KOMPRESSOR
Contributor
My fascination for water and fish (which lead to diving!) started in my early years, as my father took me out fishing. The rules were plain and strict. Any fish we'd catch was to be killed right away without any extra suffering. All fish should be considered ment for food, except if we caught fish that was to small AND unharmed by the hook. They were the only ones we'd let go. The minute we had "enough" fish it was time for a cup of coffee at the campfire. No more fishing! Now many people would think this is somewhat oldstyle, but the fact is it's the ways most (not all) eager young fishermen learn from their fathers in my country, or at least from some uncle or friend who cares to take them outdoors.
Me with my grandmother in 1973. I am 6 years old. It's not my first fish!
When I was 18 I met "catch & release" people for the first time. It was in Washington State during my year as an exchange student. I was so lucky to meat people would took their fishing very seriously, and I learned a lot from them regarding flyfishing and fly tying. I remember our first trip to a great little river near Yakima. The "camping" was a bit disappointing as it was straight out of the Ford van. But even if the other guys preferred sleeping in the truck, I had my own little tent with me to create that cosy illusion of beeing in the wild! Anyway, I got lucky the nex morning and caught a beautiful rainbow trout of about 2 lbs. I brought it back to the camp and started preparing it for the other guys who were still in the river. When I called them in for lunch it was a disaster... I had KILLED A FISH!...
During the years I have certainly learned more about "catch & release" and "sport fishing", and I have seen it coming to a very limited extent even here back home. Now as most nation's fishermen seem to except and even argue strongly for the ways of catch & release fishing, Norwegians are definitely going the other way. Strongly. There are even those who will forbid this practice, if not down to each and every person, but at least to letting landowners promote and make rules to allow only catch & release in their waters. I've heard they've even gone further in Germany, and there's a law that says you cannot release any fish after catching it. You have to bring it home or prepare it on the site. If this is correct I believe this law has been passed for other reasons than how most Norwegians see it. Maybe "the greens" in Germany would rather have fishing prohibited in full for all I know.
Sowaddayathink? Should one have a great time "playing" with life, and release it for others to "have fun" with it too on a later occasion? I know there are waters with such a heavy pressure of people that they would be emptied if there were no regulations. But let us see this as a practical problem and consentrate on the principles.
Me with my grandmother in 1973. I am 6 years old. It's not my first fish!
When I was 18 I met "catch & release" people for the first time. It was in Washington State during my year as an exchange student. I was so lucky to meat people would took their fishing very seriously, and I learned a lot from them regarding flyfishing and fly tying. I remember our first trip to a great little river near Yakima. The "camping" was a bit disappointing as it was straight out of the Ford van. But even if the other guys preferred sleeping in the truck, I had my own little tent with me to create that cosy illusion of beeing in the wild! Anyway, I got lucky the nex morning and caught a beautiful rainbow trout of about 2 lbs. I brought it back to the camp and started preparing it for the other guys who were still in the river. When I called them in for lunch it was a disaster... I had KILLED A FISH!...
During the years I have certainly learned more about "catch & release" and "sport fishing", and I have seen it coming to a very limited extent even here back home. Now as most nation's fishermen seem to except and even argue strongly for the ways of catch & release fishing, Norwegians are definitely going the other way. Strongly. There are even those who will forbid this practice, if not down to each and every person, but at least to letting landowners promote and make rules to allow only catch & release in their waters. I've heard they've even gone further in Germany, and there's a law that says you cannot release any fish after catching it. You have to bring it home or prepare it on the site. If this is correct I believe this law has been passed for other reasons than how most Norwegians see it. Maybe "the greens" in Germany would rather have fishing prohibited in full for all I know.
Sowaddayathink? Should one have a great time "playing" with life, and release it for others to "have fun" with it too on a later occasion? I know there are waters with such a heavy pressure of people that they would be emptied if there were no regulations. But let us see this as a practical problem and consentrate on the principles.
)
We fish to catch something to eat (always have fish in the freezer) so we use fishing methods that attract the Walleye and Yellow Perch we prefer. Less tasty fish that happen to take the bait get thrown back in the lake.
