Hooking Mortality of Trout: Barbed vs. Barbless

[damselfly]

Don,

The best way to handle a trout when releasing it is, of course, to not handle them at all if you can help it....however, if you have to handle them, my brother taught me to roll them over so they are upside down. This seems to keep them calm...remove the hook, roll 'em back and release.

works for me most of the time....

[Don]

Thanks Damselfly,

I will be fishing on the 12th and 13th this month. I will mostly be using barbless hooks as usual and I will make the attempt to use a net at least as possible. My goal is to get the fish to the top and skate it in as usual but get it into a position to finger the hook out of its mouth as fast as possible without it flopping away and breaking off.

I heard before that an upside down trout is immobilized most of the time. Do you grab the fish underwater and hold it underwater when you look to dislodge the fly? Or do you just slide your hand down the line to the fly, grab the fly, then dislodge without touching the trout. I've seen guys release fish very quickly without a net and I seem to think that most of that comes from experience. However, those individuals still had a large net on their back for the big one.

Thanks.....Don

[jOrOb]

You got me there Dano! I don't carry the net because I don't have anyplace to put it.

[damselfly]

Don,

If I can I will roll 'em over underwater and briefly lift them out of the water to dislogde the fly. I forgot to mention in my last post that there is also a little tool, 'ketchem release' (i think is what its called) and is good for small flies. With it you don't even need to touch the fish. there is a groove on the tool, slip the line through it and slide it down to the fly, a little pressure and the fly comes out -- most of the time!!! I have had times where I've had trouble doing this but I believe that to be 'cockpit trouble' more so than a design flaw of the tool....if you know what i mean!!!

[Bill Babler]

Myself, for less mortaility, I have been using streight florocarbon with no fly attached. I have not harmed a fish and Joque Coustoue has deemed me one of his favorite fishing guides.

Lets get a life.

[Don]

Down at Taney this evening, I brought in 4 trout. Each time I wanted to grab the net off my back, but each time I apprehensively reached down and slid my fingers down the last foot of line, grabbed the fly, and unhooked each trout immediately without breaking off for a change. Lucky me for now.

By the way, I'm neither pro or con about barbless or not barbless hooks, nets or no nets; mortality of trout lies in the hands of the beholder and how respectfully and efficiently they handle them. I'm just trying to learn how to not to use a net in order to eiliminate another step in the procedure.

Still kind of a lesbian in a man's body trying to get a life ,

Good Fishing.....Don