How to Hold a Fish Without Hurting It or Yourself: Safe Grips for Every Species

Learn the Right Way to Land, Handle, and Release Fish Safely for You and the Fish

Hold fish securely, but not too tightly, especially if you plan to release them. Avoid touching their eyes or gills and make sure you support their weight. | Photo by Joe Shead

Why Proper Fish Handling Matters

Fish are slippery by nature and holding them can be tough. You want to ensure that you get a good grip on the fish so it doesn’t get away (or fall and injure itself). At the same time, you don’t want to put a death grip on it, especially if you plan to release it. And you want to make sure you don’t get poked or hooked or bit. Here are some fish-handling tips.

How to Safely Hold a Fish for Catch and Release

If you plan to release the fish, handle it delicately. Get your hands wet before handling it to avoid removing its protective slime. Don’t handle it by the eyes or get your hands in the gills. Under the gill covers is okay, but don’t touch the red gills!

Pike, muskies and walleyes can be landed and held by grabbing the back of the head. This protects the gills and eyes and keeps your hand away from lures and sharp teeth. | Photo by Joe Shead

For larger species like bass, pike and muskie, you should also support the fish’s body, especially if it’s a weighty fish. It’s okay to snap a quick picture, but minimize the time the fish is out of the water. Keep it in the water in the net while you get your camera ready.

Bass and crappies can be grasped by the lower jaw and held vertically, but be careful not to apply any leverage to the jaw which could injure the fish. For bigger than medium-sized examples, it's best to support their body weight horizontally with your other hand. | Photo by Joe Shead

Gripping and Landing Fish Without a Net

In the same vein, you can also learn how to grasp fish to land them if you don’t have a net. Small fish can easily be swung aboard. Bass and even crappies can be grabbed by the lower lip. You wouldn’t want to try that with pike and muskies, however, because they have razor-sharp teeth. Pike, muskies and walleyes can be grabbed by the back of the head if they’re not too large. Just remember to be very careful of hooks whenever you’re grabbing any fish.

Crappie have a large enough mouth that you can usually grab them by the lower lip. For larger examples, especially if you plan to release them, it's best to support their weight with your other hand. | Photo by Kurt Mazurek

Fish-Specific Handling Tips

How to Hold Catfish Safely

Catfish and bullheads have sharp spines on their dorsal fins and pectoral fins, so avoid touching those. You can grab a catfish by the lower lip, but it may clamp down on you. You can also grab them by the belly, keeping your hands behind the pectoral fins.

Holding Fish with Sharp Dorsal Spines

Bluegills, walleyes and perch all have very sharp dorsal spines. Other species do as well, to a lesser extent. Grip these fish by the belly when handling them to avoid those spines.

Bluegills, perch, walleyes and catfish have sharp dorsal spines. Hold them by the belly to avoid being stabbed. | Photo by Joe Shead

Proper Handling of Sturgeon

Sturgeon have sandpapery bodies. To land one, grab it by the narrow spot just in front of the tail. If you turn the fish upside down in the water, it will become surprisingly docile. If you plan to lift it, maintain your grip ahead of the tail and get your other hand under the front of the body to support the weight.

Catch and Release Tips for Salmon and Trout

Salmon and steelhead, likewise, can be gripped just ahead of the tail. But other trout species are slippery in the tail area. Here is a full article on proper trout handling. But trout are just downright slippery, so good luck!

Safety for You and the Fish

Bottom line, watch out for teeth and sharp spines. Grip the fish firmly, but don’t overdo it, especially if you plan to release it. And above all, watch out for hooks, especially if the fish starts thrashing.