Definition
Fish — A fish is any object left, lost, or stuck in a wellbore — such as a broken drill string, a dropped tool, or debris — that must be recovered or removed before drilling or completion operations can continue.
Also known as: fish, downhole fish, junk
What a fish is
A fish is anything unintentionally in the hole that blocks progress: a parted section of drill pipe, a stuck bottomhole assembly, a dropped bit or hand tool, or loose metal debris often called junk. Once an object becomes a fish, normal operations stop until it is either recovered to surface or, in the case of junk, milled up and cleared. The distance from surface to the uppermost part of the fish is the fish top, and its dimensions determine which catching tool can engage it.
Diagnosing and describing a fish
Effective recovery starts with a clear description — the fish’s outside and inside diameters, length, condition of its top, and why it is stuck. A clean pipe top can be caught by an overshot on the outside or a releasing spear on the inside; a jagged or collapsed top may need dressing or milling first. Accurate information about the free point guides whether to back off and fish in stages.
Why it matters for rentals
Every fish is different, so the catching, milling, and jarring tools required vary case by case.
Browse our fishing tools to match a tool to your fish, or contact us with the fish details for recovery recommendations.