Below you will find scientific papers on the effects of catch-and-release on steelhead in the Pacific Northwest (US and Canada).
Scientific papers are referred to by the last name of the author and the year the paper was published (e.g. Smith 2022). For papers with two authors, both are listed (e.g. Smith and Smyth 2022); papers with three or more authors list the last name of the first author followed by “et al.” (meaning “and all”; e.g. Smith et al. 2022). We have done the same here and listed paper alphabetically.
This study is a survey of steelhead angling practices in Idaho. Anglers were observed covertly and fight time, air exposure duration, and deep hooking rates for steelhead caught both on fly and gear was measured. They found that fish which were photographs had significantly longer air exposure times, fly fishing resulted in longer fight times, and single, barbless hooks had the lowest rate of deep hooking.
This study examined how different types of gear (hooks, nets, and use of bait) influenced the survival rates of steelhead caught on the Cowlitz River. They found that fish that were caught on barbless hooks, without bait, and using knotless nets had the highest survival rates.
An examination of steelhead caught on barbed vs. barbless hooks and baited vs. non-baited hooks on the Keogh River. Survival of steelhead was higher for barbless and non-baited hooks.
This is a summery report on how restrictions on terminal gear types (hooks, bait, etc.) in the management of steelhead on Vancouver Island, BC has influenced the sustainability of the sport fishery.
This study used radio telemetry to study the survival and movement of steelhead in the Skeena River drainage. They found that steelhead caught with single hooks had better survival rates.
Behavior and survival of wild and hatchery steelhead caught and released in BC. The study examines water temperature, hook type, sex, origin (wild vs. hatchery), and recapture rates of steelhead.
This study examined the reproductive success of female steelhead that caught and released at a hatchery in Idaho.
This study examined whether fight time had an impact on the ability of hatchery-origin steelhead return to the hatchery. The percentage of fish that returned to the hatchery was not significantly different for fish played to exhaustion and control fish.
This is a report on how water temperature and hook type effect mortality of steelhead caught on the Mad and North Fork Trinity rivers, California. They found that single barbless hooks had lower mortality rates than treble barbless hooks and that steelhead mortality increased exponentially above 16 degrees C.
This study examined how catch-and-release angling effected that physiology, behavior, and survival of wild steelhead on the Bulkeley River, BC. The authors examined air exposure, fight time, landing method, hook type, water temperature, and sex of steelhead.
This study examined that impacts of hook type for fly and spinning gear on mortality rates on steelhead on the Bulkley River, BC. They found no deep hooking (a major cause of mortality) for fish caught on single, barbless hooks.