Catch And Releaser's Should Stop At Their Limit?

[snagged in outlet 3]

I guess that puts an end to my Taney report for this weekend.

SIO3

[timsfly]

Sorry, I'll continue to catch & release till I'm done fishing, now on the wild creeks I try to

fish when the waters are cooler, early morning is my favorite time, and of course winter time.

I will not fish for any fish if I think they are susceptible to being stressed, I think if a fisher person

takes care in releasing their catch, then by all means catch all you can, I'm out there to have fun.

[Al Agnew]

My first post was talking about days when you catch a lot of fish, and at some point, depending upon what you're using, etc. you will have caught so many that if a given percentage dies later you've killed your limit or more. As far as Cricket's original premise that you should stop fishing after catching and releasing a "limit", that's simply ridiculous.

And you can also look at it this way...if a bait fisherman catches and keeps a limit, how many short fish has he caught in the meantime? And if he's not a very good bait fisherman as far as knowing when to set the hook, how many MORE than his limit has he ended up killing?

So...except for places and situations where some fish NEED to be killed, the catch and release angler is almost always doing less harm to the fish population than the catch and keep angler.

I knew a guy, though, who always kept a limit of bass on float trips, and when he'd finish off his limit, he'd stop fishing and paddle on through the rest of the float. Ethical? Or unnecessary?

[Kevin B.]

I answered no, but really its a no with conditions. I would look at the limit number as a potential "harvest". A certain percentage of fish caught by catch-and-release fisherman are going to die. If I were bait-fishing Taney and gut-hooked 15 trout but just cut the line and threw 'em back I'd consider that wrong. If I caught 20, took lots of pictures with each to keep them out of the water (the issue here is the out-of-the-water, not the pictures), handled them roughly and then eventually got them back in the water much the worse for wear, I'd consider that wrong. If I caught 30, got them back in the water quickly (if they left the water at all) and handled them minimally/carefully so that I was sure the mortality rate was low, I wouldn't have a problem with that. So far, I've yet to get to the point where I'm having a good enough day to worry about doing more damage as a CnR person than my limit. If I did, I'd argue that it would be time to call it a day (but know I'd be tempted to keep at it). However, I don't think catching/returning 4 is anywhere near equivalent to catching/keeping 4.

Kevin

[jdmidwest]

I always stop catching and releasing when I am done fishing. When I am done fishing I have reached the limit of time allowed for that activity.

[laker67]

I guess that puts an end to my Taney report for this weekend.

SIO3

we are still waiting for that report Pete. Be sure to include how many fish over the limit were maimed, mutilated, and executed. And are any of those fish the wiser for it?

[junkman]

I enjoy getting out in nature and enjoying my self. Yes I like to catch fish which is always catch and release. But I myself also love just being out there even if I catch something or not, but I many times take my 12 year old boy with me and if he doesn't catch anything or the biting is slow he gets board. So when they do bit we take advantage of the situation and have fun. i think that is what it's all about. My nickels worth.

[crawfly]

I guess I am the first person to answer yes. Since there is no limit on catch & release fishing I am ethically in agreement with catching & releasing every fish I can.

You are entirely welcome for my efforts to educate the fish in this manner so the odds of you catching the "trophy" fish of your lifetime has been increased due to my efforts.

Fish on ..... Garth!

[stlfisher]

As long as the fish are released carefully there shouldn't be much of a problem. I supposse if you routinely catch a 50 fish a day every day you might be killing more than you think, but how many honest fisherman can routinely say they catch 50 a day? The vast majority of fisherman just don't catch and release enough fish to make much of dent. The ones that do are probably rare enough they are not hurting the poplulation very much.

[Gavin]

I really dont care what you do....They are your fish to keep or toss it back if your so inclined. There are a few glutton's out there though.

Met a fellow once who bragged of routine 100 trout days at Bennett Springs and I have no reason to doubt him...Saw him on the water once or twice down there. He stood in the same spot all day long and wacked the stink out of fish. What a gluttonous bore.