There is alot to be said about catch and release fishing.  Probably the number one tip that I’ve already mentioned is going with single barbless hooks, particularly when you are fly fishing for trout.  Many of the streams I fish have me catching anywhere from fifteen to fifty trout in a day, averaging about 9 inches in length all the way up to about 15 or more inches.  Catching that many trout in a day can have a huge impact on the population if you are not familiar with proper catch and release techniques.

So, we’ve already decided that we will be using barbless hooks here.  Now, what happens if the trout takes that fly back into its mouth a little too far.  Your fingers aren’t going to fit too far in there, and I’m not going to recommend that you put them in there either as this could easily break the jaws of a small trouts tender mouth.  Instead, you should have a pair of hemostats handy, clipped to your vest for easy access at all times.  Because the hook is barbless, it should just fall right out when you grab it with the hemostats.  Be gentle, and don’t try to force the hook out.  Twisting and turning it is only going to drive the hook in deeper.  It could also cause unneeded damage and tearing of the tissue in the fishes mouth.

quite quicklyWith proper care, there is no reason that we can’t have a highly successful day on the river without having to worry about fish we release dieing moments or hours after the fact due to stress or physical damage.  Most fly hooks break down quite quickly, so don’t hesitate to snip the fly off if it is embedded in a way that seems impossible to remove.  Sooner or later the hook will work its way out of the fishes mouth on its own.

Tight Lines!