How not to hold a fish

Keep the fish wet at all times, hold its body in a straight line, and support larger fish with both hands to keep the fish in a healthy condition after you release it. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. If you are using gloves, wet your gloves in the water before handling the fish. wikiHow's It’s important to know the right way to handle a fish when you take it out of the water, especially if you plan to release it. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please We use cookies to make wikiHow great. This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. An expanded swim bladder will appear as a lung-like bubble protruding from the fish’s mouth, and can make it difficult for the fish to return to the appropriate depth once it is released.All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Trying to haul up a large fish on a weak line will require letting the fish struggle until it is exhausted, which can leave it vulnerable once it’s released.Avoid pulling fish up from great depths, as it may cause their swim bladder to expand. Keeping your hands wet while you hold the fish will help avoid damage. Then, hold it horizontally with your fingers behind the flaps on either side of its head. [1] X Research source We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Next, run your hand from the front of the fish to the back to flatten out the dorsal fin so it doesn't cut into your hand. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/0\/01\/Hold-a-Fish-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Hold-a-Fish-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/01\/Hold-a-Fish-Step-1.jpg\/aid9657517-v4-728px-Hold-a-Fish-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"