A case for C&R

[PT48]

One day in NZ I caught the same brownie on consecutive presentations. On the first I busted off trying to stop the fish from getting into an undercut bank. I dropped back to tie on another fly and then presented into the same spot. Lo and behold I got a take, fought and netted the fish and noticed a fresh pin-hole in his jaw. Not only did he take again, he also got rid of the first fly in no time at all.

[Caneghost]

Looking thru photos a number of years ago I noticed a blue spot on the gill plate of one 22 brown I had caught and released. I found two more photos of that trout, caught from the same area in April, May and June. Body coloration changed markedly, as the trout got darker as the season progressed and aquatic vegetation growth made the river bottom darker, but that distinctively shaped blue spot was like a nametag.

If we care for them in handling, refuse to fish them when the water is too warm, and fight them hard and land them as quickly as possible, they do live to fight another day.