So true, they are fragile fish. I only trout fish if I'm willing and amble to keep them, because I've released a couple to have them swim away then go belly up. I try to lip hook them, and dehook them in the net in the water without touching them, but sometime they swallow the hook and I have to handle them.
Trout aren't that hard to release alive. I know that catching any fish has some mortality involved, but if you wet your hands, don't play them too much, keep them in the water with a rubber net, that you'll get decent results.
If you use live bait or powerbait then you might as well hit them on the head as they usually swallow it. If you are over the age of 12 of so you should be enough of a fisherman to catch them without bait, though.
If you use live bait or powerbait then you might as well hit them on the head as they usually swallow it. If you are over the age of 12 of so you should be enough of a fisherman to catch them without bait, though.
The release is possibly the most important aspect of safely handling these fish. You MUST hold them in the water until they regain their bearings and swim off. If they are floating around, you are probably just tossing 'em in the water instead of taking the time to let them figure out what's up and what's down. Holding the vertically doesn't help, either.
My experience with successful trout C&R has been this: never handle the fish with my hands, only have them out of the water for a quick picture if I want to record/document the fish, and when I do that I hold the spinner, not the fish. Then back in the water, unhook and release. Last weekend I released 6 newly stocked trout (the most fragile of state in my opinion) with 100% success.
Of course, I kept my first two for the grill-Delicious!
Of course, I kept my first two for the grill-Delicious!