How to properly hold a rainbow trout?

[appleb]

What's the proper way to hold a rainbow trout while you are trying to unhook a treble?

 

Do I just lip it like a bass?

[asdve23rveavwa]

What's the proper way to hold a rainbow trout while you are trying to unhook a treble?

 

Do I just lip it like a bass?

 

Better have a first aid kit handy if you do

[Gregoire]

I would think that if its in a net reach under its gills while you unhook it. I would think the best way would be to tail it while its in the water and use pliers to shake the hook loose.

[blaque]

proud of you guys.......(so far)

[ChrisK]

Most of the time on the river I find a nice place to beach the fish and then just reach down with a pair or forceps and give the hook a tug and nine times out of ten it pops out without even having to handle the fish. If its a treble you may have to gently hold the fish by the gill plate while its laying on the bank in the water and work the treble free. Once again most times the hooks will come free with little pressure. If the trout is deeply hooked it may become dinner. For some reason or another most rainbows I have caught in the river never have taken a bait that deep to create issues on release ...Heres a picture my partner took of a big buck I caught and he removed the treble for me after the pic

 

 

Good Luck !!

[craigdritchie]

Best way is to not hold it at all - leave it in the water while you reach down with needlenose pliers to pop the hook loose.

 

Fingers in the gills can easily result in a dead fish, so I would not recommend that approach for fish to be released. Even if you are very careful, one ill-timed flip or wriggle on the fish's part is all it takes to do inadvertently do some major damage.

 

As Frankie notes, lipping a rainbow of any size is not a great idea, especially if you like your skin. Their teeth are more pronounced than those of a bass - and sharp as needles.

 

ChrisK - I love that photo! Gorgeous fish too.

[danc]

Just make sure that you get a photo of the fish laying on the grass/mud/rocks beside your fancy float reel. That's the most important thing.

[BillM]

Just make sure that you get a photo of the fish laying on the grass/mud/rocks beside your fancy float reel. That's the most important thing.

 

LOL!!!!!!

[ChrisK]

Just make sure that you get a photo of the fish laying on the grass/mud/rocks beside your fancy float reel. That's the most important thing.

Theres just something about taking a picture of a rainbow beside your float rod...I think its the natural beauty of the fish and the photogenic qualities of the float reel itself.You got to admit Dan,they sure do look perdy together..

[registerfly]

either tail it or leave in water and use your hemostats

[BillM]

 

[danc]

Theres just something about taking a picture of a rainbow beside your float rod...I think its the natural beauty of the fish and the photogenic qualities of the float reel itself.You got to admit Dan,they sure do look perdy together..

 

Sorry Chris. I still don't get it. I used to live for Steelhead. My go to reel back in the day was a Martin 3x multiplyer. It was a great tool, especially when the fish made a fast run towards me. I still fish Steel once in a while, but now I use a (hides head in embarrassment) spinning reel. I've since graduated to Brook Trout. What equipment I use to catch them is the last thing that I'll focus on in a photo. Call me old school, but I'd rather see just your fish in a photo. The fashion show fancy reel thing does nothing for me.

[danc]

 

 

Nice reel Bill. lol

[appleb]

How about smaller trout, about a foot long? Do they still have significant teeth that can cut?

 

 

[Joeytier]

This is also pretty effective...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZh6IMPvR_o

[Whitespinnerbait]

Just make sure that you get a photo of the fish laying on the grass/mud/rocks beside your fancy float reel. That's the most important thing.

 

 

Reply of the Century,right there, right here, right now

[ChrisK]

How about smaller trout, about a foot long? Do they still have significant teeth that can cut?

Smaller trout are more delicate fish. You have to keep them wet and your hands wet as well not to remove excess body slime or they may go into shock and die. You have to be very gentle with them when removing hooks. They do have teeth but the mouth is small so I doubt you'll cut yourself on a small trout. Here's a couple pics of a little cutie that took one of my flies.

[aplumma]

Smaller trout are more delicate fish. You have to keep them wet and your hands wet as well not to remove excess body slime or they may go into shock and die. You have to be very gentle with them when removing hooks. They do have teeth but the mouth is small so I doubt you'll cut yourself on a small trout. Here's a couple pics of a little cutie that took one of my flies.

 

 

Now a fish like that after you careful unhook it you get two crackers one for each side and you got a real good snack. (what did you expect from someone who fishes for Catfish Buddy)

 

Art

[ChrisK]

Now a fish like that after you careful unhook it you get two crackers one for each side and you got a real good snack. (what did you expect from someone who fishes for Catfish Buddy)

 

Art

Art,

If ya wer a real southern boy you would be noodlin forem like this fella

 

[aplumma]

been their done that didn't own a camera.

 

 

Art

[ChrisK]

C'mon fingers out of the gills Chris! Trout are not like Pike and Muskie, their gill rakers are much more fragile. No need to put your fingers in the gills for any reason........

 

Josh

Lots of room on a big fish like that. It may look like my figures are buried in the rakers by the picture but I'm actually holding the cartilage of the gill plate itself so no need for worry. Handled hundreds of these over the years.

[ChrisK]

One more pic...

 

This is a picture of a slightly smaller hen. Actually she was caught minutes after the bigger buck in my previous pic but on a different bait of course. Her head was smaller than the rigorously well developed kiped out buck so a different hold was in order.

Notice this time hand under the pectoral fins cradling the fish. Every fish we catch is handled carefully but when theres treble hooks involved or even singles for that matter special care must be taken not only to ensure the fish's survival but to ensure your safety most importantly of all....

I personally like to remove trebles out of trout more carefully than most which sometimes means having your partner do the removal while you hold the fish if need be.

[Dabluz]

What's the proper way to hold a rainbow trout while you are trying to unhook a treble?

 

Do I just lip it like a bass?

 

I don't know the proper way but I do know that the best way to hold a trout is with a fork.

[ChrisK]

I've watched you handle enough fish to know your pretty careful with them, and I realize your fingers weren't in the rakers. Unfortunately those bigger fish tend to thrash when out of the water and contact with the rakers and tearing of flesh can happen all to easily. IMO there are better ways to do it. People need to realize that just because a fish appears to be healthy when it swims away this in no way guarantees survival. Personally I pinch all the barbs on my trebles when fishing larger lures like Quickfish and Vibrax's, makes removal much easier. Those Huron fish are all to precious, especially ones in that river........

 

Josh

Josh,

Glad to see you finally made it to OFC bud. Wasn't sure at first if it was the Josh I new or not but I'm glad it is.

Remember that pole you gave Dev ?? I put a float reel on it for him this summer and got him tying fly's at the trailer as well. He's got new waders too so we should be seeing a hole new Devin on the river this fall

Good on ya for pinching down those trebles on your baits Josh. Its probably the best thing to do for the fish unfortunately from what I can see from the crowd down there not many people are doing it including myself

 

New years resolution effective as of right now ..."Pinch barbs down on Pingatee and Fire Tiger Flatfish and any other treble bait used for trout on said Huron trib"

[aplumma]

Thanks for the insight on how to hold Trout Chris. I have over the years seen you handle Walleye and Pike with the care and concern needed to return them back to the water as healthy as can be.

 

 

Art