Releasing a fish for maximum survival means shortening the fight, keeping the fish in the water, and handling it as little as possible, so a bonefish, permit, or tarpon swims off healthy instead of stressed and damaged. In this How 2 Tuesday I break down fish release using a great example from my friend Richard Black of Blackfly Charters, one of the best guides in the Florida Keys. We are learning that these fish are far more delicate than we used to think, and the fixes are simple: heavy enough tackle, a rubber landing net for the right species, and never lifting the fish from the water.
Listen now: press play in the player above and follow along.
You shorten the fight, keep the fish in the water, and handle it as little as possible. Fish with tackle heavy enough to put real pressure on the fish and land it quickly, because a long fight builds up the lactic acid and stress that kill fish after release. For species that suit it, use a rubber landing net to cut the fight short. Then dehook the fish in the water, ideally without ever touching it, and let it swim off. The fewer minutes the fish fights and the less you handle it, the better its odds.
Yes, for the right species. A net lets you cut a fight short, sometimes by minutes, by scooping a fish that is clearly not ready to come boatside. I have netted fish like jack crevalle right as they pass the boat. A rubber net is gentle on the fish, and you can leave the fish in the net in the water, reach in with a dehooker or pliers, pop the hook, and drop the net so the fish swims right out. Shortening the fight and keeping the fish in the water are exactly what give it the best chance.
Net the fish that fight hard at the boat and release well: permit, bonefish, redfish, snook, and cobia are all great candidates. I do not like netting tarpon at all, even though it would shorten the fight, because they thrash so violently in a net that they split their fins and you probably do more damage than you save. And never net toothy fish like barracuda. We learned that chasing barracuda records, they bite a hole right through the net. So match the net to the species.
Because the longer a fish fights, the more exhausted and stressed it becomes, and the lower its chance of swimming off healthy. We used to treat fish like tarpon as indestructible, bringing them in the boat and lip-gaffing them, and we now know they are far more delicate than that. Heavy tackle and, where appropriate, a landing net let you end the fight three, four, or five passes sooner. Getting the fish in fast and back in the water quickly is the single biggest thing you control for its survival.
Keep it in the water whenever you can. The best handling is to never touch the fish at all, like Richard Black does in his video, dehooking it boatside while it stays wet. If you want a photo, lift the fish just barely over the surface and put it right back, the way we do on the TV show to give the camera a look without harming the fish. If you are catching a bunch of the same species, release the rest without touching them, just a quick dehook and gone.
Handle them gently, quickly, and ideally without lifting them from the water. The reason we have such healthy bonefish in the Lower Keys, the Bahamas, and Christmas Island is that there are a lot of fish there, and keeping it that way means proper handling. Net a bonefish if needed, leave it in the rubber net in the water, dehook it with pliers, and let it swim out of the net. Skip picking it up, tucking it under your arm, or the old hands-on methods. Less handling means more fish for everyone down the road.
For years we treated big saltwater fish like they were bulletproof. We brought tarpon into the boat, lip-gaffed them, did all sorts of things assuming a fish that size could take it. We now know they are big, tough fish that still need delicate care and respect. That shift changed everything about how I fight and release fish. I get into what we have learned and why it matters for the resource in the episode, so press play in the player above.
The technique I love is simple: net the fish in a rubber net, leave it in the water, reach down with a dehooker or pliers, pop the hook, and drop the net so the fish swims right out. You never lift it, never grab it, never tuck it under your arm. Richard Black shows this perfectly in his video. I walk through exactly how I do it, and which fish it works best for, in the episode, so press play in the player above.
Here are the steps I follow, and the ones Richard Black demonstrates, to release a fish so it swims off as healthy as possible.
I unpack each of these with the details and stories in the episode. Press play in the player above.
The day after putting this together, what stays with me is how little it costs us to do right by these fish. Heavier tackle, a rubber net, and the discipline to keep a fish wet are small changes that add up to a population our kids get to fish.
So next time you land a bonefish, redfish, permit, or anything you are turning loose, shorten the fight, keep it in the water, and let it go without touching it when you can. Get your picture with the fish barely over the surface. Better for the resource, better for the fish, and better for you. Way to go, Richard, for showing everyone how it is done.
How 2 Tuesday is my weekly series where I break down one fishing skill at a time, from knots and casting to gear, tactics, and the habits that make you a better angler. Watch and listen to every How 2 Tuesday episode from Tom Rowland.
Richard Black · Blackfly Charters · bonefish · permit · tarpon · redfish · snook · cobia · jack crevalle · barracuda · landing net · Florida Keys · Bahamas · Christmas Island · How 2 Tuesday · Saltwater Experience
I'm Tom Rowland, a professional fishing guide based in the Florida Keys, host of the Tom Rowland Podcast, and the longtime host of the Saltwater Experience television show. On the podcast's How 2 Tuesday series I break down one practical skill or lesson at a time, from fishing technique and gear to the habits that make you a better angler, in short, focused episodes you can put to use right away.
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