Shark and Ray handling tips

This is from Australia but the basics apply here too. I think everyone should take note.

Attachments

Shark-Ray-handling-guide-Dec-2014.pdf

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one other thing everybody should do, avoid getting very sharp metal hooks and
ramming them into fishes heads

and always saport body of fish when handing

Could have used this a few weeks back after a surprise stringray was on the line. Was only after some flounder so he was right back in after cutting the trace, didn’t bring him out of the surf

For tope and large ray (and bass) from the shore, I never bring them ashore. Always use circle hooks and measure fish in the surf with release via bolt croppers on hook bend to leave nothing but a small hook hole in the scissors. Keep high-carbon croppers in a very oily rag (rinse with reels after a session and spray with that oil when dry), or you'll have a bag of red dust next time you go to use them! I reckon that 90%+ of injury caused to fish by anglers is all the faffing about and mishandling/dropping etc to get 'the photo'. Either leave out the photos or get a head camera to use in the surf whilst measuring

Good post