Releasing fish is a good way to increase your enjoyment and prolong your fishing. Many miles of rivers and streams in Idaho have CATCH-AND-RELEASE rules. Other bodies of water have rules which require the release of certain sizes of fish or have reduced bag limits. These rules have been very successful in providing better fishing for larger trout and bass. All anglers can increase fish survival by releasing fish properly through the following procedures:

• Do not handle fish with dry hands.

• Do not squeeze the fish.

• Do not touch the gills or hold fish by gill covers.

• Leave the fish in the water while removing the hook; needlenose pliers or     

   forceps are helpful.

• If the hook cannot be easily removed, cut the leader. The hook will rust out

   rapidly.

• If the fish is exhausted, hold it in a swimming position in the water and

   move it back and forth gently until you release it.

• Avoid excessive and unnecessary handling of the fish, and avoid removing

   fish from water.

• Avoid laying fish on a hard surface.

     These regulations and procedures still leave room for interpretation and accidental fish abuse. Over the years we've seen fish hauled up on rocks, dropped in boats, played too long, not played long enough, improperly handled and more. Clearwater Steelhead are bigger than most other fish and are commonly mishandled. Here are some additional suggestions that we would like to offer that pertain to Steelhead.

• Use a Steelhead friendly net. Use a large diameter net that has a soft mesh or rubber basket.

• When handling a Steelhead use a fish hand to reduce the chance that fish will slip out of your hand. Grasp the fish tightly at the base of the tail.

• The entire Clearwater River is barbless hook only, so hooks typically fall right out once the fish is in the net. Try to buy barbless hooks instead of buying barbed and then crimping.  

• When water temperatures are above 60 degrees Fahrenheit it is important to land the fish as fast as possible. The warmer the water is, the less oxygen there is in it. Fish that are played out for extreme periods of time in warm water suffer from lactic acid build up and are more prone to dying after release.

• In cold water it is better to play a fish out a little longer so the fish doesn't thrash around so much in the net.

• When bank fishing it is important to either net the fish or tail it. Never bring a wild fish up on the bank.

• Never remove a late season hen from the water. When a large fish is removed from the water the lack of water pressure against the fish will allow the weight of the fish and the eggs to damage the membrane in the skein. The membrane that holds the eggs together and provides the nutrients necessary for egg development is torn and significantly decrease the hatch rate of eggs.

     Anglers frequently under estimate the strength of a B-run Steelhead. Never attempt to lift and photograph a fish if you don't know what you are doing. On our website you can see that we have pictures of live Steelhead. Per Idaho law all Steelhead that are not going to be harvested must be release immediately unharmed. As all of our clients can attest too, we have the utmost respect for all Steelhead and handle them with extreme care. To ensure that all fish are handled with care these are the procedures that we use to get a quick picture; While the fish is being played the camera is taken out and turned on. Once the fish is landed the guide removes the hook and revives the fish in the net. The camera is focused and ready for the picture. With a fish hand on, the base of the tail is held tightly and the belly of the fish is supported near the pectoral fins. The guide lifts the fish from the net and a quick picture is taken. The fish is placed in the water and released.