The Physical Feat of Mindfully Landing, Handling, and Releasing Fish

For the budding new angler, or those who tend to hit the water with guides or buddies more often than not,you may be in for a bit of a surprise when you first realize that netting your own fish can wind up being the greatest physical feat of the day.

While we’ve been fortunate in recent years to have excellent organizations like Keep Fish Wet leading the charge in safe fish handling education, implementing these best practices can come with a few unexpected asks from your physical self. Executed with ease and sometimes taken for granted, landing and releasing a fish with care often involves far more coordination, mobility, and awareness than it appears.

Below is a breakdown of some of the key physical elements involved in a solid landing, handling, and release, along with simple, practical ways to support your body off the water so you can better care for your fish on it.

Shoulder Mobility

It should go without saying that fly casting demands a fair amount of shoulder mobility. What’s often less obvious is how much shoulder flexion,arm overhead,you need when netting your own fish. This position places additional demands on the shoulder girdle, especially when paired with uneven footing or flowing water.

Maintaining well-moving shoulders is essential, particularly during the net-and-release phase.

Try: Shoulder CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations) are one of the most effective ways to build and maintain usable shoulder range of motion and control. These can be done seated, standing, tall kneeling, or in a quadruped position. A quick daily set of slow, intentional rotations goes a long way in keeping this complex joint system healthy.

Reaching

With the lift of the rod comes an even longer reach from the net-handling arm. Reaching well requires coordination between the shoulder blade, shoulder capsule, arm, and spine. It’s a whole-body task, not just an arm movement.

Keeping these systems working together supports not only fish handling, but plenty of everyday movements as well.

Try: Stack movements by practicing single-arm or two-arm reaches while seated on the floor. Sit cross-legged and reach forward, overhead, and side to side, then switch which leg is in front. Other useful positions include legs straight out, straddled, or any type of squat. Use a yoga block, bolster, or pillows under your seat as needed. Adding gentle trunk rotation can further support spinal health.

Grip Strength

And no, I’m not talking about death-gripping your fish. Please don’t.

Whether you’re using a rubber net or opting for a hands-free release, healthy hands and wrists matter. Even lightly managing a net handle or controlling slack line requires grip endurance and wrist control. When these areas aren’t up to the task, even simple actions can feel surprisingly challenging.

Try: Similar to shoulder CARs, daily wrist CARs performed slowly and intentionally can help maintain wrist mobility. Aim for three rotations in each direction. For added grip work, lightly squeeze a tennis ball while moving through the rotations.

Lower Body Mobility

One of the bigger challenges for many anglers is getting low enough to the water to safely remove a fly and release a fish,without lifting it out of the water. Limited ankle, knee, or hip mobility can make this difficult.

For many anglers, some variation of a squat is the most effective position for keeping fish submerged during release. A mobile lower body also supports checking water temperatures and navigating uneven terrain.

Try: Floor sitting is a deceptively effective way to build and maintain lower body mobility. Regularly shifting between seated positions moves the hips, knees, ankles, and pelvis through a wide range of angles. Use blankets or cushions as needed, and sit near a stable surface if you’ll need help standing back up. If floor sitting isn’t accessible, vary your seated positions in chairs or on the couch and incorporate ankle CARs throughout the day. Aim for about 30 minutes of floor time daily if possible.

Balance & Proprioception

Landing and releasing a fish often involves reaching, pivoting, squatting, and gripping,all while standing in moving water. In the excitement of the moment, it’s easy to forget that keeping your feet under you is still the foundation of the whole operation.

Stability isn’t about staying rigid; it’s about remaining steady within movement. Balance and spatial awareness are key.

Try: Start with sustained single-leg standing. As this becomes more comfortable, add movement,leg swings, arm reaches, or gentle hip hinges,to challenge your ability to re-stabilize. Use a wall or other support as needed while gradually increasing difficulty over time.

Surprisingly enough, safely handling and releasing fish may leave you with some unintentional mobility gains of your own. Keep those rod tips lifting and your squats plenty low.

And if you’re looking for motivation to invest in your movement practice off the water, becoming a more ethical, capable, and mindful angler is as good a reason as any. Your joints,and your fisheries,will thank you.