By: Jaz McKibben What Is a Descending Device and Why It Matters Responsible anglers know that using best release practices can be the difference between a fish surviving release or floating off. Fish reeled up from depth can experience barotrauma, a pressure-related injury, making it difficult for them to return on their own. Fortunately, this...
By: Nick Haddad Mastering the Use of Your Descending Device is Important for Survival Proper venting and descending device use are often the highlight of Return ‘Em Right education as these are necessary, and sometimes novel, techniques for anglers. Equally important to the survival of released reef fish is minimizing handling and release time. Mastering...
By: Nick Haddad How Barotrauma Impacts Species Differently When you reel in a fish from deep water, you might notice it looks bloated, its eyes are bulging a little or it just appears sluggish at the surface. That’s not entirely from stress from the fight, it’s likely from barotrauma, a pressure-related injury that affects certain fish...
By: Nancy Montes How Return ‘Em Right Uses Angler Feedback At Return ‘Em Right, angler input isn’t just welcomed—it’s essential. Since day one, we’ve built our program with a focus on listening to the people who know the water best. Your insights directly influence how we shape our training, the gear we provide, and the...
By: Nick Haddad Protecting Your Catch and Boosting Survival Rates Two of the largest issues that both anglers and fisheries managers face today are catch and release mortality (often from barotrauma) and depredation from apex predators. Both of these topics are such pressing concerns because they lead to large sources of fishing mortality, without the...
By: Dr. Charles Sidman Teaching Kids to Fish with Kathleen Elliot When a kid learns to cast a line into the water, they are doing far more than fishing, they are reaching for confidence, self-reliance, and a deeper understanding of their place in the world. At the heart of the Mahogany Youth Corporation’s Teach a...
By: Nick Haddad Photographing the Catch As both an angler and photographer, I’ve learned over time how challenging it can be to incorporate photography into fishing. Conditions can change quickly, the fish don’t always cooperate and time is often of the essence for fish that will be released. Here are some of my best tips...
By: Nick Haddad Every cast counts, and so does every release. In Return ‘Em Right’s newest video series: After the Return: Tales of Survival, viewers are taken below the surface—literally and figuratively—into the challenges and solutions surrounding reef fish catch and release mortality. Through five unique fisheries perspectives, the series shines a light on the...
By: Jaz McKibben In 2024 Return ‘Em Right hosted its first ever virtual contest, and this year it’s gotten even better! From June 1, 2025 – July 31st, 2025 anglers can submit photos of their summer catches on descending devices to compete for $5,000 in prizes. By taking a quick photo of an eligible fish...
Originally featured in Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine in May of 2025. By: Nick Haddad While scrolling my Facebook timeline, I stumbled upon a post regarding an early grouper closure that had the fishing community fired up. A captain commented, “We’ve done the circle hooks, we’re doing the descending device, and trying our best but the...
