Smart Fishing Tip:Catch and Release
If you want to enjoy the fun of fishing, but don't want the health risks from eating contaminated fish, you should think about catch and release fishing. Catch and release still lets you have the experience of fishing without hurting the local fish population. When you catch and release, follow these simple guidelines:
- Release fish quickly - which still in the water, if possible. Be sure you have the necessary tools (needlenose pliers) you need nearby.
- When a hook gets caught deep inside a fish, do not tear out the hook. Instead, cut the leader or the line and leave the hook in the fish. This will increase the chance that the fish lives.
- Do not play the fish to exhaustion, particularly if water temperatures are very high.
For more information about catch and release, visit DNR's website or read the South Carolina Rules and Regulations for fishing, Hunting & wildlife Management Areas, available wherever fishing licenses are sold.
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