Tips & Resources

Sustainable Angling

Tips for sport fishermen who want to help keep the big fish biting.

Photo 1 of

Every year, 21 million Americans drop a line off a pier or a boat, or cast off the beach, hoping to land a big one. All that activity impacts fish populations and the environment. Here are few helpful tips on being an environmentally friendly fisherman from John McMurray, fly fisherman and guide, and Doug Olander, editor in chief of Sport Fishing magazine.

• Follow the law (always a good policy!) when you go fishing. Make sure you know the rules about size limits, bag limits and open seasons, and check for fishing advisories, too. If you see someone poaching, or dumping pollution or trash, let your local wardens know.
• Handle your fish as little as possible. Fish have a protective slime that helps them fend off disease. Use wet hands to keep the slime from rubbing off the fish, and keep the fish in the water.
• If you fish with bait, circle hooks make it more likely that you'll be able to release your catch unharmed as long as you can. Make trophy photos quick. Never squeeze a fish.
• Use locally available species for live bait. Not only is it smart fishing -- because fish are drawn to their natural prey -- but you can avoid introducing invasive species into the ecosystem. For the same reason, don't empty bait buckets into the water at the end of the day, and wash down your boat and gear once you get home.
• Take time to resuscitate an obviously tired fish. If you're fishing from a boat, have someone idle it ahead while you hold the fish underwater so water flows through its gills. Release it when it begins to "kick" strongly.
• Use pliers to pinch down the barbs on lures and hooks. If you keep your line taut when you're reeling in the fish, you'll find that de-barbed hooks stay connected. De-barbed hooks then save you time and trouble when releasing fish, and they protect the fish (and your fingers) from harm.
• Carefully release any fish you don't intend to eat. If you do plan to eat a fish, keep it cool and make sure it stays fresh so it doesn't get wasted later. Keep only the fish you know you will eat -- don't assume that someone back at the dock will take some.
• Take your children fishing and use the trip as an opportunity to teach them about appreciating and respecting nature.
• At the end of the day, take trash and spent fishing supplies back with you. Discarded nets and lines can kill birds, fish, and other wildlife.
• Support conservation measures to rebuild fish stocks and stop overfishing. Let's make sure that the next generation has the same opportunities to catch a big one.