Landing and Releasing Fish from a Small Boat: Net, Tools and Body Support

The last metre beside the boat deserves as much thought as the rig. You have a fish on a short line, hooks close to your hands and very little room to recover from a mistake. Sort out the landing spot before you need it.

For ordinary inshore fish that fit your landing gear, a sensible routine is to prepare the net and tools, bring the fish under control, then deal with the hook without unnecessary lifting or handling. Large, dangerous or unfamiliar fish need species-specific advice and equipment. They are not a reason to lean further over the side.

Make a landing space before the first cast

Decide where the fish will come alongside. Look at the actual route from the water to the working area: a rod in a holder, a downrigger boom or an open tackle tray can be in the way even when there appears to be plenty of deck space.

Keep the net accessible with its handle secured in its working position. Have suitable hook-removal pliers and line cutters within reach. Put loose lures away. If you may need a length measurement, prepare the measuring surface before the fish arrives, not while someone is already holding it.

With two anglers, agree who controls the rod and who handles the net. The netter should not have to guess whether the angler is bringing the fish closer or allowing another run. Keep the landing area away from the propeller and maintain control of the boat throughout.

Choose a net for the fish, not just the storage locker

A net that folds neatly into a side pocket is convenient. It still needs enough opening and bag space for the fish you reasonably expect to land. A long fish with its tail beyond the hoop is a useful reminder to check the whole fish, not just whether its head will fit.

Check the hoop joint, handle lock, mesh and attachment around the rim. A split connection or damaged bag is easier to deal with at home. Make sure the handle reaches the water from your normal, stable position. Extra reach is not permission to shift your weight outside the boat.

Mesh construction matters. The NSW catch-and-release guidance recommends soft knotless mesh rather than coarse knotted nets to limit damage to fish. A net is handling equipment as well as a way to stop a fish escaping.

Lead the fish into the net

Bring the fish within reach under controlled line tension. Do not turn the last lift into a contest between the rod tip and the fish's weight. A fishing rod is not a crane.

Shimano's netting demonstration shows the fish being guided headfirst into the net, then the net supported for lifting. Let the fish enter the opening instead of chasing its tail around with the hoop. Do not scoop at a fish that is still well beyond reach.

Once it is contained, stop pulling the hook against the mesh. Support the load as the net's design requires rather than levering a heavy fish on the end of an extended handle. If safe access allows, keep a fish intended for release in the water while dealing with it.

Put the pliers where the hook is going to be

The photograph makes the useful point: the tool is already beside the fish. What matters next is having the right tool for the actual hook. Short split-ring jaws are not a substitute for proper reach into a fish's mouth, and a cutter must be capable of cutting the material you expect it to cut.

Look before putting a hand into the net. A second treble can be free while the first is in the fish. The same applies to a jig with more than one hook. Keep hands clear of points and sharp teeth, and avoid pulling a loaded hook towards yourself or another person.

For released fish, NSW's advice distinguishes an accessible mouth hook from a swallowed hook: remove the mouth hook carefully; cut the line close to the mouth when the fish is deeply hooked rather than digging for it. Keep handling and time out of water brief.

Measure the fish, not the net

A ruler beside a catch is not automatically a valid measurement. In this photograph, the fish is angled across the net and the measuring board is underneath. That is useful equipment context, not a length reading.

Where a measurement is needed, use the current measuring method for that species and jurisdiction. Lay out the measuring surface properly and avoid estimating length from a photograph, an angled fish or the size of a net hoop. Have the camera ready if a photograph is needed, and skip repeated poses.

For general handling, NSW recommends wet hands and a smooth, cool, wet surface, and warns against holding fish by the eyes or gills. A sun-heated deck is not an appropriate substitute just because it looks clean.

Support the body, even with a lip grip

The opening photograph shows a useful distinction: the jaw tool controls the mouth while another hand supports the body. The tool should not become a reason to suspend a fish's entire weight from its jaw or swing it towards the camera.

Ken Musgrove's trout provides another clear view of support beneath the body and around the tail area. Anglers planning that style of lake trolling can continue with the downrigging for trout guide. The photograph illustrates the hand positions; it cannot tell us how long the fish was held or what happened after the shutter clicked.

PIRSA's release advice recommends supporting a fish horizontally while returning it gently to the water. Make the return part of the plan before lifting it for a photograph. Do not throw the fish over the side.

Know when ordinary surface release is not enough

A fish brought up from depth may have barotrauma and may be unable to swim back down. That is a different problem from an awkward net or a stubborn mouth hook. Consult the official barotrauma and release-weight guidance before the trip and carry the appropriate equipment. Do not assume that a fish which looks lively on deck can simply be placed on the surface and left.

This guide does not replace current species, size, possession or protected-species rules. It also does not cover handling sharks, rays or other potentially dangerous fish. Keep crew safety ahead of a photograph or a saved lure.

The quick check

• Can someone reach the net without climbing around the angler?
• Is the net large enough and sound at its joints and mesh?
• Are the hook-removal tool and cutters immediately available?
• Is there a clear, prepared place for any necessary measurement?
• Can you handle and return the fish without hanging it from a jaw grip or leaning dangerously over the side?

The point is to remove the scramble. Whether you are jigging for kingfish or fishing light tackle in an estuary, the landing plan should be ready before the bite.