Fly Fishing with Chris Dore

It is important to preserve resident fish populations by correctly handling, and releasing your catch. Unfortunatly, whilst many anglers practise catch and release, their handling of the fish leaves a lot to be desired.  

The above video was created by On The Fly Productions in conjunction with Fish and Game NZ to educate anglers on how better to respect the fish, and release them with the best chance of survival.

Always use a knotless, soft mesh net and ensure the mouth is wide enough to comfortably slip the fish into. Beaching the fish can work at times, but the fish must not be hauled across the rocks and should remain in the water at all times. Netting ensures the fish is secured correctly and often quicker than other techniques.

Always wet your hands prior to handling the fish to preserve the protective slime layer over their skin. Failing to do this can result in infection and illness.

Keep the fish in the water at all times - water should be running across the head and gills and preferebly the fish should be fully submerged. Lift the fish slightly to get your 'grip and grin' shot, but never too high or for a period longer than but a few seconds. Immediatly afterwards, the fish should be returned to the water.

Never squeeze the fish, especially around the stomach area, and avoid touching the gills at all costs. Never bend the fish as you will see in many 'hero' shots, for this can permanantly damage the spine.

Respect your prey. Ensure you use tippet and gear sufficient enough to land the fish quickly and carefully and know how to utilize rod angles to bring the fish to the net at the soonest. Prolonged fights dont make you a hero, just the opposite.

Chris