Snagly,

Interesting questions. I fish a lot of C&R waters anymore, and I always release wild steelhead by choice. So I end up using barbless hooks most of the time. I'm not sure if that affects my landing percentage, but it might. Over the years when I've kept track of it, it seems like I land about 50% of the steelhead I hook.

As for when is a fish caught, that is interesting, not so much because of all the C&R fishing we do nowadays, but interesting because of what it takes to satisfy various anglers' needs. I don't make fishing bets with buddies about first fish or most fish, so I don't need a mutual or consensus definition for a caught fish. I subscribe to the notion that fishing is about me and my experience, sometimes between me and the fish, and I refuse to make it a contest with other anglers. I've done enough fishing and caught enough fish that I don't need nor want anyone else to validate my fishing experience. So my definition of "caught" is sort of loose and inconsistent. Caught means I could have caught or landed it if I had choosen to do so. For example, sometimes after playing a fish out, I slack line it hoping the barbless hook will come free (those are the ones that usually won't) so I can avoid further stressing the fish with handling and unhooking. Some of those fish might have come free and never been actually landed or caught, but what matter? Occasionally I've been able to roll a fish onto its side and slide it into the shallow water, slide my hand down the leader and back the hook out without hardly touching the fish before it turns and swims away. But if you'd asked me if I'd caught a fish that day, I would report that I had. I think the important thing is not getting too "caught" up in what others think about your fishing results. Validate your own fishing experience. Did you have a good day fishing, or not?

Sincerely,

Salmo g.