FISHING

Catch & Release
Although a fresh fish dinner can be the
climax of a great fishing trip, more and
more anglers have come to realize that
quality fish populations can only be maintained
if catch and release angling is practiced. This is
particularly the case for large gamefish that are
typically rare in a population and usually take
an extended time to grow to a quality size. With
the advent of fiberglass fish mounts, it is no longer
necessary to kill a trophy to get it mounted.
Before releasing your trophy, take a photograph
of it and measure its length and girth. Take this
information to a taxidermist and they can produce
an accurate, long-lasting replica of your
catch. To ensure that the fish that you release
have the best chance of survival, please follow
these guidelines:
1. Quickly play and land the fish that you catch.
Using light tackle is challenging to the angler,
but can result in an exhausted fish that may
not be able to recover.
2. Avoid catch and release fishing for thermally
stressed trout. Survival of released trout substantially
decreases as the water warms to
70°F and higher.
3. Have the necessary tools in convenient reach,
so that you can rapidly remove the hook.
4. Minimize the length of time that the fish is
out of the water. Handle and unhook the
fish in the water.
5. Avoid contact with the gills. Do not squeeze
the fish or handle by the eye-sockets. Minimize
a fish’s contact with dry surfaces. Wet
hands before handling to avoid removal of
the fish’s protective slime coat.
6. Anglers catching large members of the pike
family should remember to always hold the
fish horizontally (preferably in the water). When
fish with long bodies such as these are held
vertically, the weight of their internal organs
can cause them to shift to the rear of their
bodies, often resulting in irreparable harm.
7. Do not jerk hooks out of a deeply hooked
fish. Instead, cut the leader close to the eye
of the hook.
8. Consider using barbless or circle hooks.
Circle hooks, when used properly, usually
ensure that the fish is hooked in the mouth
and are particularly good for fishing with bait.
9. Avoid culling fish. Anglers keeping fish in
livewells should be sure to keep oxygen
levels high and water temperatures below
75°F. Additional information on avoiding fish
injury in livewells and at tournaments can be
found at http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/
bassmaster/conservation.
10. Fish caught in deep water may be injured by
rapid pressure change and may suffer from an
expanded swim bladder. To minimize these
problems, a moderate retrieve rate should
be employed to ensure that the fish has an
opportunity to adjust to the change in pressure.
Depending on the fish species, there
are techniques that may be helpful if your
fish suffers from an expanded swim bladder
that prevents it from swimming properly. Go
to www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/9224.html for a
discussion of these techniques.
New York State
Environmental
Conservation
Police Q&A
Q: If DEC stocks fish in a stream, a portion
of which is private, do I have the right
to fish for these fish on private land?
A: No. Many stocked streams have both
private and public segments. Although
fish are typically stocked only in segments
open to the public, the fish can
swim into private sections. In these
circumstances, unless DEC has purchased
public fishing rights (PFR) from
the landowner, you must ask permission
of the landowner to legally fish on
private land. PFR segments are posted
with yellow signs.
Q: If I spend multiple days fishing in
New York, may I transport more than
the legal daily limit when I return to my
home state?
A: You may transport twice the daily
limit for fish such as trout, black bass
and crappie that have a daily catch limit.
There are exceptions for processed
and packaged fish or when a permit
has been obtained from a DEC regional
office. However, live fish may not be
transported in excess of the legal
daily limit and may not be stocked into
another waterbody.
Toll-Free 24-Hour DEC Dispatch
Center: 1-877-457-5680
Release Guidelines
for Muskellunge,
Pike and Pickerel
All members of the pike family tend to
be very intolerant of handling. Please
follow the following guidelines to
reduce the stress on the fish you catch:
• Never play your fish to exhaustion.
• If at all possible, do not remove your
fish from the water.
Release your fish in the water
where its body is supported.
• Never hold a fish by the eye sockets
or gills.
• If you intend to release your fish,
never hold it vertically as this can
put unnecessary strain on body tissues
and vertebrae that can lead to
its death. If you must hold it out of
the water, hold it horizontally with
one hand cradling its belly.
• Remember—chain pickerel, northern
pike, muskellunge and tiger
muskellunge can all grow to record
proportions in New York waters, but
only if you release the intermediate
size fish that you catch.
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