How to Hook, Land, and Release a Trout Safely

Hooking a trout is only half the job. What you do in the next minute decides whether that fish swims away strong or struggles after you let go. A good release is simple once you know the steps, and it starts before you ever make a cast.

Start Before the Hook

The easiest releases start with the hook itself. In catch and release waters in Rocky Mountain National Park, the rules require barbless hooks, and only artificial flies or lures with one hook may be used. That rule is there for the fish. A barbless hook slides out with far less damage than a barbed one, and it is easier to remove from your own clothes too. If a fly in your box still has a barb, pinch it flat with pliers before you tie it on. Check the rules for the water you plan to fish before you go, because some waters are catch and release and some are catch and keep. Our guide to fishing licenses and rules in Rocky Mountain National Park lays out which waters fall in each group.

Keep the Fight Short

A long fight wears a trout out. The longer a fish fights, the more tired its muscles become, and a tired fish may not recover even if the release looks fine. Use tackle suited to the size of the fish you expect, and bring the fish in as quickly as you can without forcing it. Keep steady pressure, keep the rod bent, and guide the fish toward you instead of letting it run the whole pool. If you are fishing very light tackle for the sport of it, know that the fish pays for the extra minutes. Match your gear to the water and land the fish while it still has energy left.

Keep the Fish in the Water

The single most important habit is this: keep the fish in the water as much as possible. A trout out of water cannot breathe. Lift it only for a quick look or a fast photo, and keep that lift to a few seconds. Wet your hands before you touch a fish. Dry hands, gloves, and towels rub off the protective slime coat that keeps a trout safe from infection. Hold the fish gently with both hands, support its weight level, and never hold it by the gills or squeeze it around the belly. A net helps a lot. A soft rubber net bag is gentlest on fins and slime, and it keeps the fish in the water while you remove the hook. If you do not carry a net, unhook the fish while it stays in the shallows at your feet.

Unhook With Care

With a barbless hook, most fish come unhooked with a quick twist of the forceps. Keep a pair of forceps or hemostats in your vest and use them instead of your fingers. They reach the hook faster and keep your hands off the fish. If the hook is deep and you cannot see it clearly, cut the line as close to the hook as you can and let the fish go. Digging for a deep hook does more harm than the hook itself will. A hook left in place often rusts out or works free, while a torn throat rarely heals. Do not be tempted to keep working at it. Cut the line, and release the fish.

Let It Go the Right Way

To release a trout in moving water, hold it upright facing into the current, with its head pointed upstream. Water flowing over the gills brings oxygen back. Hold it gently, without squeezing, until it starts to kick and pull away on its own. In still water, move the fish slowly forward and back so water passes over its gills. If the fish rolls on its side, keep supporting it and give it more time. A fish that swims off strong is a good release. A fish that drifts belly up needs more help, so keep holding it in the current until it steadies. Never toss a fish back or drop it from above the water. Ease it in, and let it leave when it is ready.

When Keeping Is Allowed

Not every water in the park is catch and release. Some waters are catch and keep, with limits that change by water and species. If you plan to keep a fish, check the rules for that exact water first, and follow the limits as written. Dispatch a kept fish quickly and cleanly, and take care of it on the way home so the meat stays good. The same respect applies either way. A fish kept for dinner deserves a quick end, and a fish released deserves a careful one.

Good release habits are easy to learn and hard to forget. Fish barbless where the rules require it, keep the fish wet, handle it gently, and give it time to recover. The next angler, and the trout itself, will thank you. If you are still choosing gear, our guide to how to pick your first fly rod and our guide to fly fishing waders cover the basics, and a guided fly fishing trip is a good place to practice handling fish with help nearby.