Catch and Release2

Atlantic Salmon Federation
PO Box 5200, St Andrews, NB E5B 3S8
P.O. Box 807, Calais, ME 04619-0807 USA

http://www.asf.ca/release/index.html

Techniques for Live Release

Knowing your river, knowing the wild Atlantic salmon

• Catch & Release takes angling to a new level of understanding the river and the water conditions. It is knowing that high water temperatures and low water levels are particularly stressful to Atlantic salmon. It is taking that into account when you fish, and how you treat the fish on the end of the line.

Playing the wild salmon

• An Atlantic salmon on the end of that line is under stress and it is important not to play the fish to utter exhaustion. Severe exhaustion reduces the salmon's odds of surviving.

Bringing the Atlantic salmon in

• An exhausted fish needs help. Support the salmon underwater in a natural position facing the current, handling it as little as possible. Give it time to recover. The goal is for the wild Atlantic salmon to swim away on its own. Keep the salmon in the water. Like an athlete having just completed a major race, this fish needs all the oxygen it can get from the water passing over its gills.
• The goal is for the wild Atlantic salmon to swim away on its own.

Removing the hook from the wild Salmon

In quiet water, bring the wild salmon quickly within reach. Leaving the salmon in water and without squeezing it, remove the hook carefully with pliers or thumb and forefinger. If necessary, cut the leader near the fly and spare the fish. Check out the short video on bringing in the fish.

 

 

Photographing the wild Atlantic salmon

 

• Plan Photographs Ahead. Check out our page on photographing wild salmon before releasing them.
• Got a good image you want to share? Email us a digital image and a note to let us use it.

 

Measuring your wild Atlantic Salmon

• Salmometer - Print off a copy of our Salmometer, to determine the weight of your Atlantic salmon Click
• Weighing Website - Ally Gowans has a web page with a measuring formula to check.  

Tools

Barbless hooks Barbless hooks or hooks with the barbs pinched are easiest to remove. Flatten barbs with pliers. See video       Knotless Nets Try Not to use a net, since it may damage the protective skin of the wild Atlantic salmon, leaving it more susceptible to water-born diseases, and stressing it further. If a net is absolutely necessary, be sure it is of knotless cotton mesh to avoid injuring the fish. A Catch and Release Kit Consider putting together a Catch & Release Kit in a small 'mini-pack' including: a small pair of pliers a thermometer for water temperature a miniature pair of scissors or snips to cut the leader if necessary a small point & shoot or throw-away camera to be sure of getting that photograph for the wall at home. Print off our ASF Salmometer to measure the size Click

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