Catch and release is a relatively new concept to fishing, no matter what the species. Lessons learned in the past have given way to anglers being stewards of the resource and not just users. Anglers have realized that they need to practice selective harvest in all instances; limiting our harvest instead of harvesting our limit has become crucial. This means that, for some species like the muskie, near-zero harvest is required to maintain fishable numbers in many waters. Biologically speaking, muskies are always going to be the lowest density species in any water. Without self-limiting our take, we risk over-harvesting due to liberal creel limits. This not only affects the muskellunge fishing we hope to enjoy for many years, but can have a negative impact on an entire fishery. Muskies are an integral part of the fisheries where they occur naturally and where they have been introduced. In natural fisheries where the muskellunge population is much lower-density when compared to a stocked fishery, the importance of limited harvest increases dramatically. Habitat degradation through modern development where real estate is highly valued, muskellunge spawning success is frequently poor where they occur naturally. Reduced numbers of this apex predator negatively affects a fishery by allowing rough fish, such as suckers, carp and invasive species, to flourish. Most of these species compete directly with the most popular game and sport fish such as bass, walleye and panfish. To compensate for limited numbers of muskellunge, catch and release has become imperative for the conservation of muskellunge populations, both natural and stocked.
Legend would have you believe that the muskellunge eats everything in the waters where they are present. A pervasive misconception that has been passed on through generations is if you want better fishing for walleye, bass or panfish, you need to kill all the eating machines like the muskellunge. This sentiment couldn’t be farther from the truth; some of the best and most-balanced fisheries in North America contain healthy muskellunge populations. Studies on muskellunge feeding behavior shows they are very selective in their forage preference, and bass, walleye and panfish are not their preferred forage. In fact, muskellunge are a much needed apex predator limiting rough fish numbers in waters where the rough fish compete to the detriment of other game and sport fish.
It is up to every angler to make their own decision on whether to catch and release or to harvest; but keep in mind the muskellunge is not managed as a game fish (for the table) like salmon or walleye. Muskellunge are managed as a trophy fishery, and as such it is up to each of us to determine what “trophy” means. Trophy, to most anglers, means a fish that is near the maximum size for a given species; harvest size limits don’t take this into account for most species, including muskies. Trophy size for each species varies: for a walleye this might be 10 pounds, for a bass maybe 6 pounds for a smallmouth and 8 pounds for a largemouth. Muskellunge are one of the slowest growing and largest of our freshwater fish; they can survive in most waters beyond 18 years of age. For a female muskellunge, this means a typical length of 50-55 inches. While most muskie anglers view 48-50 inch muskellunge as trophies, nowadays this doesn’t necessarily mean they are harvesting these fish. Modern taxidermists have learned over the last 20 years the art of fabricating realistic reproductions which have replaced the need to harvest a muskie to have a trophy mount. Two taxidermy artists in particular have set themselves apart from all others when it comes to taking the photo of a released muskie and giving you a reproduction for your wall that is better looking and more durable than any traditional skin mount. These studios are:
Click on the picture above or here for video of how to properly handle a fish, and for some useful advice on tools and techniques.
With the recent successful introduction of muskellunge in many Michigan waters, there is increasing interest in the fishery, and along with that, increased angling pressure. What was once considered the fish of “ten thousand casts” isn’t necessarily the case for most fisheries these days. Catching a muskellunge has become much easier, thanks to stocking efforts of the Michigan DNR with assistance from Michigan Muskie Alliance. Also, because catch-and-release is now practiced by the majority of muskie anglers, many “trophy” fish are being caught and released multiple times.
However, simply releasing a muskie doesn’t ensure its survival; proper handling and release practices can significantly reduce muskie mortality. But we can’t have a “how to” without first addressing the tools required for properly removing hooks from a captured muskellunge. One useful piece of advice first-and-foremost is to have a plan set ahead of time; you don’t want to be searching for release tools when you really need them. As the Boy Scouts say, “Be Prepared!” Have the net handle extended, your release tools out and within reach of where you plan to net the fish, and make sure everyone in the boat knows where the camera is and how to use it.
Nets: Most anglers choose to net their muskies; a quality “muskie-appropriate” net will enable fish to be landed faster while also allowing the fish to stay in the water during de-hooking. A muskie, as with all fish, isn’t able to breathe out of the water; keeping them in the water as much as possible greatly reduces the stress the catch and release process will have on them. A good analogy might be imagining yourself running a quarter-mile, and while you’re gasping for breath, being placed underwater and be unable to breathe! Keeping the muskies head under water as much as possible while de-hooking is key to maximizing their survival. Coupled with this consideration is understanding that overplaying a muskie may exhaust it to the point where it cannot successfully recover. Effects such as lactic acidosis (a buildup of lactic acid that can cause abnormal heart rhythms) and hypoxemia (abnormally low blood oxygen level, especially occurring during the hottest summer weather) can lead to delayed mortality, even though the fish swam away apparently OK when you released it. Please don't play the fish to complete exhaustion. Get it into the net quickly, where it can start to recover.
Beckman, Frabill and Stowmaster all build good “fish friendly” nets capable of handling the largest muskies. These companies have engineered these nets with wide hoops and deep bags that allow the net to act as a holding pen, allowing the fish to remain in the water and not be cramped. This enables the angler to perform de-hooking while the muskie recovers at boatside in the water. Any muskie-appropriate net will have a knotless, coated bag that reduces slime removal, and a smaller mesh that greatly reduces the chance of damaged fins.
Tools: The surgical forceps or 6" needle-nose pliers commonly used to de-hook many other species aren’t going to suffice when you have a muskie with a mouth full of 4/0 treble hooks and lots of large, sharp teeth to navigate. Long needle-nosed pliers (11" or more, A) and long hook-out tools are important to keep your hands away from the sharp hooks and teeth. Also, it isn’t uncommon for a hook to become imbedded in a way that makes backing the hook out very difficult, and therefore cutting the hook is the best way to keep you and the fish safe. A pair of mini compound-action bolt cutters are a must-have; side cutters aren’t going to get the job done on a 4x-strong muskie hook. There are many less-expensive models out there, but a high quality pair of small bolt cutters make cutting hooks very easy. Knipex mini compound bolt cutters (B) are widely regarded as the best tool for the job. Many anglers are hesitant to cut hooks from their favorite lure, but keep in mind: hooks are cheap and easy to replace... muskies aren’t. Once hooks are cut removal of the remaining pieces is much easier. Don’t leave hooks in a fish, they will not rust away; the remaining hook pieces can cause infection. Other things you need are a long Baker hook-out tool (C) and mouth spreader (D). The hook pick (E) is a new tool designed to dislodge hooks that are deep inside the mouth of a fish.
Taking Photos: Many anglers want to have a photo of their catch. Let’s face it: we may spend thousands of dollars on rods, reels, lures and tackle, not to mention travel and boats. A photo of your soon to be released muskie would be nice to have!
Once you have unhooked the fish in the net (being careful to keep the muskie in the water), now isn’t the time to put that care aside while you lift the fish for a photo only to find your partner searching for the camera. Have the camera ready before the fish is out of the water; then capturing a couple of photos for posterity shouldn’t take more than 30 seconds. When holding the fish for a photo it is important to support their weight horizontally and not hang them vertically. One hand carefully grasping the bone in the gill cover (see photo at left below) and the other hand supporting their body (see photo at right below) will limit stress on their skeletal structure and internal organs.
Releasing: After you’ve removed the hooks and taken a photo or two, the next step is making sure that fish is ready to swim away. With the fish removed from the net, hold them upright in the water and allow them to tell you when they are ready to swim away. Most fish will just swim out of your hand; some will take a short time to recover and then will swim away. There’s no need to push and pull the fish to “get water through their gills”; this actually makes it more difficult for them to breathe. Just hold them still in the water and they will recover on their own. What about current? Try to always keep the nose of the fish pointed into the current and don’t allow the current to force their gills open. The same applies if the boat is drifting with the wind.
Catch and release is a relatively new concept to fishing, no matter what the species. Lessons learned in the past have given way to anglers being stewards of the resource and not just users. Anglers have realized that they need to practice selective harvest in all instances; limiting our harvest instead of harvesting our limit has become crucial. This means that, for some species like the muskie, near-zero harvest is required to maintain fishable numbers in many waters. Biologically speaking, muskies are always going to be the lowest density species in any water. Without self-limiting our take, we risk over-harvesting due to liberal creel limits. This not only affects the muskellunge fishing we hope to enjoy for many years, but can have a negative impact on an entire fishery. Muskies are an integral part of the fisheries where they occur naturally and where they have been introduced. In natural fisheries where the muskellunge population is much lower-density when compared to a stocked fishery, the importance of limited harvest increases dramatically. Habitat degradation through modern development where real estate is highly valued, muskellunge spawning success is frequently poor where they occur naturally. Reduced numbers of this apex predator negatively affects a fishery by allowing rough fish, such as suckers, carp and invasive species, to flourish. Most of these species compete directly with the most popular game and sport fish such as bass, walleye and panfish. To compensate for limited numbers of muskellunge, catch and release has become imperative for the conservation of muskellunge populations, both natural and stocked. 
The surgical forceps or 6" needle-nose pliers commonly used to de-hook many other species aren’t going to suffice when you have a muskie with a mouth full of 4/0 treble hooks and lots of large, sharp teeth to navigate. Long needle-nosed pliers (11" or more, A) and long hook-out tools are important to keep your hands away from the sharp hooks and teeth. Also, it isn’t uncommon for a hook to become imbedded in a way that makes backing the hook out very difficult, and therefore cutting the hook is the best way to keep you and the fish safe. A pair of mini compound-action bolt cutters are a must-have; side cutters aren’t going to get the job done on a 4x-strong muskie hook. There are many less-expensive models out there, but a high quality pair of small bolt cutters make cutting hooks very easy. Knipex mini compound bolt cutters (B) are widely regarded as the best tool for the job. Many anglers are hesitant to cut hooks from their favorite lure, but keep in mind: hooks are cheap and easy to replace... muskies aren’t. Once hooks are cut removal of the remaining pieces is much easier. Don’t leave hooks in a fish, they will not rust away; the remaining hook pieces can cause infection. Other things you need are a long Baker hook-out tool (C) and mouth spreader (D). The hook pick (E) is a new tool designed to dislodge hooks that are deep inside the mouth of a fish. 
