Tailing Fish?

"Tailing" is the ability to land a fish by literally grabbing it by the tail while it is still in the water.

Timothy Kusherets

It should be noted that the bigger the species of fish is the easier it is to tail it; conversely, the smaller a fish is the more difficult it becomes: The definition of "tailing" is the ability to land a fish by literally grabbing it by the tail while it is still in the water. Ordinarily this is done while a fish is fighting hook and line, but it can also be done without using anything more than an open fist in the water. I’ve landed tens of thousands of fish and by far love “tailing” them the most. It is the single most difficult way to land fish but is easily the most fulfilling. The methods for tailing are as artistic as the entire experience of fishing marine and freshwater environments. Boaters, surfcasters, and bank fishermen can all “tail” fish to land them, but have a high risk of losing them if they don’t know exactly what to do. The scientific premise of tailing is largely based on how fish swim in the water, even as they come close to being landed. The philanthropic reason for it is based on the kindness of keeping a fish’s head submerged the entire time ensuring that it continues to breathe even as the hook is removed while it remains beneath the surface. Scales of every species of fish remain largely intact making the catch all the more beautiful to photograph, which can be done with only seconds out of the water and back it goes. In all the time I've been tailing fish I've only lost two of them. Almost ninety-nine percent of the fish I catch go right back into the drink; that’s how many fish I catch. Want to know how to "tail" a fish? The definition of "tailing" is the ability to land a fish by literally grabbing it by the tail while it is still in the water. Ordinarily this is done while a fish is fighting hook and line, but it can also be done without using anything more than an open fist in the water.
I’ve landed tens of thousands of fish and by far love “tailing” them the most. It is the single most difficult way to land fish but is easily the most fulfilling. The methods for tailing are as artistic as the entire experience of fishing marine and freshwater environments. Boaters, surfcasters, and bank fishermen can all “tail” fish to land them, but have a high risk of losing them if they don’t know exactly what to do. The scientific premise of tailing is largely based on how fish swim in the water, even as they come close to being landed. The philanthropic reason for it is based on the kindness of keeping a fish’s head submerged the entire time ensuring that it continues to breathe even as the hook is removed while it remains beneath the surface. Scales of every species of fish remain largely intact making the catch all the more beautiful to photograph, which can be done with only seconds out of the water and back it goes. In all the time I've been tailing fish I've only lost two of them. Almost ninety-nine percent of the fish I catch go right back into the drink; that’s how many fish I catch.

© Timothy Kusherets 2007/08