catch and release done right

it starts with the gear

A fight that's too long exhausts the fish. Muscle builds up lactic acid and, in warm water, post-release mortality rises. Use gear that lets you bring the fish in firmly and quickly.

handling: less time out of water

Fish breathe through water. Every second in air counts, and their skin is protected by a mucus layer that comes off easily.

1. If you can, unhook the fish while it's still in the water.
2. If you must lift the fish out of the water, wet your hands before touching it.
3. Control it with the boga (lip gripper) and support the belly with your other hand. Don't hang a heavy fish vertically by the mouth.
4. Never hold it by the gills or squeeze the belly or eyes.
5. Don't put the fish on the hot, dry deck or on sand. Use a wet mat.
6. Deep-hooked (throat or stomach): cut the line close to the mouth and leave the hook. Survival chances are better than when you rip it out.
7. Simple rule: out of water, only as long as you can hold your breath. The less, the better.

quick photo

The photo is part of the fishing. Take it without costing the fish its life.

1. Get your camera, angle and photographer ready before lifting the fish out of the water.
2. Lift the fish horizontally, one hand at the mouth or on the boga and the other under the belly.
3. Take the photo in a few seconds and return the fish to the water. If you want another shot, put the fish back in the water between shots.
4. For very large fish, such as pirarucu (arapaima), jaú and grouper, photograph them in the water.

barotrauma in deep-water marine fish

Bottom fish such as grouper, badejo, pargo, cioba and ariacó, brought up from more than about 10 m, suffer barotrauma: the swim bladder gas expands as they rise. Signs: stomach protruding from the mouth, bulging eyes, swollen belly and a fish floating and unable to descend. Released like this, it dies at the surface or becomes prey.

1. Work quickly: the less time at the surface, the better.
2. Use a descending tool (descender): a weight with a clip or a barbless hook that grips the fish by the mouth, takes it back down to the bottom and releases it there with a tug on the line.
3. Descend to near the depth of capture or, at minimum, to halfway down. The pressure recompresses the gas.
4. Don't puncture or push back the stomach protruding from the mouth.
5. Venting with a needle (puncturing the side to release gas) should only be done by trained people, with a proper hollow needle at the right spot. If in doubt, use the descending tool.

revival and release

Don't toss the fish into the water. Return it calmly and wait for it to show it's ready.

1. Hold the fish in the water, in a normal position, with its head facing the current, so water enters the mouth and passes over the gills.
2. In still water, move the fish slowly forward. Never pull it backward.
3. Support the belly and lightly hold the mouth or the base of the tail.
4. Wait for the gills to pump firmly and the tail to kick.
5. Release it when it wants to swim off on its own. If it rolls on its side, recover it and try again.
6. Large fish and warm water need more time. A few minutes is normal.

when not to release, and when release is mandatory

The decision to release or keep follows both rules and common sense.