How do I hold, unhook and release a walleye properly?

A walleye defends itself three ways — sharp gill-cover edges, stiff dorsal spines, and canine teeth — so never lip it like a bass. With a wet hand, grip across the back just behind the head, folding the dorsal fin down as your hand slides back, and support a big fish with the other hand; never hold it by the eyes or put fingers into the gills. Use long-nose pliers, and cut the line on a deeply hooked fish. Warm water matters more than most anglers assume: this is a coolwater fish, and summer surface temperatures on top of a fight from depth compound the stress. In midsummer unhook the fish in the net, skip the livewell and the long photo, and if fish are coming from 10 m (33 ft) or deeper, treat them as keepers within your limit.

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