Article: Most fish are coated in a moist protective layer of mucus, and too much contact can damage that layer. Keeping your hands wet while you hold the fish will help avoid damage. If you are using gloves, wet your gloves in the water before handling the fish. Pulling the fish out of the water at all can stress and potentially injure it. If you plan on releasing the fish, the best bet for its survival is to keep it in the water while you unhook it. If you have to raise it above the water to unhook it, try to keep it as close to the water as possible. This will help you determine how long you can safely keep the fish out of the water where it can breathe. While it's not a perfect measurement, it can be a convenient way to keep track of time and ensure that you remember to return the fish to water before it suffocates. If you don't want to hold your breath, keep track of time and make sure the fish isn't out of the water for more than 90 seconds. Placing your fingers behind the gill plate, or the flaps on either side of the fish's head, will typically give you a secure grip. Be very careful not to touch or insert your fingers in the actual gills, which are delicate organs necessary for the fish's survival. Smaller fish, such as crappie, bluegill, or tilapia, can usually be held with one hand. If the fish is big enough that it can be held with 2 hands, it's best to do so. This will keep the weight of the fish from damaging its bones or internal organs. Holding a large fish with 1 hand can put dangerous amounts of pressure on its jaw or gill plate. Keep 1 hand behind the gill plate and the other under its belly. Most largemouth bass, catfish, and carp are best held with both hands. It is very important to keep the fish's body straight to avoid bending its jaw or spine at an unnatural angle. For this reason, it is best not to move the fish around too much when handling it. It's also considered safer to keep the fish horizontal, since a vertical position is unnatural for most fish and could cause damage to internal organs. The fish's body should not be at more than a 10 angle to its head at any time. Many fish have dorsal fins, or fins on their backs, that can cut into your hand if you're not prepared. If you are holding a small fish with 1 hand, slide your hand from the front of the fish to the back to smooth the dorsal fin down under your palm so that you can safely grip the sides of the fish.
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Get your hands wet before handling the fish. Keep the fish underwater if possible. Hold your breath while you have the fish out of the water. Hold the fish horizontally with your hand behind the gill plate. Support larger fish with both hands. Keep the fish's body in a straight horizontal line. Avoid touching the sharp edges of the dorsal fins.