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SAFELY CATCHING,
PHOTOGRAPHING & RELEASING FISH
by
Jim Roberts
Catching
·
ALWAYS use only BARBLESS HOOKS, FLIES and LURES
·
Avoid
touching the gills!
·
Play the
fish as little as possible,
so as not to cause it needless stress. Bring it
bank/boat side ASAP. Net it head-first, or better still use a
release cradle, or
Bran's Conservation Fish Measurer
·
Use
forceps, needle-nose pliers or a hook removal tool to remove the fly, hook
or lure
·
Make sure
your hands are always wet
when touching the fish to avoid removing the fish’s protective
slime coating
·
Handle
the fish as little as possible, and bring it out of the water for as short
a time as possible (10-15 sec max). Take two photographs.
Measuring and Photographing Your Trophy for a Reproduction
Carving
Three Steps: Plan Ahead,
Measure, Photograph & Release
·
PLAN
AHEAD - Fish
with a buddy. Each of you should have the following at hand:
·
Pliers or
hook removal tool
·
Net or
release cradle
·
Plastic
or cloth tape measure and plastic caliper (available as part of our
*Catch
& Release Field Kit* )
·
Camera
(with film loaded, ready to shoot - this is important!)
·
Pen &
paper to record measurements
·
TAKE
MEASUREMENTS -
As soon
as the fish is at the boat or bank-side, take the overall length and
thickness measurements while the fish is still in the water and
recuperating from capture.
·
Overall
length
is
measured from the foremost extremity of the snout along the side to the
extreme end of the tail. The easiest way to do this is to roll the fish
gently on its side and to use the tape measure.
·
Thickness
measurements
should be taken as follows:
1.
Centre of body directly behind the gill plate
2.
Centre of body directly in front of the dorsal fin
3.
Centre of body directly above the leading edge of the anal fin
4.
Centre of body in the middle of the caudal peduncle (base of the
tail)
Fish Measurement and Color Log
If you cannot, or are
unwilling to use the caliper, then simply record the overall length and
the girth (body circumference in front of the dorsal fin)
·
PHOTOGRAPHING: The
MINIMUM requirement is one clear side-view color photograph,
ideally taken so that the body is fully extended, and that both the
pectoral and pelvic fins are visible. This photograph is best taken with
the fish out of water, held up horizontally by the angler with one hand
behind the gill plate and the other in front of the anal fin. A
fancy camera is not necessary. Just make sure the camera has film in it
and is ready to go. Even a "disposable" camera will give adequate results.
·
Do not
lay the fish down in the boat or on the bank.
·
Keep your
hands wet and keep the fish out of the water as little as possible (10-15
sec max). Take a minimum of two exposures.
·
Obviously, the more photos you can take to obtain details of the fish, the
better, however, less is more in this case for the protection of the fish.
·
RELEASING:
Once the
photography is completed, release the fish as quickly as possible. If
there is a current flowing, hold the fish with its head pointing upstream.
If you are fishing a lake or still water, gently move the fish back and
forth so that oxygenated water can flow over the gills. When the fish
regains its strength, hold it gently until it can swim out of your hands
under its own power.
Namaycush
Carvers Catch and Release Field Kit:
contains a tape measure, a plastic caliper, and a color/measurement log
sheet housed in a water resistant plastic pouch. The kit is available for
a limited time, for $4.00 US or $6.00 Canadian, postage
paid.
If you live outside of North America, please contact us for
shipping costs.
Write
to: Namaycush Carvers Field Kit Offer, 45-1265 Cherry Point Rd.,
RR2, Cowichan Bay, B.C., V0R1N2, Canada,
or contact us by
email.
Congratulate
yourself on catching and releasing a wild and noble fish
DON’T KILL
IT—CAPTURE IT FOREVER—AS A TROPHY REPRODUCTION CARVING FROM NAMAYCUSH
CARVERS
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