Crane Report 3/3

[KATroutman13]

What an incredible bunch of responses. I am not saying -- "Don't Fish" I'd just like for everyone, including myself, to try to be better stewards of our resources, that's it.

The argument that the fish is under more stress by just being hooked is illogical because, in this case, the stress is not mutually exclusive, but rather, compounded. I think that most biologists would agree and their science is supported by common sense, that using a net or not touching the fish at all is better and LESS stressful for the fish than to hook them, drag them through the water and then pull them onto the rocks.

I stated my opinion, nothing less, nothing more. If you don't like it, take your own advice.

[laker67]

My thanks to flysmallie, JJ, and tito. Maybe we can return to fishing.

[drew03cmc]

Uh, then don't take the picture?

If you couldn't take a picture without stressing or damaging the animal, did you really need to take the picture in the first place? Personally, I'd rather hear in a post that a fish was released unharmed then to have photo evidence it was mishandled.

I mentioned this on another thread, and it always makes me wince. I think we can all agree hucking fish up on the rocks/gravel/grass/dirt/dead leaves isn't doing them any favors, and certainly not enhancing its likelihood of survival. I've done it before, and reflecting on it, realized it wasn't a particularly smart thing to do if I wanted to see that fish survive, so I quit. If you're gonna kill it, smoke it's head on a rock and be done with it. But don't kid yourself that you're releasing that fish without a lot more stress and damage than was needed.

I guess the whole thing bugs me the same as people taking pot-shots at wildlife or skyblasting waterfowl- you may get lucky and bag something (or in this case get a decent pic), but you're also dramatically increasing the likelihood those animals will be unduly stressed and damaged. IMO, that's not respecting the resource.

Jesus, this argument again? We hash this out yearly, more often if someone catches a hog from Taney and keeps it. The fight of a fish wears the fish out, the hook stings the fish and touching the fish out of water for any time at all isn't good on the fish. As long as he released the fish unharmed back into the creek, he did his part in accordance with the law. Have a problem with that, bitching here is the least likely way to get something changed.

Want a solution? Do your part and fish with hookless flies like they do in Alaska when they get tired of catching grayling, but want to watch the strike on a dry. They never feel a hook, never have to fight and aren't touched. Problem solved.