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Le Moucheux supports and encourages Catch and Release as well as it respects those who opted to keep their catch for whatever reason. The C&R prevents the diminution of our resources and insures a future for us and for our children. If you choose C&R, then, the following will be of help:

Guide to the C&R

This is only a guide, but remembering its general principles will give to the fishes a real chance of survival. A fish is a valuable living creature and unless you plan to eat it, be responsible and do not capture to kill.

  • Use barbless hooks or squeeze the barbs down with a pair of pliers.

  • Use a landing net with cotton or rubber netting, like Catch and Release (small stiches). This type of landing net will be less damaging for the fish scales, eyes and mucus. Use a landing net only if it is the only way to control the fish.

  • Never touch the fish unless your hands are wet. Dry hands will damage the scales and mucus, which protects the fish from aquatic infections. Never beach the fish to the riverside or let it flop on the shore.

  • Avoid to take the fish out of the water as much as possible. If you have to, do it rapidly and gently without squeezing the creature. Use a hemostate plier to take out the hook and be sure to release the fish rapidly back into the water.

  • For the fish reanimation, hold it under the belly and by the tail, facing the current until it becomes vigorous again. Be patient and allow it to recover its energies until it can swim by itself.

  • Always use a stronger tippet than needed. The more you fight the fish, the more it will accumulate lactic acid in its tissues and consequently, the fish will become more tired and his survival chances will be diminished.

    Below is a copy of an email I received from a UK salmon fisherman regarding an unusual catch & release technique that I have heard about as "burping" fish. I was wondering if anyone on the list has experience with this technique or has any information regarding its suitability for Atlantic salmon.

    Cheers
    Bob

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    Bob

    I am one of an increasing number of Salmon fishermen in the UK who release all Salmon caught. I am becoming quite evangelical about it trying to convert the traditionalists who prefer to kill the fish.

    Anyway, the point of the email. You correctly state the need to keep air time to a minimum. Until recently I didn’t realise how much air a fish takes on board during the fight, thrashing on the top, jumping and when head up for netting or tailing. Last year when fishing on the Kola peninsular in Russia for Atlantic Salmon, I was accompanied for the week by a scientist from the Russian Department of Fisheries who was studying catch and release techniques and mortality rates in released fish. One of their main conclusions was that the fish that did not survive nearly always had air trapped in their system which results in the balance of the fish being ruined. One small bubble of air can completely cancel out the swim bladder. He was training the guides how to get rid of trapped air before releasing the fish. The technique involved holding the fish pointing upstream in flowing water with the left hand holding the wrist at the tail and the right hand cupped under the belly by the vent. Then gently apply pressure with two fingers to the bottom of the belly and draw the fingers towards the gills. Keep doing this massaging until any air bubbles come out of the gills. As soon as the air comes out of the gills the recovery rate is amazing, as the bubbles leave the gills the fish will thrash out of your hand.

    I have used this technique on all the fish I have caught since and the effect is always positive and sometimes quite dramatic. I revived a Spring Salmon on the Spey this year that the guide had given up on because after 15 minutes held in the water it was still rolling on it’s side when let go, he had decided to kill it. I offered to “lay my healing hands on it” and within two minutes bubbles came out of it and it shot of back into the pool. He is a real convert now and I got a free days fishing for the lesson.
    Give it a try and if you agree maybe spread the word thru your site.

    Regards
    Paul Smit

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