Catch and Release?

[Greg]

I very very rarely ever fish the outlets. It just doesn't seem that fun or sporting to me. So I'm not defending the practice. But I do fish that north bank below outlet number 2 sometimes. So I occasionally do watch the outlet fisherman. I would have to say that based on what I have observed they are not all "snaggers". There are a certain # of them that appear to fish it legitimately.

Just an observation,

Greg

[Phil Lilley]

I don't think many, if any, are 'snaggers'. I'm sure every one of the anglers fishing outlets #1 or #2 would rather fair hook a fish than foul hook one.

I foul hooked several fish below rebar the other day... it will happen anytime you're fishing for stationary fish while you're getting the fly down to them- right in their face- and they don't take it. It catches a fin or catches the bottom and when you quick-set the hook, it catches them where you don't want to.

[griffin]

I completely understand the sentiment behind your remarks. But as one who works with teenagers on a daily basis, I worry. They chuckle or say "you're crazy" whenever I tell them I release big fish after catching them. To release a trophy fish is totally alien to them. Unlike your situation, I'm not sure these kids will ever "get there like the rest of us." Many comment about not even having a license or about bringing home as many fish as possible. They lack any sense of a conservation ethic I'm sad to say. Such an ethic must be taught and reinforced so as to become part of their mentality. My stepson used to complain about fishing with me and never bringing home fish (we have a digital camera instead). Have I denied him a certain amount of enjoyment? Absolutely. But he also gets satisfaction out of knowing he's making a contribution. And now, since he's done it so much (and has been told the reasons for it), he's completely ok with it.

You've also denied your stepson the self-assuredness that comes from eating a meal made from a fish or animal that he caught or killed. The confidence that comes from knowing that, if necessary, you could survive.

To me, it absolutely essential that my children know that food doesn't come from a grocery store. In fact, if I were king, ALL children would have to learn that by catching, killing, and eating the fish and game that they took.

My son was barely 3 years old....we were eating a pot roast at the in-laws house.....he looks at his grandma and said, "who killed this meat?".

Do your kids a favor......catch a fish, kill a duck, a deer, or an elephant.....gut it and skin it in front of them, let them help you, prepare it for cooking, let them help you, cook it and eat it....and be happy and proud that you have children who understand a food chain, and where the meat we eat comes from, and why hunting and fishing are important to us....because somewhere there is a parent telling their children that killing fish and animals is wrong, and that they should work to end hunting and fishing...and they will if you don't remember why we fish and hunt.

Fish are food......get over it....some of you sound like you could work for PETA.

griffin

[Murdoc]

OK,everyone lets leave PETA out of this. True PETA wouldn't even want us sport fishing at all. So Smile! and don't get defensive, everyone has a view and they have a right to that view.

[gonefishin]

I think C&R is a good thing but not completley necessary. I release far more fish than I keep but it doesn't bother me to keep a few eaters when I want to. I thin it is a good thing for some of the excess stockers, stunted, small and deformed fish. I don't think it would be really healthy for a fishery to be exclusevly catch and release for a long period of time.

[Wayne SW/MO]

I don't think that many fish the outlets with the intent to snag fish, although I have occasionally seen some who might. The think is that when you fish in a tight bunch of fish with the rod tip above, them the chances of snagging them increases considerably. I think if there was a buffer zone that pushed people back, snagging fish would drop quite abit.

I have no problem with harvesting fish, as long its to eat, like Griffin said. I do think that we don't have to wait on the MDC to tell us when its smart to do so. Stream Smallmouth are a good example, they are struggling to find enough water, so they can use all the help they can get. I think a strictly C&R in the "restricted area" wouldn't hurt. Its already a very few that are tapping the bigger fish, but with 25 miles of no restriction available, its not much to ask to let a few grow as large as the biomass will allow.

[griffin]

OK,everyone lets leave PETA out of this. True PETA wouldn't even want us sport fishing at all. So Smile! and don't get defensive, everyone has a view and they have a right to that view.

The best part about that is that everyone also has a right to disagree with a view and a right to their disagreement of the view, along with their right to express their disagreeing view to those people with whom they disagree with......or not.

What a country!!!

griffin

[gonefishin]

OK,everyone lets leave PETA out of this. True PETA wouldn't even want us sport fishing at all. So Smile! and don't get defensive, everyone has a view and they have a right to that view.

Do you think it is really fair to leave P.eople E.ating T.asty A.nimals out of this? They have rights to ya know.

[Wayne SW/MO]

Do you think it is really fair to leave P.eople E.ating T.asty A.nimals out of this? They have rights to ya know.

So what are you saying, we should double the limit just for them?

Don't know if that would appease Anderson and Maines or not.

[jscheetz]

too bad ducks don't die and pile up in my freezer even if I'm asleep.

hehehehehehehe - Griffin, THAT is good!!

Most of you that have read my posts already know that I am a C&R guy - don't mind people keeping small legal fish to eat - but think there should ABSOLUTELY be a moratorium on keeping big Browns in the fall because they are WAY too easy to catch and or snag.

I can just say that I am thankful and glad that as a man I don't judge my selfworth or feel I have to show others my "manlyness" by having a dead animal on my wall. I actually feel a bit sorry for those who do.

There is no reason other than pride or greed to kill something for a trophy. A picture is just as good for showing someone you caught "the big one".

You've also denied your stepson the self-assuredness that comes from eating a meal made from a fish or animal that he caught or killed. The confidence that comes from knowing that, if necessary, you could survive.

Duuuuuuude - it's 2006 - We've moved past that era in civilization.

JS