Kept My First Fish. Also Think Last.

[Guest]

deleted

[Kayser]

Nobody really likes killing, but it has to be done to get meat. I feel that it's best done by having as much respect for the animal as possible.

To kill fish, just put them in a cooler with ice. They lack the neural system responsible for feeling pain and distress that mammals (like us) do. This method draws the blood from the meat into the internal organs (tastes better, less mess), keeps the meat fresh/reduces waste, and makes the fish easier to clean. I think the most respect I can have for the lives I'm taking is to use as much of the animal as I can, and the ice reduces waste. If I don't have cooler space for catfish, I have a tool for that- my dad took the butt end of a pool cue, drilled it out and filled it with lead, then wrapped it in electric tape to keep it from splitting. The "cat bat" will make a big flathead quiver with one good hit. Quick, humane, effective.

And as far as throwing suckers onto the banks- you are seriously missing out on the best eating fish in MO streams. People gig them for a reason. Just scale, score, bread and deep-fry in hot oil. White meat, kinda sweet. Spotted bass are pretty darn good, too. Haven't found a use for carp yet, though...

[jdmidwest]

Let one of those catfish drill one of the spines thru the web of your hand and you will develope a lack of compassion for their life.

[Tim Smith]

We did a search of the scientific literature back in the 90s to see if there was actually any scientific evidence that sucker compete with trout. We found quite a few studies that looked for negative effects of sucker on trout, but almost none actually had the data to prove competition between suckers and trout hurt trout populations.

[jdmidwest]

Suckers probably help the trout. The stuff they dig up is full of scuds and other trout food. They keep the bottom clean and encourage the growth of the critters that trout feed on.

[Wayne SW/MO]

We did a search of the scientific literature back in the 90s to see if there was actually any scientific evidence that sucker compete with trout. We found quite a few studies that looked for negative effects of sucker on trout, but almost none actually had the data to prove competition between suckers and trout hurt trout populations.

True or not Tim, don't forget trout in MO are invasive.

[Tim Smith]

Suckers probably help the trout. The stuff they dig up is full of scuds and other trout food. They keep the bottom clean and encourage the growth of the critters that trout feed on.

You may be right about that, JD, especially the first part. The 3 dollar word for this is "facilitation". There are usually plenty of invertebrates in the system but they're hidden down in the substrate. Suckers and large invertebrate predators scare them into the open where the trout can get them.

Ever see a trout hanging out downstream from feeding suckers? That's why they do it.

[fishinwrench]

Ever see a trout hanging out downstream from feeding suckers? That's why they do it.

Yeah right! Rainbows maybe.....but Browns, they are checkin'out that booty.

[Mitch f]

Ever see a trout hanging out downstream from feeding suckers? That's why they do it.

How shuffling was invented