Catch And Release Fishing

[bigredbirdfan]

13. Declaring that "No horse is too dead to beat."

Oh my....can't get up off the floor

[Guest kevinkirk]

My initial post had NOTHING to do with the big trout. GOOD GRIEF PPL>

I was writing in response to what I have read on here about the seemingly shortage of fish compared to years ago. There is a lot of comments on the fish just not being there and honestly, how can they sustain a fishery there with so many tourist and others fishing day in and day out. It would be hard to do.

I love the comments of :"If its legal then I have the RIGHT to do it" well no kidding. Thats what got us in the oil shortage and gas prices.

We are all responsible for what happens to those around us. But it appears that using up a resource as long as you can get YOURS is the best method for mankind. I was thinking that MAYBE we could rethink what we do and by doing so, make it better for everyone. NEVER MIND. I get it, okay? By God, if I want to keep twelve coolers of fish and its legal then I will. THen next year...WHERE THE HECK ARE ALL THE FISH WE USED TO CATCH. hah.

I see it all the time. As for the big trout, I dont care if he kept it. Trout are hard to put back and on bait probably hooked deep anyway. Holding them up like a lot of folks do for photos finishes them off so might as well keep them. I was just suggesting that MAYBE just MAYBE we are our brothers keeper after all. haahahahahahah

[Trav]

Koumbayah!!!!

But whining all the same.

This message board is based on mutual respect. It was organized to help fisherman catch fish. Most of us practice catch and release but we all have a respect for the game we hunt. The fact that some of us keep fish, should be totally irrelevent. This subject has posed many times on OAF. It is literally a dead horse, I have a hundred more pics of dead horses if it deems necessary. But as long as the law sees fit to allow fisherman to keep fish, whether I keep or release is my choice. I happen to like those farm raised rainbows!

[Chief Grey Bear]

And then you mention respect.

This post has been respectfully edited upon request.

[Guest kevinkirk]

LOOK I have killed thousands of fish and dont care if you do, but with the gas and oil crisis looming I am thinking more about being a good steward of the resources instead of just a consumer. I know, touchy feely. And I am sure not like that NORMALLY. Hah. Have shot over 30 deer, 16 with a bow, elk, trapped my way thru college and other outdoor pursuits so killed a lot of game.

I was RESPONDING to the blogs on here about less fish being found. We have a lake here in kansas that was one of the top bass lakes in the region. But word got out and of course, the big boats and tournaments moved in and its not that way anymore. I used to catch a LOT of 6 pounders out of there. Not there anymore.

Catch all you can and do as you please. I dont care. I was just wanting a discussion about MAYBE just MAYBE we look to the future andof develop a REALLY good fishing place. But its like the oil blog I am on. People get so mad when you suggest that MAYBE we cannot all drive trucks and SUV's and have to cut back. Most of them say, BY GOD, its my right to drive what I want. I got a lot of the same comment on here. ITS MY RIGHT. Well yes, under the law it is your right. But is it right to do so.

I just got back from Colorado and caught a ton of trout flyfishing. Of course its not easy anymore as the blue hairs all fish the lakes out and take every fish home. Lucky I know how to fly fish and no competition on the big rivers. Too hard to wade for most folks. I could have kept 200 fish in the week I fished. Now son and I going out and those fish will be there for us again.

DONT get so pissed off if you want to keep fish. KEEP THEM FOR GODS SAKE> But I was looking for people like me who look to the future and not for the MOMENT> I forgot that idea is pretty much not there anymore. I guess I am old enough to remember when everyone was concerned about their neighbor.

As for the hatchery fish, yes, that is what they are for. Catch all you can. But if a resource is suffering, maybe there is a reason. HOWEVER, with the high water, two years from now the Crappie fishing will be phenomenal followed by the Bass fishing in 5 years. So hang on folks, good times are coming.

[Danoinark]

Sorry Trav, I edited your post, we're not going there with that statement. That's over the top.

[drew03cmc]

LOOK I have killed thousands of fish and dont care if you do, but with the gas and oil crisis looming I am thinking more about being a good steward of the resources instead of just a consumer. I know, touchy feely. And I am sure not like that NORMALLY. Hah. Have shot over 30 deer, 16 with a bow, elk, trapped my way thru college and other outdoor pursuits so killed a lot of game.

I was RESPONDING to the blogs on here about less fish being found. We have a lake here in kansas that was one of the top bass lakes in the region. But word got out and of course, the big boats and tournaments moved in and its not that way anymore. I used to catch a LOT of 6 pounders out of there. Not there anymore.

Catch all you can and do as you please. I dont care. I was just wanting a discussion about MAYBE just MAYBE we look to the future andof develop a REALLY good fishing place. But its like the oil blog I am on. People get so mad when you suggest that MAYBE we cannot all drive trucks and SUV's and have to cut back. Most of them say, BY GOD, its my right to drive what I want. I got a lot of the same comment on here. ITS MY RIGHT. Well yes, under the law it is your right. But is it right to do so.

I just got back from Colorado and caught a ton of trout flyfishing. Of course its not easy anymore as the blue hairs all fish the lakes out and take every fish home. Lucky I know how to fly fish and no competition on the big rivers. Too hard to wade for most folks. I could have kept 200 fish in the week I fished. Now son and I going out and those fish will be there for us again.

DONT get so pissed off if you want to keep fish. KEEP THEM FOR GODS SAKE> But I was looking for people like me who look to the future and not for the MOMENT> I forgot that idea is pretty much not there anymore. I guess I am old enough to remember when everyone was concerned about their neighbor.

As for the hatchery fish, yes, that is what they are for. Catch all you can. But if a resource is suffering, maybe there is a reason. HOWEVER, with the high water, two years from now the Crappie fishing will be phenomenal followed by the Bass fishing in 5 years. So hang on folks, good times are coming.

Ok, a few things here, the gas and oil crisis, my gas has dropped almost thirty cents a gallon in the last week and a half, I am pretty happy about that, and I know others are too, but that is all I will say about that, except that if our government had built more refineries in the last 30 years we would not be in this situation.

It is possible that less fish are found on high pressure water because they give the fish sloppy presentations, cattle like approaches, or the fish are smarter than the fisherman. The state manages how many fish are available in high pressure watersheds, like for example, on the Meramec, there are less smallmouth bass due to spotted bass hybridization, so yes, there are less of one kind, but more of another. Take this into consideration.

It is someone's right to drive what they want, but who are you to tell someone what is right for them to drive? Are you the person in control of their decisions or thoughts? I believe this is a free country, and if you drive past a used car lot, you will see more full size trucks than anything on the lots. There is a lot in my hometown offering 4.9% anyone is approved on trucks, SUVs and vans.

If a resource is suffering it is most likely due to other factors, low oxygen levels, low levels of available structure, or poor management, rather than overharvest. Think of this before layin the blame on a fisherman who likes to keep a few fish.

You speak of good times ahead and harp on others for things happening now, I am confused by your entire post. For someone who said to not take something personal, you sure are.

[Chief Grey Bear]

Ok, a few things here, the gas and oil crisis, my gas has dropped almost thirty cents a gallon in the last week and a half, I am pretty happy about that, and I know others are too, but that is all I will say about that, except that if our government had built more refineries in the last 30 years we would not be in this situation.

It is possible that less fish are found on high pressure water because they give the fish sloppy presentations, cattle like approaches, or the fish are smarter than the fisherman. The state manages how many fish are available in high pressure watersheds, like for example, on the Meramec, there are less smallmouth bass due to spotted bass hybridization, so yes, there are less of one kind, but more of another. Take this into consideration.

Well, you shouldn't be happy. It is still over priced. You may thank Reaganomic's for part of that due to what can basically be termed as unregulated mergers. His idea of reduced competition through mergers has paid us dearly. I mean we have paid dearly.

The government does not build refineries. Oil companies do. But if they build more, there will be more supply. More supply means less demand. And you know how the law of supply and demand operates. So I wouldn't look for any to built any time soon. Hundreds of refineries have been shut down instead of being updated since the 1980's. There again, consolidation through mergers saved no one but the oil companies BILLIONS of $$$$$. And we have been paying ever since.

In the 80's I paid between .45 and .75 cents a gallon for gas. In the 90's that went to between .80 and 1.00. Come 2001 it jumped from a low of .92 cents to over 4.00 now.

You can make your own conclusions to that. I have mine.

The next paragraph that I quoted of yours is something that I have often wondered to myself. In lakes especially, how many time can a bass be caught and released before he starts to associate presentations as painful. I don't know that I would call them sloppy presentations. When I sit on the dock at Grand Lake just relaxing, I can hardly count the number of boats that come by and try their luck. And on days of tournaments, the number is staggering.

[drew03cmc]

Well, you shouldn't be happy. It is still over priced. You may thank Reaganomic's for part of that due to what can basically be termed as unregulated mergers. His idea of reduced competition through mergers has paid us dearly. I mean we have paid dearly.

The government does not build refineries. Oil companies do. But if they build more, there will be more supply. More supply means less demand. And you know how the law of supply and demand operates. So I wouldn't look for any to built any time soon. Hundreds of refineries have been shut down instead of being updated since the 1980's. There again, consolidation through mergers saved no one but the oil companies BILLIONS of $$$$$. And we have been paying ever since.

In the 80's I paid between .45 and .75 cents a gallon for gas. In the 90's that went to between .80 and 1.00. Come 2001 it jumped from a low of .92 cents to over 4.00 now.

You can make your own conclusions to that. I have mine.

The next paragraph that I quoted of yours is something that I have often wondered to myself. In lakes especially, how many time can a bass be caught and released before he starts to associate presentations as painful. I don't know that I would call them sloppy presentations. When I sit on the dock at Grand Lake just relaxing, I can hardly count the number of boats that come by and try their luck. And on days of tournaments, the number is staggering.

When I speak of the government building refineries, they have to approve it, and they have not. We have not built a new refinery in over 30 years. The state of California will not allow a refinery to be built there anymore. That should not be up to the state personally.

The cause of gas going up, is a WORLD ECONOMY. We should be concerned with helping ourselves and screw everyone else. Who can help us if we need it? Bring ALL of our troops home and let the world deal with itself.

[jdmidwest]

Eat more fish and spend less gas going to the grocery store.

Right now, its eat more squirrel, out of 4 rows of sweet corn, 12 ears have been picked. All the rest has went to the squirrels. There are 3 less squirrels now, more to die soon.

How did this get off catch and release? Wise fishermen manage their resources.