nets allow fish to be kept in the water while preparing for dehooking and so you can get your camera gear ready, minimising air exposure time. Enviro nets minimise damage to the fish's slime and should be the preferred net choice for anglers.
6. When measuring fish on a brag mat, especially in hot environments, wet your brag mat first so the fish is not exposed to a hot surface.
7. Use fishing gear which is up to the fight of the fish you are targeting. Extended fight times will do nothing but wear the fish out (tire it) and increase the risk of death for the fish after release. Suitable tackle should be chosen from the outset. As an extreme example, do not use 6lb line on a 1000 sized reel when the usual tackle required for that same target species of fish is usually a 4000 to 5000 sized reel with 40lb to 50lb.
"Extended fight times will do nothing but wear the fish out (tire it) and increase the risk of death for the fish after release."
8. Keep any unwanted bycatch species or undersized fish in the water and dehook them in the water if possible. This will ensure the smaller sized fish, or unwanted species, are not subjected to any poor handling on the part of the angler.
9. Be wary of spikes. Many fish have spikes and gill rakers which will cause you a significant amount of pain if the fish thrashes and drives their spike or gill raker into your hand or arm. Trust us, we have had this happen many times. In our experience, the humble Aussie Bass is the one fish that seems to spike us more often than not. In our opinion, the Australian Bass’s spines and gill rakers pack more of a punch than the notorious dusky flathead. We find that if the dusky flathead’s gill rakers get you, the pain will often subside almost immediately, but if an Aussie Bass spikes you, you will feel that for days to come. Trust us, it is not good. Simply put, be mindful where you put your hands when handling fish.
10. Hook selection is key. Circle hooks are proven to minimise mortality in fish after capture, whereas J-hooks are known to hook fish deeply in the gut/gills and should not be used when fish are intended to be released.
11. Handle dangerous fish with care. Some fish have spikes that can cause more than a little pain, and some fish are even highly poisonous. An example of bycatch which can be caught when fishing, which packs one mighty punch if it stings you, is the stingray. Handle all stingray with care.
On the flip side of this, if a fish looks poisonous, it probably is, and extreme caution should be taken when deciding to handle poisonous fish. If you are not sure of the species of fish you catch, we recommend using plyers to dehook the fish and then not touching the fish with your skin to get it back in the water.
"Some fish have spikes that can cause more than a little pain, and some fish are even highly poisonous."
12. Clean wet hands minimise damage to the fish’s natural slime coating.[20] When handling fish, ensure your hands are free of sunscreen because sunscreen is known to cause greater chance of fungal infections after the fish has been released.[21]
13. Only use lip grips on fish with strong bony mouths because these species are less likely to be injured by the use of lip grips. Murry Cod would be a good example here. We still recommend lip gripping the toothy fish.
14. Use Pliers to dehook fish and have quick and easy access to them. Using pliers to dehook fish minimises dehooking time and exposure to air.
15. If fish are deeply hooked in the gut/gills, it is better to cut the line, leaving the hook in the fish because this mitigates the risk of further injury when the angler attempts to retrieve the hook.[22] Many studies have shown fish are capable of shaking/expelling the hook themselves which drastically increases their chances of survival over and above intervention from a surgical angler.[23]
If fish are deeply hooked in the gut/gills, it is better to cut the line, leaving the hook in the fish because this mitigates the risk of further injury from a surgical angler.
16. If a fish is exhausted after capture, it will be prone to predation (by sharks or other predators). Oxygenated live wells can be used store fish to assist the fish regain its energy levels. You should store the fish in a live well and then release the fish at a location with similar environmental factors as the location you caught it, but where the risk of predation is low.
17. Fish with bag limits and slot limits must be released if you catch a fish when you already have your full bag limit, or if the fish falls outside the slot limit, so specific care should be taken with these fish.
18. When it is hot (summer) and fish are holding in deep water, fish can be very at risk of thermal shock and targeting these fish will increase mortality rate. Murray Cod and Golden Perch found in dams, are some species which suffer terribly from thermal shock, and so during the summer months, anglers should be aware of this. In the summer months, we recommend not targeting fish holding deeper than ten metres in the water to avoid the fish suffering thermal shock.
"Murray Cod and Golden Perch found in dams, are some species which suffer from thermal shock, and so during the summer months, anglers should be aware of this."
19. If fish are caught in deep water and are suffering the effects of barotrauma, use of a fish release weight or venting of the air bladder, can help return fish to deep depths. Release weights allow the fish to rapidly recompress their swim bladder and it is the favoured technique over venting the air bladder.
20. Take the time to swim the fish after capture. If the fish is exhausted after a prolonged fight, swimming the fish by holding the lip of the fish with either your thumb or lip grips, and facings it’s head into the current of a river, or by gently pulling the fish in a figure eight motion with forward propulsion, will allow the fish time to let its exhaustion abate, allowing it the chance to recover before release.
A Guide To Best Practice Fish Handling Of Australian Bass:
As a passionate Australian Bass fishermen, I am a self-confessed Australian Bass Finatic, so it will come to little shock to you, for me to provide you with a guideline to follow when handling our bronzed up Aussie natives after capture.
Our TEN STEP GUIDE to best practice fish handling of Australian Bass will see you make a conscious effort to do the following:
1. Limit exposure to air at all costs.
The goal should be to expose the fish to less than ten seconds of air exposure. I understand this may seem daunting at first, but once you read the other best practices, you will begin to believe this is a realistic target. To limit exposure to air, we recommend you follow a simple rule of thumb – THE FISH SHOULD BE KEPT IN THE WATER AT ANY TIME POSSIBLE.
2. Catch fish using appropriate tackle.
Using appropriate tackle and hooks will minimise fight times and dehooking times. Lures are the preferred tackle to use when Australian Bass fishing. We would encourage you to use barbless hooks/crush the barbs on your hooks to minimise dehooking time.
3. Be prepared to catch a fish.
Have your camera and pliers easily accessible so when you catch a fish, the dehooking and photography process can be as quick as possible.
4. Dehook fish quickly.
Dehooking fish should be done quickly and in the water where possible.
5. Minimise air exposure when photographing fish.
There is no need to take 100 photos of a similar sized fish/the same fish. Australian Bass anglers should take one or two grip and grin style photos, with the rest of their photos being taken with the fish in the water if required. Take the time to learn the art of photography so this process is quick and painless.
6. Get in the water with the fish during the photography process.
Getting in the water with the fish allows you to swim the fish in amongst lifting it out of the water for the photo, minimising air exposure time.
7. Handle the fish with care.
Do not hang bass by the lips, support the belly of the fish when holding by the lip, wet down surfaces the fish comes in contact with, and do not place the fish on hot or abrasive surfaces.
8. Do not hang the fish by the lips with their body weight unsupported.
Although covered already, this one is worth repeating.
9. Take the time to swim the fish.
Swimming the fish before releasing it will minimise the effects of lactic acidosis (fish exhaustion) and predation after capture.
10. Release fish close to structure.
Releasing fish close to structure will minimise predation when the fish is exhausted because the fish will have the opportunity to rest up while using the structure as shelter from predators.
Summing Up:
Releasing fish that have been handled with care, will assist in the sustainability of our fish populations and will help to invalidate any concern from the public about our sport of fishing. Handling fish with care is the thing that each and every recreational catch and release angler should keep in their minds when fishing.
If we as anglers, do everything within our power to handle fish correctly to ensure they have the best chance of survival after capture, it will be a mighty good thing for the future of our fisheries and for the sport of fishing in general.
"If we as anglers, do everything within our power to handle fish correctly to ensure they have the best chance of survival after capture, it will be a mighty good thing for the future of our fisheries and for the sport of fishing in general."
We urge you to keep best practice fish handling in mind the next time you head out for a fish, so we can all help to make sure our released fish swim off strong, and more importantly, that they SURVIVE FOR THE LONG TERM.
After all, we all want to catch the fish of our lifetime, and best practice catch and release fishing is one hell of a good way to ensure each and every angler in Australia has the chance to tick their dream fish off their bucket list.
I would also like my future children, and my future children’s children, to have the same fishing opportunities I did, so they too, can catch the trophy fish they put on their fishing bucket lists. Best practice fish handling will be a step in the right direction of making that pipedream a reality.
The Finatic Blogger...
[1] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2018/4/18/keepemwet-fishing-published-as-journal-report [2] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2018/4/18/keepemwet-fishing-published-as-journal-report https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2015/12/8/fish-out-of-water-how-much-air-is-too-much [3] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2018/4/18/keepemwet-fishing-published-as-journal-report https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2015/12/8/fish-out-of-water-how-much-air-is-too-much [4] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2015/12/8/fish-out-of-water-how-much-air-is-too-much [5] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2018/4/18/keepemwet-fishing-published-as-journal-report [6] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2018/4/18/keepemwet-fishing-published-as-journal-report https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [7] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [8] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [9] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [10] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [11] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [12] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [13] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [14] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [15] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [16] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2015/12/8/fish-out-of-water-how-much-air-is-too-much [17] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2015/12/8/fish-out-of-water-how-much-air-is-too-much https://www.seagrantfish.lsu.edu/resources/factsheets/releasecatch.htm#:~:text=The%20vigorous%20physical%20exertion%20causes,72%20hours%20after%20the%20catch. [18] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [19] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [20] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [21] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [22] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics [23] https://www.keepfishwet.org/keepemwet-news-1/2017/1/6/best-practices-for-catch-and-release-recreational-fisheries-anglingtools-and-tactics
Took my time to read the article. Hats off to you for taking the time to educate other anglers whether beginners or on a higher level. That 1% can definitely improve our fishing for the future. Well done!