Releasing Fish at the End of the Day

August 27, 2009

Question: I do a lot of shore angling and occasionally catch a few fish that I intend to keep. By the time I’m leaving the lake, though, if I’ve only caught a couple of fish, I don’t always want to take the time to clean them and would prefer to just let them go. Is it legal to release them into the same waters where they were caught if they are still in good health, even if they have been on a stringer or in a floating fish basket for a few hours? Thanks. (Ralph, Riverbank)

Answer: Fish and Game law does not prohibit this practice, but it is not recommended because it can be hard on the fish and they won’t always survive. While putting fish on a stringer may help to keep the fish alive and fresh longer, they are still being put under stress and their gills often damaged. When gills are damaged, especially with trout, fish will still often die even if they appear to be fine when released.

Keep in mind that fish that are released immediately have the best chances of survival. The best thing would be for you to decide at the time you catch your fish whether to keep or release them, and then keep only those you intend to take home and utilize. A fish that has spent time on your stringer or in your floating basket may swim away when you let it go, but there is no guarantee that it will survive. The sooner you can release any fish that you do not want to keep, the more likely it will survive to be caught by another angler on another day.