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[silver ghost]

okay so this may sound like a dumb question, but im wondering what it means to 'tail' a fish...

Is it something that you do that numbs the fish that makes it easier to pick up andfor catch and release? or is it just a way of holding it?

Its hard picking fish up by the tail, they always slip out of my hands [when theyre dead anyways]

so what is tailing and whats the point of it?

[mattyo]

Turning a fish upside down in the water has a calming effect. Making it a lot easier to get hold of the tail.

[Easywater]

"Tailing" is only just a relatively safe way to pick up a live fish - just grab it around the skinniest part of the tail.
In addition to holding the fish by the tail, the fish is also supported under the belly or the head.
This is usually done to take a picture of a fish before releasing it (or to remove the hook with the free hand).

The alternative to tailing the fish is to pick it up by the gill plates which is very harmful to a live fish.

You put your index and middle fingers under the gill plate openings near the head of the fish and hold the fish head up.
You may want to use this method to handle dead fish as they don't slip out.

[Tex]

You don't actually hold the tail, fishunter, you grab the "wrist" of the tail, which is where the body narrows down just before the tail.  This provides a natural "grippy" place to hold a fish.  As Easywater explains, you also should ALWAYS support the fish under the belly.  Note that you do NOT squeeze the belly, you simiply keep your hand beneath the fish by it's pectoral fins and cradle it.

Like this fellow, who I used to work with up north:


Good luck!

Tex