Catch your fish and eat it too, or what?

[drbill]

Personally, I think "sport" fishing is awful. Having said that I have to acknowledge that I used to catch fish just for the "fun" of it when I was young. I'd always release the ones I didn't intend to eat.

Now I would never take a fish I didn't intend to eat. Of course I don't take any fish these days, but would certainly do so if I needed to (and the prices at our local grocery store are going through the roof so I may!).

I think catch-and-release (CR) as a concept is good. However, for some fish CR can render the fish very vulnerable to predators or death. Those fish that fight quite a bit (like marlin) can be extremely susceptible due to the energy they expend. A friend of mine who thought CR fishing for striped marlin was fine finally funded a study to determine mortality and was surprised at the high rates the study revealed (as I expected it would).

 

[Wayward Son]

Unfortunately, a fair # of fish released do not live. I caught a short amberjack a week ago & put him back. When we hit water for our 2nd dive I found him laying on the bottom, dead.

I mostly H&L and spear fish for consumption. If I catch a short, a species we can't keep, or one I don't want, it goes back & I hope it lives. If it's what I want & legal it goes in the fish box for the ride home.

I don't have any objection to catch & release, but I do object to those who think it's the perfect solotion that never kills a fish. A fair percentage of what they put back does, in fact, die.

 

[CON8IV]

I eat some of the fish I catch, and release others if they are healthy, based on species(quality of table fare) or legal length, etc. Indeed, the price per pound is high if you consider gas for the truck, boat, bait, equipment, etc. I was also brought up with the, "you have to eat everything you kill" philosophy and it works for me. A percentage of the meat I eat I hunt or catch myself. I see it as part of my family heritage and how the natural world works. Regardless of your standpoint on Catch & Release, which is quite prevalent here in Colorado, the attatched article was written by one of my favorite authors, Humbero Fontova. Even if you don't agree with his standpoint, it makes for some interesting and entertaining reading.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/fontova/fontova23.html

Cheers!

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

I usually just whisper to them and charm them onto my plate. I can be very charming...

 

[KOMPRESSOR]

I eat some of the fish I catch, and release others if they are healthy, based on species(quality of table fare) or legal length, etc. Indeed, the price per pound is high if you consider gas for the truck, boat, bait, equipment, etc. I was also brought up with the, "you have to eat everything you kill" philosophy and it works for me. A percentage of the meat I eat I hunt or catch myself. I see it as part of my family heritage and how the natural world works. Regardless of your standpoint on Catch & Release, which is quite prevalent here in Colorado, the attatched article was written by one of my favorite authors, Humbero Fontova. Even if you don't agree with his standpoint, it makes for some interesting and entertaining reading.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/fontova/fontova23.html

Cheers!

Hey! That story in the link struck bullseye with what I'm thinking some times when I see those fish programs on satelite channels!

 

[CON8IV]

Hey! That story in the link struck bullseye with what I'm thinking some times when I see those fish programs on satelite channels!

Yes, I find it strikes home and is very funny. I didn't think anyone would respond so quickly! By the way, where'd you get a cool Roy Rogers six-shooter like that at such a young age? I had some like it, too.

 

[DavidPT40]

Here are some statistics on catch and release fishing.

This factor demonstrates the largest source of variation in mortality observed in the studies and experiments reviewed. It is consistently shown that deep-hooking (hooking in the gills or gullet) causes relatively high mortality, up to 35% when accompanied by bleeding, whereas normal hooking (lips or jaw area) consistently causes minimal mortality, which is consistently less than 5% and often less than 1%.

Studies show that when fish are hooked in the lips or jaw area (shallow hooked), mortality is negligible, typically less than 1% (4,5).

http://www.acuteangling.com/Reference/C&RMortality.html

Being an experienced fishermen reduces the chance that a fish will swallow the hook. I have only had one fish gut-hooked in the past two years, and it was a large channel catfish.

 

[CON8IV]

I usually just whisper to them and charm them onto my plate. I can be very charming...

Dang Frank, if I could do that I'd save a bundle on gas, bait, etc. My friends would all have fish-envy. The fish wouldn't even have to be hungry or want to bite. You are the MAN!

Hey, do you have one of those T-shirts that say, "Women want me, Fish fear me?"

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

LOL! No... But maybe I should get one: "Everyone hates me, but I love fish!" Hrmm.. It seems to lack a certain something...

 

[tremtech]

C.A.R.P. (catch and release program) reps where at the public boat ramp passing out stickers a few years ago in Citrus County. I didnt notice at the time,I ignored them but my 13 year old son mentioned as we drove away that the two men that were telling us how crewl ( and how the fish suffered) it was for us to take home our bag limit were wearing leather shoes and had a one had a leather belt on . Its funny what kids pick up on.