Landing Nets, Gaffs & Fish Handling

How to land, handle and store fish at sea

At sea the fish are often bigger and the conditions tougher than on inland waters, so your landing gear has to be sized for the job. A saltwater landing net has a long handle and a large, strong frame that lets you bring a fish aboard even over a high gunwale. A rubber-coated or knotless mesh is gentler on the fish and releases hooks more easily than a traditional net.

A gaff is meant for big fish that are being kept or that are too large to net. A hand gaff is quick to use right next to the boat, a telescopic gaff reaches further, and a flying gaff is built for the very largest fish, such as tuna: the head detaches from the handle and stays attached to a rope, so the fish cannot twist free.

When you release a fish, speed matters. Fish grips give you a safe hold, and a dehooker removes the hook without keeping the fish out of the water for long. Measuring and tagging tools let you record the catch, and release devices help return fish brought up from deep water back down to the depth they came from.

A fish you keep should be cooled straight away. An insulated fish bag keeps the catch cool in the boat and on shore, and the largest bags are sized for tuna.

Plan your gear around what you are targeting. With the net or gaff, grips and a fish bag ready before the take, handling goes calmly and safely, and both you and the fish are better off for it.