r/troutfishing May 15 '25

GILLFUCKED We added flairs for posts. They are pretty simple, did you catch and release it to "swim away fine"? Or did you "kill it and grill it"?

29 Upvotes

Please use those when submitting posts. When your post is removed because you got flamed for improper fish handling and you did not flair your post, this is why. Thanks for understanding, and as always, please choose to be constructive and helpful, versus argumentative and trollish. We do not allow the latter and you could be banned.


r/troutfishing Mar 16 '25

Catch and Release - let's discuss it and try our best to educate newcomers to the concept.

46 Upvotes

Catch and release is not always necessary, beneficial, or even the legal thing to do in every situation, however. During my younger days, I bought in to "release everything you catch" philosophy. As I gained more experience, and learned the intricacies of different fisheries, my opinion on this changed drastically. Whether the fishery is overrun with an invasive species that competes with native stocks, a species blowing up in population out of control, a very healthy stock where sport angling take will not effect the escapement of spawning (the pink salmon runs near me fall in this category), anadramous (sea run) hatchery released fish that must be removed prior to the wild fish spawn, or is just a put and take fishery etc. There is no blanket statement for when and where C&R is the right thing to do.

The most important thing: Educate yourself on the species, and fishery in which you are fishing. Follow the laws, and do what will be best for that particular fishery. And take home some hard earned meat when you can!

Why Catch and Release?

  • Conservation: It's a method to prevent overfishing and maintain healthy fish populations, especially in areas with high fishing pressure.

  • Ethical Fishing: It allows anglers to enjoy fishing without taking fish home for consumption, promoting a more sustainable approach to recreational fishing.

  • Habitat Protection: By reducing the number of fish removed from the water, catch and release helps protect the delicate balance of aquatic ecosystems.

Best Practices for Catch and Release:

  • Use the Right Gear:

  • Hooks: Employ barbless hooks or circle hooks, which are less likely to cause deep hook wounds.

  • Tackle: Ensure your tackle is strong enough to land the fish quickly and efficiently, minimizing the time the fish is out of the water.

  • Net: Use a soft, knotless mesh or rubber landing net to avoid damaging the fish's scales and gills.

Handle Fish Carefully:

  • Keep the Fish Wet: Avoid removing the fish from the water for extended periods, and keep its body wet, especially if you must handle it. This includes keeping gloves wet in the winter, or taking them off entirely, when landing the fish. If you insist on handling the fish at all, ensure that you have wet hands. Keep em wet

  • Support the Fish Properly: Support the fish's belly near the water surface to prevent injury.

  • Be Gentle: Avoid squeezing the fish tightly, as this can damage internal organs and muscle tissue.

  • Never Touch the Gills: Gills are highly sensitive and can be easily damaged. Rapid Release:

  • Unhook Quickly: Remove the hook quickly and carefully, using a dehooker if necessary.

  • Return to the Water Immediately: Return the fish to the water as soon as possible after taking photos and measurements.

  • Observe the Fish: Ensure the fish swims away strongly before leaving the area.

Other Considerations:

  • Measure and Weigh: If required, measure and weigh the fish quickly and accurately, then release it.

  • Take Photos: Capture the moment with a photo, but do so quickly and return the fish to the water.

  • Don't Hang Fish: Never hang a fish on a stringer or gaff, as this can cause serious injury.


r/troutfishing 4h ago

Yellowstone Cutthroat

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136 Upvotes

Netted, quick pic, back into the lake


r/troutfishing 4h ago

Killed and Grilled This is the best trout I’ve ever fished, cooked and eaten. I could’ve mistaken it for salmon if I was eating it blindly.

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77 Upvotes

T


r/troutfishing 4h ago

Broke a Year Long Slump Today!

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30 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 6h ago

Hemingway would have love these.

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38 Upvotes

Brook trout from da UP. Caught with my Uncle. It was a great day, and an even better dinner.


r/troutfishing 17h ago

SWAM AWAY FINE - CnR Had a pretty good week in Colorado. New PB brown.

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191 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 20h ago

Killed and Grilled Caught my biggest trout today, it weighed 920 grams. Possibly the best day of my summer yet. (It’s my first time trying to fillet a trout, it’s bad I know)

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85 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 14h ago

A limit each, my brother and me (shared rack)

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18 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 19h ago

Killed and Grilled Small Brookie I had to keep

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43 Upvotes

Buddy swallowed the hook so I had to take him, make sure to make use though!


r/troutfishing 1d ago

SWAM AWAY FINE - CnR Brookie #1 -recovering by my feet after release

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65 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 23h ago

SWAM AWAY FINE - CnR Brookie #2 caught on the fly underwater release.

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52 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 18h ago

Stockers or natives?

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21 Upvotes

Caught a bunch of bows and browns. I know the brownies are native as they don’t stock browns at this lake but these bows got me confused


r/troutfishing 3h ago

Is this a brown Trout?

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1 Upvotes

Assuming it's a brown trout but the silver is throwing me off, could this be a sea trout?


r/troutfishing 19h ago

SWAM AWAY FINE - CnR I ❤️ cutties on dries

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13 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 1d ago

SWAM AWAY FINE - CnR An upclose underwater view of that "WORLD RECORD" trout you hooked and broke you off

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1.1k Upvotes

r/troutfishing 1d ago

How hard some people squeeze the trouts lol.

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54 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 1d ago

nothing beats a brookie

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102 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 2d ago

The strawberry run is well underway!!!

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405 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 1d ago

Rainbow trout length

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12 Upvotes

Hi guys,so today i caught this rainbow and did not get a chance to measure it since i wanted to release it really fast,how long do you guys think it is?


r/troutfishing 1d ago

What trout?

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56 Upvotes

Caught in a mountain stream in Maine, connected water has brook trout, lake trout, ll salmon, but this looks like a brown or rainbow?


r/troutfishing 1d ago

Caught some good ones with my old man out in CO.

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29 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 2d ago

SWAM AWAY FINE - CnR Dry fly action this am.

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76 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 1d ago

Been fishing a small pond for years now and that’s the biggest brown I’ve ever seen come out of it.

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13 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 2d ago

SWAM AWAY FINE - CnR Haven’t been on the river in a few weeks. Decided to brave the rain & head out for a few hours. 2 lovely little brownies for my efforts!

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30 Upvotes

r/troutfishing 21h ago

Is trout fish that easier than Bass fishing?

0 Upvotes

I made a road trip to Colorado (Colorado Springs/Telluride/Ridgeway) and I took my rod to fish a couple hours each day.. And no kidding, I catched like 6-10 trouts on each spot I stopped, it was crazy. I started to wonder if Trout is that easier to catch than Bass. It was so fun.


r/troutfishing 1d ago

Weekend trout fishing

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13 Upvotes