How To Hold A Trout

Trout fishing is one of the most popular forms of fishing, and the fish remains a popular target for anglers all over the world. 

While many anglers and environmentalists would prefer the etiquette of catch and release, almost all anglers love to take their catch out of the water for a quick picture before releasing it back into the wild. The sense of reward and fun that comes from showing off a good catch is hard to beat, and it’s one of the many reasons that anglers become addicted to the thrill of fishing. This guide will help you learn how to hold a trout so you can get a great picture!

Anglers are often champions of environmentalism themselves, and the majority of anglers fish responsibly and with due care and consideration for the welfare of the fish themselves, as well as the other animals which are so important to the health of our rivers and waterways.

An important part of respecting the fish that you’ve caught is holding the fish correctly if it is removed from the water. Not doing so can cause undue stress and panic to the fish and even potentially harm its delicate body parts, which can leave the fish unable to survive once placed back into the water.

Ensuring that fish reenter the water safely is all part of being a good angler, and it’s also something that a lot of beginners really struggle with, as the excitement of the moment, alongside the uncertainty of how to hold the fish can result in either losing the fish with a poor grip or hurting the fish with an improper grip.

In this guide, we’re going to look at the best way to hold a fish to ensure that you are able to capture the moment of triumph and excitement, without any unnecessary suffering for the fish.

Staying Calm

The first thing to remember when holding any fish is to remain calm. Over excitement or fear can lead to you losing the fish, dropping gear, hurting the fish or even hurting yourself. Countless inexperienced anglers slip on wet rocks and bankings while trying to land or hold fish, and at the very least this will often result in you getting a nice refreshing dip in the drink. 

When you lift the fish out of the water, remain calm and focus on getting the fish into a position where you can grab it correctly and firmly, without squeezing it. 

Depending on the size of the fish you may need to adjust your footing and prepare to lift something heavy with great care, or something delicate if the fish is small. 

Whatever the size of the trout, staying calm is the most important thing to do before you actually remove it from the water, as well as when it’s actually in your hands.

The Upside Down Hold

If you take the trout out of the water and it starts to panic or wriggles in your hands, try turning the fish upside down.

While this can be a little awkward, turning the fish upside down can calm it down enough for you to snap a quick picture for posterity, before returning the fish to the water and allowing it to go on its way.

This can also be useful for removing a stuck hook that won’t come free.

What you need to do, depending on the size of the fish, is either hold the fish with both hands, behind the front fins and slightly up the tail, or for smaller fish simply hold the fish just behind the front fins and tip the fish up for a second or two.

This will allow you a precious few seconds of calm with which to remove a hook or snap a quick picture.

Taking Pictures

Even the most experienced anglers love to show off their achievements, and a little boasting has always been a part of the anglers lifestyle.

When taking a picture make sure to hold the fish firmly but don’t spend too much time trying to get the perfect shot. Every second the fish is out of the water you risk causing it serious harm, so just get a quick shot and get it back in the water as soon as possible. 

If you’re not ready to take the picture yet, it’s best to leave the fish in the landing net in the water to prevent the fish from being left out of the water for too long.

Again, generally, it’s best to hold the fish behind the gills when it’s small, and behind the gills and just up from the tail if it’s large. Hold the fish as low as possible to reduce the chance of dropping it and hurting it too.

Using A Net

Using a net is something not all anglers do, but it can make your life a lot easier if you do want to handle your fish. It can buy you precious time to take a picture and get a hook out and makes landing a fish a lot easier than reaching directly into the water to retrieve the fish or lifting it out with the rod.                                                                                    

Put Them Back Quickly

Another key aspect of holding a trout is knowing when to put it back in the water and doing so carefully. Trout is a delicate and somewhat fragile species of fish, so try to only keep them out of the water for a few seconds at most, as anything more could really harm the fish.

When putting it back into the water its best to lower it down using the same grip you used to hold it out of the water, and gently release it into an area of water without a fast current as this can overwhelm the fish which will still be tired from fighting the angler and being out of the water.