Fish Are More Harmed By............

[Al Agnew]

Be sure and check out Gavin's link. I use that technique to get hooks out of a fish's throat. I never cut the line. While it may be true that some fish survive with hooks down their gullet, if I was a fish I'd rather have the thing jerked out a leave a wound that might heal, rather than having it stuck down there for as long as it takes for hooks to disintegrate.

I don't know what I'm doing right, but I always hear people complain about bass quickly swallowing tubes, yet I can't remember the last time that happened to me...well, maybe I can. It was probably ten years ago or more at the first Riversmallie rodeo on the Shenandoah River in VA, where I hooked a 20 incher on a tube that had the tube far down in its throat. That fish died, even though we spent a lot of time trying to revive it. It was hooked right at the base of the throat, and I've read that is one of the worst places to hook them for some reason.

[troutfiend1985]

Troutfiend, I understand what you're saying and basically agree with you. The laws have to be "no exceptions" or else poachers would take advantage of them as you said.

But if I spend a half hour trying to revive an under-size fish (which I will if the situation calls), and it simply will not revive, am I just gonna let it drift downstream to rot... I don't know. I understand the law is very clear on the issue, but I don't think the ethics of the situation are nearly as clearcut. I'm not sure, but I may break the law in that situation, quit fishing, and go home. If I am caught, then I would tell the Conservation agent the truth and willingly pay the fine.

I've only had this situation occur to me a few times in the last few years, and each time I really have to debate what I am going to do. It's not black and white, and I'm honestly not sure what the right answer is.

Oh I agree with you, but its a law that is needed because people are dishonest. I think that it's a tragedy to have to essentially waste a fish, no matter the size of it. Unfortunatley, people other than you and I would take advantage of a law that incorporated such conditions as survival of the fish.

[Justin Spencer]

At the risk of upsetting some of you I would like to share a quick story.

Our first month at Sunburst (when this section was still open to bait fishing) we had a distant relative here fishing with corn. I went to the river to see how he was doing, and to my horror there were 4 or 5- 12" rainbows laying on the bottom of the river dead in front of him. I was torn as to the fate of these fish and decided I would take them and at least make a meal of them so they wouldn't go to waste (last time I've eaten a rainbow from the NFoW by the way).

I pulled them from the river and laid them on the bank, and while doing so a man came UP the river dragging a canoe behind him (don't ask me). He evidently saw the short fish and when he arrived back at his truck he called the authorities (right thing to do). Unknown to me the CO arrived and watched from a distance as my great uncle (by marraige) fished. I had taken the trout to the house already and put them in the fridge and had gone back down to the river as it was almost dark. My relative, who was doing almost everything legally, had put one fish in his bucket because it was bleeding and figured it would die and I would want it. When I went down the fish was still very much alive so I told him to release it. I placed the fish in the water and revived it, and left with the fish facing upstream swimming in place. As we walked out the CO approached us and asked if we had any fish in the cooler, we said no, and he confirmed this with a quick search. He then asked what we were doing with a fish down at the river. I explained that the fish had been hooked deep and we thought it might die, but when we realized it would survive we let it go. The CO then said to take him to where the fish was released and if he found it dead we would be guilty of wanton waste. Luckily we got to where the fish was, and it was still swimming in place, and as we arrived it darted off. Don't think the CO was very happy, but he left us with a warning. Don't know what he would have said had he seen dead fish laying on the bottom of the river: is that also wanton waste or just part of bait fishing. Needless to say, I'm glad they extended the Blue ribbon area down to Patrick (although wish we could still gig here) as I haven't seen a dead fish on the bottom since.

I guess using this story as an example, bait fishing can be pretty tough on the fish if you are not careful about it. I think if bait is legal they probably shouldn't have a minimum size limit so that gut hooked fish can be kept.

[tjulianc]

I guess using this story as an example, bait fishing can be pretty tough on the fish if you are not careful about it. I think if bait is legal they probably shouldn't have a minimum size limit so that gut hooked fish can be kept.

That sounds like a good Idea to me. Slot limits can be a pain, but they do make sense. For example I like the limit, that fish between say, 13-16" must be released. Plus there is the chance that too many little fish can stunt a fish population.

[creekin bassnerd]

Fishing with live bait has got to be one of the biggest killers. When the bait tastes like real food, the fish are going to try and swallow it as quickly as possible and often get guthooked. I'm not totally against fishing with live bait, but it is the angler's responsibility to be ready to set the hook as soon as you feel that nibble, if you practice catch and release.

I think there are a lot of people fishing who do not understand that a fish is in a state of shock when you fight it to exhaustion and and pull it out of the water. This is a video of an idiot who I'm sure killed this pregnant smallie by walking around with it and not puttin it back in the water in time. This was posted on youtube, how many people catch a good smallie and parade around celebrating while the fish is near death? Probably way too many. There just isnt any video footage.

[troutfiend1985]

Don't know what he would have said had he seen dead fish laying on the bottom of the river: is that also wanton waste or just part of bait fishing. Needless to say, I'm glad they extended the Blue ribbon area down to Patrick (although wish we could still gig here) as I haven't seen a dead fish on the bottom since.

I guess using this story as an example, bait fishing can be pretty tough on the fish if you are not careful about it. I think if bait is legal they probably shouldn't have a minimum size limit so that gut hooked fish can be kept.

Justin I don't know what you could have done in that situation, on the one hand you could release the fish and if it dies, wanton waste, or keep it and fall short of the legal length? Never heard of wanton waste before in my life. Glad nothing happened though.

[laker67]

Never heard of wanton waste either. Some where, way back, I can recall a statement saying: If you release a fish and it dies, you must count it in your daily limit.

[flytyer57]

I'm surprised this yahoo had the cajones to put that on the web. I guess that's what that hillbilly meth does to ya.

[Trout Commander]

I'm surprised this yahoo had the cajones to put that on the web. I guess that's what that hillbilly meth does to ya.

I don't think it's the presence of cajones, but rather the lack of functioning brain cells.

[riverrat09]

I'd say #5 & 6 are about the same and have the most potential to harm the fish.