The Hidden Harm of Catch and Release

Catch and release actually causes more harm than most anglers realize. Studies show that

up to thirty percent of released fish die from the stress of being caught, even when handled

perfectly. The problem is deeper water species experience barotrauma when brought up quickly,

their swim bladders expand and internal organs get damaged. Warm water temperatures make it worse because

fish need more oxygen to recover but there is less available. Here is what science tells us.

If you are fishing in water deeper than thirty feet or when temperatures are above seventy

degrees, keeping your legal catch is often more ethical than releasing it.

A fish you keep feeds your family. A fish you release might swim away only to die hours