Fishing Tips

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Catch, Photo & Release

Maintaining a resource for future generations.

Please note while this may not always be possible, WCF recommends you use this technique as much as you can.

Catch, Photo Release Tips:

1. Dont fight your fish any longer than necessary.
   Allowing your battle with a fish to continue when it is not necessary places more strain on the fish.
2. Keep your hands wet when handling the fish.
   If you handle a fish with dry hands it can cause some of the protective coating on the fish's skin to come off.This coating is designed to protect fish from disease. Wet hands reduce this risk and can actually make it a little easier to handle your catch.
3. Keep the fish vertical when holding it by the jaw.
   If you are going to hold your fish by the jaw (also called "lipping") be sure to keep the body in a straight up and down position. Do not attempt to hold the fish at a 45 degree angle or in a horizontal position by the jaw alone. If you want a horizontal shot of the fish, use your other hand to support it under the belly and take stress of the jaw. Bigger fish especially can end up with damaged or broken jaws if they are held without belly support.
4. Use needle nose pliers to remove hooks.
   Pliers or smilar tools allow you to remove hooks with better control and limit your "hands on " contact with the fish. Fish that are barely hooked or hooked in the lip can usually be freed with your hand, but its a good idea to always have a pair of needle nose pliers for those harder to reach hooks.
5. Use your best judment with swallowed hooks.
   If your fish has swallowed the hook it may be best to simply cut the line as close to the hook as possible and let the fish go. Trying to horse a deeply swallowed hook out of a fish can end up doing more harm than good.
6. Take photos as quickly as possible.
   Most people want a photo of that trophy fish and we encourage you to take your camera or video recorder afield with you. Just dont make the photo session an all day affair. Once you have the hook removed, make it a priority to get some quick shots and release the fish. This is much easier if you are fishing with a friend. Photos not only make for good memories , but they allow you to have a fiberglass replica made of that special fish.

Good fishin and tight lines!
Thanks from everybody at Westcoastfishing.com