>>964643Do what we do in the UK, we're very careful about fishing here. I'll give you 10 quick tips on fish care from my fav fishing book, "John Bailey's Complete Guide to Fishing".
I'll write down his 10 rules of fish care here:
1. Always wet your hands before touching a fish
2. Wherever possible, remove barbs from hooks. This makes unhooking 10 times easier.
3. If possible, do not use trebles on spinners but only a single hook.
4. Try, wherever possible, to unhook a fish in the water and let it go free without ever leaving its environment.
5. Think very carefully whether you need to land a fish in a net and take it away from the waterside for photography or weighing. Only do this for important specimens.
6. If a fish is tired after its struggle, support it gently in the shallows with its head facing up river so oxygen passes through its gills. This can take many minutes, so don't be impatient.
7. Never keep fish in a keep-net. They suffer both mental and physical discomfort- sometimes so great that death results.
8. Don't be greedy. If you think you have caught enough fish pack it in for the day and let them rest and recover.
9. Always make sure that a fish swims away from you as pristine as the moment you hooked it.
10. When game fishing, if you want to take a fish for the table, take a male rather than a female. This especially applies to a female salmon, who's eggs are so precious.
Our catch and release is very good in the UK as we love our fish and take much better care of them than you US guys. If you can, try and get the book I mentioned. It's absolutely great and has many tips on keeping fish safe and in good condition
