The muskie is a difficult fish to catch.

And like a dog chasing a car, when you finally do get a hold of one, what to do? With a mouthful of dagger-like teeth and a typically bad attitude, a hooked muskie presents a danger to the angler not prepared to deal with the situation.

Over the past three decades, a strong catch-and-release ethic has evolved in regard to muskies, the reflection of a more enlightened attitude that places a well-deserved respect on the species.

Most legal muskies were killed 30 years ago. Today, the release mentality coupled with higher minimum length limits sees most muskies being let go. Anglers properly outfitted to handle muskies can do so with minimum on stress to the fish, while maximizing their own safety.

Probably the best thing to come along in years has been the over-sized landing nets specifically designed for large predators like muskies. Huge nets like Frabill’s Big Kahuna and Beckman’s Pen Fin-Saver allow muskies to be held in the water at boat-side after being landed.

The special netting on such devices is designed to be easy on the fish’s fins; their impressive diameter allows even a 50-plus-inch muskie to stretch out.

Another good option is a muskie cradle, such as the one Frabill makes, but only when there’s at least one other angler in the boat, as “cradling” a muskie is a two-person operation.

Keeping the muskie boat-side allows its head to remain underwater, where it can recuperate from the struggle that put it in the net. It also gives the angler(s) time to calm down and to prepare for the unhooking process.

Unhooking a muskie is the event which poses the greatest threat to both angler and fish. Tools to accomplish the task include long-handled pliers of a couple designs, as well as quality hook cutters. Unhooking is done while the muskie remains in the net, with its head underwater as much as possible.

How the muskie is hooked, as well as with what, will help determine how to get it free. Muskies are often caught on lures that feature two or three razor-sharp treble hooks. If the fish is only hooked with one of the trebles, it will sometimes unhook itself in the net, as the “free” treble(s) grab the net, and the fish trashes, working itself loose of the one hook.

When this fortunate occurrence happens, it’s usually within seconds of the fish being netted. More typically, though, hooks entangled in the net are a bad thing, only complicating the process.

Long-handled needle-nose pliers (especially ones with angled tips) and “channel lock-style” pliers are both good unhooking tools. 10-inch handles keep the angler’s hands a safe distance from fish’s mouth, reducing the chance of getting impaled on a hook or raked with a tooth. They also furnish the gripping power and leverage to lock on to the shank of the hook and twist or pull it free. Tools like the large sized Baker Hook-Out, made specifically for freeing hooks, are also useful.

The act of pulling one hook free can sometimes bury another one in the fish. If a partner is present, having him/her hold the lure away from the fish (with a second pliers) will help prevent this.

Lures like single-hook spinnerbaits and jigs are much easier to unpin a muskie from. Usually it’s just a case of grabbing the hook at the bend and twisting in the direction that backs it out.

Often muskies are hooked in such a manner where it’s more feasible to cut the hooks. The criterion is this: If the unhook job doesn’t appear simple, it’s time to start cutting. The average pair of side cutters isn’t going to shear a muskie hook, especially the shank of a heavy treble hook. The tool that will is a Knipex cutter.

There are cheaper small bolt-cutter style tools that do a fair job, but the Knipex is so superior you’ll probably end up buying one eventually. Put a wrist lanyard on it to keep from accidently losing it overboard.

Once the lure is free from the fish, it’s usually a fairly simple chore to pull out the remaining hook pieces. Carry a supply of hooks onboard to replace any you had to cut. Good split ring pliers will make the chore easier.

While it might be a while before it’s time to launch the boat in quest of muskies, now is the perfect occasion to put together the items needed for their safe release.

Jeff Knapp is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle