Selective Harvesting Tips & Tactics

What is Selective Harvest? The basics of Selective Harvest is keeping the medium sized fish and releasing the really small and larger fish to continue to grow. In many cases, selective harvesting requires some knowledge about the water and the species you are fishing. This knowledge will allow you to selectively take fish of appropriate size when it will improve a fishery, and release other fish that will help sustain or improve the fishery. Please take a look some additional tips on how you can practice selective harvesting.
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  • Keep in mind that the mid-sized fish are the best tasting fish to harvest. The larger and older fish do not taste as good and may pose a human health concern due to pollutants or heavy metals they have consumed over their life span.
  • Be aware of posted health advisories concerning the consumption of fish from a body of water that maybe polluted.
  • It’s pretty safe to say that there are never too many lunker-sized fish to be caught. These often rare and old trophy fish should always be released. With today’s technology and mounting techniques, pictures and measurements are all you need to have a beautiful and realistic replica created of a great trophy fish. These beautiful mounts can be less expensive and far out last the traditional skin mount.
  • Large fish should be released because of the vast number of eggs they will produce which will help improve the fishery. Those same large fish can create the thrill of "catching the big one" and deserve to be set free to be possibly caught another day.
  • Check for information on harvesting unwanted species for a given body of water. These fish have often been introduced illegally and can pose a threat to the more desirable fish. Some states may offer a “bounty” to help remove these undesirable fish.
  • Remember that many of us love to eat fish, but as fishing pressure increases, it is wise to harvest and fish responsibly!
  • You can have a terrific day on the water without bringing home a fish.