• Length of fight
• Injury during fight or while landing fish
Length of fight
• The longer the fish is played the more physiological
disturbance it experiences and the longer it will take to
recover
• Fighting fish for long periods reduces their energy stores and
creates lactic acid build-up in their muscles
• High water temperature is correlated with increased
physiological disturbances and increased probability of post-
release mortality (Muoneke 1992) .
FIGHT TIME IS A FINE LINE – YOU SHOULD TRY TO REDUCE THE
FISH PLAYING TIME, BUT BRINGING A GREEN FISH ONTOTHE
SHORE IS ALSO NOT A GOOD IDEA. Fish that jump around
frantically are more likely to get injured. I would recommend that
your fish should be quite tired, but not exhausted.