Shark and Ray handling tips

[Rampent Wreckfish]

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

[jw]

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

[kayak fishing]

and always saport body of fish when handing

[magicalshannon]

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

[SiDtheFish]

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

[Belfastsalmando1]

Good post