To be safe, it would be wisest to catch and release as soon as absolutely
possible, but the colder the water, the less you have to worry.

In the spring, I often get Lake Trout on the fly rod and those brutes can
put up a terrific fight. The fight usually last a long time (taking line -
giving it back - and taking it out again), and after pictures and admiring
their beauty, they are good to go - no problem. When the water warms up
considerably, its another story. On a lake where a summer thermocline
develops, those fish are spent by the time you get them in the boat. I have
spent up to 15 minutes reviving a lake trout when the surface temperature of
the water was over 70.


"Bob" wrote in message
om...
Hi,

New at this, and would like to see a discussion on
the subject of "playing a fish" when flyfishing for trout.

For "typical" sized New England trout, e.g. rainbows and brookies,
do you folks literally just haul them in (certainly no problem in
overpowering them even with very thin tippet sizes), or do you
like to "play" them some, and tire them a bit, before landing them.

Which is better for the fish' chance of surviving ?

Do you wait until you have a real large sized trout on before "playing
him"
off the reel, some ? How large ?

Very interested in the techniques for this used by others.

Thanks,
B.