Overfishing...? Whats your view???

[Albertafisher]

Hey everyone,

What are your views about overfishing? Now I'm not a hippy conservationist, but I do want to sustain a healthy fishery for the future!

Well I was reading "Fish of Alberta" and read that Alberta has the highest density of anglers per lake, out of all the provinces! That's 312.5 PER LAKE(and this book was written 7 years ago, and I'm pretty sure that there has been a increase of anglers over that amount of time)!

Than I read "Because Alberta fishes have low productivity, only a relatively limited number can be taken. If the harvest is too big, the anglers will notice the fishes in their catch and size of their catch decreasing."
And more on that is said. I totally recommend picking up that book and reading it, it's worth the time.

So I'm thinking that the easiest way to help the fisheries is to use the old cliche "Catch your limit, but limit your catch.", so I think if everyone follows this I'm sure that we should be okay for the years to come. But also respecting the fish, not dump oil or heavy metals in the water. And also not to keep fish out of the water longer than necessary (30 seconds). So that's what I do to contribute.
So are you a "pro-conservationist"? Or are you the guy that throws 50 burbs on the ice and lets them freeze? Whats YOUR opinion??
Cheers!

[mooseknuckle]

My wife thinks I fish to much but really? I get out when ever I can.

[Fishingnutter]

... one for the pan and the rest go home to the weeds.

on a side note,, holy cow, my day off, rod ready to go and gusts of 60 kliks and rain that requires a snorkel.

[jacenbeers]

I dont like eating or killing the fish that I catch. I enjoy fishing so much but do not need to bring any home. I catch tons of fish yet when I go to the grocery store I buy fish and let fish go that I catch. I eat one catch per year and I already hit that quota this year.

[Nationwide]

I dont like eating or killing the fish that I catch. I enjoy fishing so much but do not need to bring any home.wow good for you:sHa_shakeshout:


yet when I go to the grocery store I buy fish and let fish go that I catch. I eat one catch per year and I already hit that quota this year. did you catch that fish at the store!!!!!!very interesting statement .

[bowfin]

we need more lakes how many lakes do we have around calgary in a 2 hr radius i would say 10-15 decent bodies of water to fish and water sports population for that same area i would say 2-2.5 mil people if we flooded a few more valleys we could have a few more lakes i now its a pipe dream:bad_boys_20: but we could have some real nice trophy lakes on the praires anyone remember the rainbows that were stocked in crawling valley and how fast and big they got just think of a new res that were stocked with trips total c&r bait ban and single barbless hooks in 10 yrs you would be catching 15-20 lb trout i now it would never fly but i guy can wish lol

[KyleM]

Up the lic to keep fish to 200 bucks a season.
Use the extra money to stock and do house chores on the heavily fished areas.
Also, with your 200 buck a season lic your limited to fish a select number of lakes. The most natural lakes should have strict seasons and restrictions while being considered trophy lakes.

Keep the regular lic where it is.

PS ban online fishing maps:sHa_shakeshout:

[S.A.S]

^....., Anyways I don't keep fish, Have not in 6-7 years. Do not like the taste of trout. High fishing pressure will never go away here, Only 600 lakes/rivers. Proper conservation and catch limits should keep things decent for awhile.

[RandyBoBandy]

catch and release ONLY!:acigar:
we have limited fishing areas in Alberta, over subscribed and a mandate of self intitlement...even the playing field by cnr:fighting0074:

[Arn?Narn.]

I catch and keep whatever fish I can (legally of course)...:)

depending on where I am,..that may be 2, a dozen, two dozen,..or a hundred!

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p125/ithicaxl/trout034.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p125/ithicaxl/trout022.jpg

[Albertafisher]

Well its good to see a healthy population of catch & release supporters, but I see a lot of people keep legal amounts of fish and that is still a lot!! so seriously, don't be greedy, limit your catch! Just think in 20 years that if we fish the way we do most of the fish will be gone!

[Arn?Narn.]

I don't know...

legal limits are legal limits and that is what I keep.

I have yet to catch and release a legal fish... and highly doubt I ever will.

In fact I can almost guarantee it!

just being honest..

[uicehole]

There's very little we can do about "overfishing". That's the result of too many people and not enough waterbodies. What we can do is manage what we have but there's not a simple answer either. What we have here is the "Tragedy of the Commons" and a sense of entitlement. We also have this attitude of "if I don't kill it, it will end up on someone else's pan". We also have C&R fishermen releasing their catch so that the catch and keepers can get their limit. C&R is a choice and so is C&K. Mandatory C&R won't happen because the politicians don't have the ballz. C&K with the current limits cannot sustain. The solution is an equilibrium somewhere in the middle. Just need to find out where this point is.

Myself, I happen to like the taste of fish so when I have a hankering, I head out to one of the ponds specifically managed for put and take. I'll also make a couple trips a year to satisfy my taste for walleye (not always successful). I release all stream fish and all pike voluntarily.

[ishootbambi]

i dont really care for eating fish, but dang i like catching them. i dont care if a guy keeps one or two occasionally, but what grinds my gears is hearing complaints of how commercial guys kill all the fish.....especially from guys killing a limit every trip out. just crunch a few numbers and figure out where most go. i know the numbers at the local lakes where i live, and its nothing for 2 or 3 weeks of recreational fishing to equal the commercial catch. look in the mirror guys and see whats going on. i wouldnt mind seeing catch limits reduced a little more yet. i reckon like most things its easier to point the finger at someone else. that said, i dont for a second think there should be ANY commercial fishing allowed in the southern part of the province. there simply are too few lakes already down here. the northern part of the province is not a lot better off.

[Dak1138]

I catch and keep whatever fish I can (legally of course)...:)

depending on where I am,..that may be 2, a dozen, two dozen,..or a hundred!

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p125/ithicaxl/trout034.jpg

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p125/ithicaxl/trout022.jpg

Holy crap that is a lot of fish. You do know that the " possession" numbers on page 18 of the regs are not a " daily limit" number. If you have 5 trout at home you can not keep another one , if you have 2 trout at home and 3 in your onshore cooler you can not keep another one.

Maybe all those fish in tue pic are suckers or some other non game fish, but I am not so sure .

Judgeing by what you have said on this thread and on your thread I am not too sure you understand the fishing regs.


Oh, I practice catch and release. I don't even like the taste of fish that much.

[go-big-or-go-home]

i agree with all of you who fish for the fun and have a low to zero take home limit. myself, im am the same. there may be a fish or two that a acually keep in a season, depending wat the sitiation was. but i think its bull**** when people abuse the sport. one instance, i was fishing at buck lake and in 1 day i noticed a fellow leave and come back three times, all times he left he had his limit on walleye, mind the the limit at buck lake is 1 eye( PER DAY, NOT PER VISIT), but buddy found a loop hole i geuss.......... i found his boat trailer, had a little fun, then wrote down his lisence plate number and contacted F&W

[Arn?Narn.]

Holy crap that is a lot of fish. You do know that the " possession" numbers on page 18 of the regs are not a " daily limit" number. If you have 5 trout at home you can not keep another one , if you have 2 trout at home and 3 in your onshore cooler you can not keep another one.

Maybe all those fish in tue pic are suckers or some other non game fish, but I am not so sure .

Judgeing by what you have said on this thread and on your thread I am not too sure you understand the fishing regs.


Oh, I practice catch and release. I don't even like the taste of fish that much.


Some of my posts are in jest...some are not.

It seems that there is a lot lot of 'holier than thou' mentality with a few people,..so by all means I help stroke their ego as the elite people they are.

My post in this thread is an honest post, that's why I said "just being honest"

All my exploits are legal. and I wouldn;t eat a sucker! :)

[Arn?Narn.]

i agree with all of you who fish for the fun and have a low to zero take home limit. myself, im am the same. there may be a fish or two that a acually keep in a season, depending wat the sitiation was. but i think its bull**** when people abuse the sport. one instance, i was fishing at buck lake and in 1 day i noticed a fellow leave and come back three times, all times he left he had his limit on walleye, mind the the limit at buck lake is 1 eye( PER DAY, NOT PER VISIT), but buddy found a loop hole i geuss.......... i found his boat trailer, had a little fun, then wrote down his lisence plate number and contacted F&W

As opposed to gong over and having a chat?

Hey there. How's the fishing?

Just thought I'd mention to you what the limit is here as I think you might be over and i'd hate to see you lose your truck and gear because of your ignorance of the regulations...

instead you found his boattrailer and had a little fun...:confused:

and then reported him (the only thing done right I might add)

[diamonddave]

90% c&R but i will usually keep a couple when ice fishing when we get lucky enough to catch some keeper pike, whites, and burbs.

[go-big-or-go-home]

As opposed to gong over and having a chat?

Hey there. How's the fishing?

Just thought I'd mention to you what the limit is here as I think you might be over and i'd hate to see you lose your truck and gear because of your ignorance of the regulations...

instead you found his boattrailer and had a little fun...:confused:

and then reported him (the only thing done right I might add)

as for the fun with his trailer, i had left a note saying the F&W will be watching him in the days to come because of his actions. i dint vandalize his unit or cause it any harm, jus gave him sumthin to sweat about. that was fun for me because i got to see him read the note, because his trailer was parked close to the launch i was fishing. dint see him for the following days. so dont worry pal, no harm done

[Arn?Narn.]

as for the fun with his trailer, i had left a note saying the F&W will be watching him in the days to come because of his actions. i dint vandalize his unit or cause it any harm, jus gave him sumthin to sweat about. that was fun for me because i got to see him read the note, because his trailer was parked close to the launch i was fishing. dint see him for the following days. so dont worry pal, no harm done

surprising what a little extra info gives me...

Very funny !

Would have liked to have been there watching as well...:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[go-big-or-go-home]

surprising what a little extra info gives me...

Very funny !

Would have liked to have been there watching as well...:sHa_sarcasticlol:

lol ya i dont think iv ever seen anyone load a boat as fast as he did that day

[LacLaBicheNS]

I wouldn't care if fishing turned 100% catch and release.. I would like to see it happen..

Upping lis fee's for catch and keep is a great idea.. I grew up in ont and they know have two types of lis Conversvation or sport fishing.. with conservation lis you can only keep about half of what you can with sport fishing. Works ok.. I'd like to see a C&R lis and a normal lis.. I would also like to see the normal lis cost 200$ or so like the person above stated..

[Arn?Narn.]

I wouldn't care if fishing turned 100% catch and release.. I would like to see it happen..

Upping lis fee's for catch and keep is a great idea.. I grew up in ont and they know have two types of lis Conversvation or sport fishing.. with conservation lis you can only keep about half of what you can with sport fishing. Works ok.. I'd like to see a C&R lis and a normal lis.. I would also like to see the normal lis cost 200$ or so like the person above stated..

I wouldn't want to see that..

[diamonddave]

Up the lic to keep fish to 200 bucks a season.
Use the extra money to stock and do house chores on the heavily fished areas.
Also, with your 200 buck a season lic your limited to fish a select number of lakes. The most natural lakes should have strict seasons and restrictions while being considered trophy lakes.

Keep the regular lic where it is.

PS ban online fishing maps:sHa_shakeshout:

Im hopeing you said this as sarcastic, and don't really believe that that would in any way shape or form be a smart idea?:snapoutofit:

[J-C]

I don't have any problem with people catching their limit of fish to take home for supper. What bothers me is when people come day after day keeping their limit, only to fill up a freezer. Maybe designating certain days or only weekends for fishing would help the problem but I doubt many people would agree with that. Just my opinion.

[KyleM]

Im hopeing you said this as sarcastic, and don't really believe that that would in any way shape or form be a smart idea?

Iam dead serious.
Reading it over though it didnt come across right.

With your 200 dollar lic you get to fish all the lakes like everyone else but your only allowed to keep out of certain waters.

You wish to keep fish? Pay for it. I wouldnt have a problem paying 200 even for a regular lic.

[Okotokian]

Before jumping on the overfishing bandwagon I think a few other things need to be looked at. What's the impact of industrial development (poisoned streams and rivers, hanging culverts, etc. etc.) Look at the stocking programs that get stopped because some *#^*#^^& moron decides he would prefer his favourite fish there instead of trout..... :angry3:

[bigfis]

I eat fish once a week and for a family of 4 maby once in 3 mounths its some thing I kept wich is about 3 2lb fish

[209x50]

I wouldn't care if fishing turned 100% catch and release.. I would like to see it happen..

Upping lis fee's for catch and keep is a great idea.. I grew up in ont and they know have two types of lis Conversvation or sport fishing.. with conservation lis you can only keep about half of what you can with sport fishing. Works ok.. I'd like to see a C&R lis and a normal lis.. I would also like to see the normal lis cost 200$ or so like the person above stated..
I'd be dead against any such idea. I love to eat fresh walleye and keep my limit every chance I get. For all youdevout C&R disciples take a look at the fish mortality on the study posted on the tournament thread. Seems a bloody shame that you kill and waste all those fish and don't at least utilize one or two of what you kill.

[209x50]

I don't have any problem with people catching their limit of fish to take home for supper. What bothers me is when people come day after day keeping their limit, only to fill up a freezer. Maybe designating certain days or only weekends for fishing would help the problem but I doubt many people would agree with that. Just my opinion.
That is breaking the law. You can't stock your freezer.

[KyleM]

Nothing beats fresh Walleye cheeks.

I agree with the previous statement. Developments on lakes, cottagers who spray pesticide right beside the lake, and industrial development have more to do with the decline (atleast thats my opinion)

What about those arseholes on quads who rip up and down the river?

Maybe commercial fishing?

Possibly to many Grizzlies eating the fish? (haha)

Farmers along river banks?

Not to long ago I remember lots of people dumping garbage into creeks and rivers which includes and not limited to, paint cans and batteries.

What about those little runt kids who p!ss in the lake? Or the fisherman who throw countless beercans and cig butts into the water.

Possible ninja samurai? Americans stealing the fish through underwater tunnels?

[luckyme]

C n R if you can,take 1 or two legal size fish home for table fare (no fish for your neighbor please):sHa_sarcasticlol:),no poaching! and keep stream and lakes clean.hopefully we will have a sustainable fisheries in Alberta.

[Arn?Narn.]

I'd be dead against any such idea. I love to eat fresh walleye and keep my limit every chance I get. For all youdevout C&R disciples take a look at the fish mortality on the study posted on the tournament thread. Seems a bloody shame that you kill and waste all those fish and don't at least utilize one or two of what you kill.

ding ding ding !

We have a winner Johnny !!!!

[ishootbambi]

I'd be dead against any such idea. I love to eat fresh walleye and keep my limit every chance I get. For all youdevout C&R disciples take a look at the fish mortality on the study posted on the tournament thread. Seems a bloody shame that you kill and waste all those fish and don't at least utilize one or two of what you kill.

what a ridiculous statement!!!!! you cant be serious?!?!?

if every angler in alberta kept every fish they ever caught how many fish do you think would be swimming around right now? i dont think anyone ever said that every fish released survived, but i will say that every fish released has a better chance than the ones getting the fish bonker.

ill restate now what i have already said cuz i know yer gonna get silly about this. i dont kill fish on purpose myself, but i do not begrudge anyone eating a few fish here and there either. the problem lies in the guys who are killing all the fish they can all the time....and usually they are the guys squawking the loudest about there being too few fish available.

[ashleyread]

In my opinion, fishing is a sport. I like to fish for the sport of it and not as much for the meat. I will keep a fish once in a while when I am hungry but it is not very common. I have no problem with people being ethical to sustain a viable fishery.

[Fishingnutter]

Remember when the Sheep River was literally black with rockies for miles and miles and the limit was 15, wow! talk about an overfish,,, people really do need to understand the possesion aspect of the regs.

[jeprli]

I keep one every now and then, or if I really want a good dinner i'll ride to Chain lakes and catch my limit of stocked trout.

C&R is the way to go! I fish on average 3-4 times a week(a little less now that my car is at the mechanic), and usually I end up catching enough fish to keep the limit. Annually I have about 120-150 outings, imagine if I brought fish home every time I went out, that would be a lot of fish and would leave a big empty hole in either a river or lake.

Few weeks back I noticed a bunch of dudes (my guess is East Europeans)at Glenmore(by heritage park dock). They've been coming in groups every single day for a month, whatever they catch they send of to home by their kid, and keep on fishing, well that is pretty hard to prove so I didn't bother with "ranger danger", but then one day I find these guys on the same spot, and 3 of them are fishing two baited rigs each and throwing spoons, that is 9 rods for 3 dudes, it didn't take long for me to call RAP. What do you know, ranger showed up within ten minutes and spent a good hour and a half investigating them. He laid multiple charges, for multiple rods, barbed hooks, kept fish over limit, I'm pretty sure there was alcohol involved as well.....and so on...now they have a HUGE problem on their hands.

At first I felt bad for what I did(being an immigrant myself, well not anymore but that's how I got here), but then again this is Canada, Alberta and there are rules implemented to be obeyed and followed(something you don't do in Eastern Europe) and well since I am a Canadian citizen now I had to fulfill my duty as an honorable citizen :)

That is one way of trying to protect fishing that we all enjoy so much.

Now there are couple of other groups of poachers that I will do my best to stop. Crawling valley has a big problem when it comes to this, and boy when they catch that group of people I wouldn't be surprised if some of them end up behind bars. This is a group of 4-8 Pollacks, Hungarians, Checz...and each time I come to that spot the shoreline is littered with filleted walleye, and I'm talking 20-30 fish, not 2-3 but 20-30. So far i saw them two times, third time is a charm ;)

Bow river(through Calgary) is another place that needs a clean up, but those crooks are hard to find during daylight, most of them poach through the nite.

What do you guys do with the reward money??? I was thinking Alberta childrens hospital(that's where I donate through business).

[bowfin]

i know what your saying about crawling valley was fishing down the lake one day went to shore to let the dog have a **** found about a pile of walleye skins and heads called f&w they come out to see i hung around till they got there if was a older officer from brooks nice guy but was he mad when he see the mess he thought he knew who it was and i said who he pointed over to the hut colony a mile away he told me he has charged afew of them aready this was last fall. if they shut down the ramdom camping around the lake that would help alot jmo

[Arn?Narn.]

for me,...catch and release is equivalenet to putting out decoys and calling in game and then shooting them with a paint gun. (well I guess survival rate with a paint gun would be higher the C&R)

[Albertafisher]

What do you guys do with the reward money??? I was thinking Alberta childrens hospital(that's where I donate through business).

I'd say donate it to Trout Unlimited:)

[209x50]

I keep one every now and then, or if I really want a good dinner i'll ride to Chain lakes and catch my limit of stocked trout.

C&R is the way to go! I fish on average 3-4 times a week(a little less now that my car is at the mechanic), and usually I end up catching enough fish to keep the limit. Annually I have about 120-150 outings, imagine if I brought fish home every time I went out, that would be a lot of fish and would leave a big empty hole in either a river or lake.

Few weeks back I noticed a bunch of dudes (my guess is East Europeans)at Glenmore(by heritage park dock). They've been coming in groups every single day for a month, whatever they catch they send of to home by their kid, and keep on fishing, well that is pretty hard to prove so I didn't bother with "ranger danger", but then one day I find these guys on the same spot, and 3 of them are fishing two baited rigs each and throwing spoons, that is 9 rods for 3 dudes, it didn't take long for me to call RAP. What do you know, ranger showed up within ten minutes and spent a good hour and a half investigating them. He laid multiple charges, for multiple rods, barbed hooks, kept fish over limit, I'm pretty sure there was alcohol involved as well.....and so on...now they have a HUGE problem on their hands.

At first I felt bad for what I did(being an immigrant myself, well not anymore but that's how I got here), but then again this is Canada, Alberta and there are rules implemented to be obeyed and followed(something you don't do in Eastern Europe) and well since I am a Canadian citizen now I had to fulfill my duty as an honorable citizen :)

That is one way of trying to protect fishing that we all enjoy so much.

Now there are couple of other groups of poachers that I will do my best to stop. Crawling valley has a big problem when it comes to this, and boy when they catch that group of people I wouldn't be surprised if some of them end up behind bars. This is a group of 4-8 Pollacks, Hungarians, Checz...and each time I come to that spot the shoreline is littered with filleted walleye, and I'm talking 20-30 fish, not 2-3 but 20-30. So far i saw them two times, third time is a charm ;)

Bow river(through Calgary) is another place that needs a clean up, but those crooks are hard to find during daylight, most of them poach through the nite.

What do you guys do with the reward money??? I was thinking Alberta childrens hospital(that's where I donate through business).
Poaching is breaking the law and should punished to the fullest extent of the law. I and the law don't see nothing wrong with keeping and eating your limit when you go fishing.

[Okotokian]

for me,...catch and release is equivalenet to putting out decoys and calling in game and then shooting them with a paint gun. (well I guess survival rate with a paint gun would be higher the C&R)

God it must be a slow afternoon, 'cause that actually sounds sort of fun! Illegal, but fun. Forget about muzzleloader season. What say we push for a paintball season? Could be in late spring when we are all in the doldrums and suffering hunting withdrawl :47b20s0:

[Fishingnutter]

I keep one every now and then, or if I really want a good dinner i'll ride to Chain lakes and catch my limit of stocked trout.

C&R is the way to go! I fish on average 3-4 times a week(a little less now that my car is at the mechanic), and usually I end up catching enough fish to keep the limit. Annually I have about 120-150 outings, imagine if I brought fish home every time I went out, that would be a lot of fish and would leave a big empty hole in either a river or lake.

Few weeks back I noticed a bunch of dudes (my guess is East Europeans)at Glenmore(by heritage park dock). They've been coming in groups every single day for a month, whatever they catch they send of to home by their kid, and keep on fishing, well that is pretty hard to prove so I didn't bother with "ranger danger", but then one day I find these guys on the same spot, and 3 of them are fishing two baited rigs each and throwing spoons, that is 9 rods for 3 dudes, it didn't take long for me to call RAP. What do you know, ranger showed up within ten minutes and spent a good hour and a half investigating them. He laid multiple charges, for multiple rods, barbed hooks, kept fish over limit, I'm pretty sure there was alcohol involved as well.....and so on...now they have a HUGE problem on their hands.

At first I felt bad for what I did(being an immigrant myself, well not anymore but that's how I got here), but then again this is Canada, Alberta and there are rules implemented to be obeyed and followed(something you don't do in Eastern Europe) and well since I am a Canadian citizen now I had to fulfill my duty as an honorable citizen :)

That is one way of trying to protect fishing that we all enjoy so much.

Now there are couple of other groups of poachers that I will do my best to stop. Crawling valley has a big problem when it comes to this, and boy when they catch that group of people I wouldn't be surprised if some of them end up behind bars. This is a group of 4-8 Pollacks, Hungarians, Checz...and each time I come to that spot the shoreline is littered with filleted walleye, and I'm talking 20-30 fish, not 2-3 but 20-30. So far i saw them two times, third time is a charm ;)

Bow river(through Calgary) is another place that needs a clean up, but those crooks are hard to find during daylight, most of them poach through the nite.

What do you guys do with the reward money??? I was thinking Alberta childrens hospital(that's where I donate through business).

But you're a balkan, close enough to eastern european,,, are you sure they were "polacks" maybe they were krauts or drunken irishmen who sounded like eastern europeans,,, pick your words differently.

[Fishingnutter]

I'd say donate it to Trout Unlimited:)

Good call on the donation. I worked for T.U many years ago and as another person posted here about pesticides and the like from golf courses and farms, is very valid.

We were doing a full sweep of the Elbow from the Dam to the Bow (7 of us over two months) and one of the worst types of pollution wasn't shopping carts or glass or tires but lawnmower bags emptied on the banks from all the houses with lawns that touch the water. Yes the river takes it away, depleting oxygen as it goes, seeding and constricting the willows (that we replanted) and those immaculate weedless lawns have the usual fertilisers and herbicides too.

Does anybody remember when the Elbow was a phenomenal trout stream and I'm talking big ones too?

[jeprli]

Fishingnutter don't worry I know the difference very well between the countries and people that live in them. Pollacks were very easy to figure out as they seem to be very patriotic with their clothing of choice ;)

Hungarian language is unmistakable, once you hear it you cannot mistake it.

I don't mean to offend anyone, just because a few are doing something they're not supposed to doesn't automatically mean that all people from that country are the same.

Why did you get so excited about my post??? I'm just writing what i've seen and heard, that's all.

I know a bunch of people from my country who are downright disgusting when they talk about their ways of catching fish. Then again I've seen Canadians(whatever you consider to be native) who poach as well. There will always be bad cookies no matter where you are.


209x50 - Do what you will, I never stated that you have to follow my practice!

[209x50]

Fishingnutter don't worry I know the difference very well between the countries and people that live in them. Pollacks were very easy to figure out as they seem to be very patriotic with their clothing of choice ;)

Hungarian language is unmistakable, once you hear it you cannot mistake it.

I don't mean to offend anyone, just because a few are doing something they're not supposed to doesn't automatically mean that all people from that country are the same.

Why did you get so excited about my post??? I'm just writing what i've seen and heard, that's all.

I know a bunch of people from my country who are downright disgusting when they talk about their ways of catching fish. Then again I've seen Canadians(whatever you consider to be native) who poach as well. There will always be bad cookies no matter where you are.


209x50 - Do what you will, I never stated that you have to follow my practice!
Well of course I do what I want with in the law, it is a free country! :sHa_sarcasticlol:

[Arn?Narn.]

I got lectured once for fishing down stream from a guy who was C&R with a flyrod and I was catching and keeping with bait and spin...

He was so ****ed,...asked me to leave lol

[209x50]

I got lectured once for fishing down stream from a guy who was C&R with a flyrod and I was catching and keeping with bait and spin...

He was so ****ed,...asked me to leave lol
First off enforced C&R would decimate the number of people who buy fishing licenses, that is a proven point and in studies done for years being able to keep a fish is the most important reason to fish, every time. Who would buy a hunting license to take pictures of game?

[Fishingnutter]

Fishingnutter don't worry I know the difference very well between the countries and people that live in them. Pollacks were very easy to figure out as they seem to be very patriotic with their clothing of choice ;)

Hungarian language is unmistakable, once you hear it you cannot mistake it.

I don't mean to offend anyone, just because a few are doing something they're not supposed to doesn't automatically mean that all people from that country are the same.

Why did you get so excited about my post??? I'm just writing what i've seen and heard, that's all.

I know a bunch of people from my country who are downright disgusting when they talk about their ways of catching fish. Then again I've seen Canadians(whatever you consider to be native) who poach as well. There will always be bad cookies no matter where you are.


209x50 - Do what you will, I never stated that you have to follow my practice!

I always get a knee jerk reaction to Polack,, being Polish doesn't help.

Poachers aren't a specific nationality, it's an everybody title.

A large number of Buzz Bomb users on the Coast this year were slammed for foul hooking by flyfishers, there was chatter about banning them. Snagging is a nasty form of poaching. Strangely enough I caught a pink with a streamer and 12 feet of leader line.

AFGA used to have a great Outdoorsmen Program when I was a kid, one teacher brought it into my junior high as standard Curriculum. Some people on here would probably know him, great guy, should look him up one day.

[casual observer]

First off enforced C&R would decimate the number of people who buy fishing licenses, that is a proven point and in studies done for years being able to keep a fish is the most important reason to fish, every time. Who would buy a hunting license to take pictures of game?

Weren't you the same fellow berating pottymouth a few weeks back because he "couldn't see beyond his own backyard" with reards to the crossbow discussion? There are a lot of fishermen who enjoy the pleasure of fishing without killing them. I am not saying that I support forced C&R, but some days I am quite satisfied to watch a fish I have landed swim off to provide enjoyment to the next angler. Some days I thouroughly enjoy a barbecued trout or a fried walleye. Everyone is entitled to make their own choices and I for one am happy to see that a large number of anglers are able to see that C&R is a necessary part of ensuring that all Albertans have a chance to go out and catch a fish. Some days 209 I get concerned for your health. It must be hard for you to breathe with your head wedged so firmly in such a foul smelling orifice.

jeprli, i think what got some a little excited about your post was the fact that you felt the need to point out the ethnic background of those in your story. It just struck as having a wee bit of racism to it. A poacher is a poacher and an outdoorsman is an outdoorsman regardless of where he came from or what language he speaks.

[ishootbambi]

First off enforced C&R would decimate the number of people who buy fishing licenses, that is a proven point and in studies done for years being able to keep a fish is the most important reason to fish, every time. Who would buy a hunting license to take pictures of game?

good lord man....ive thought more than once that your way of thinking is bass ackwards, but this topic proves it better than any. i havent seen anyone saying anything bad about guys who keep the odd fish. poachers have never been and never will be welcome, but noone has denounced eating a few fish. so now here you are telling us how catch and release is a bad thing??? :thinking-006::thinking-006::thinking-006:
thats amazing that you could somehow give less consumptive users the holier than thou treatment and a sneer down your nose. :snapoutofit::snapoutofit:

as for your question....the long lineup of guys wanting to get in on a "green" hunt for rhino in africa, and the price tag attached to it suggest there are a great many hunters willing to buy a license to take pictures of game. in fact the biggest name i know of who has done that is our own canadian outdoor personality JIM SHOCKEY. maybe you have heard of him? he seems to be fairly well known.:sSig_cool2:

[KyleM]

Keep your hunting crap out of the fishing forum!

Take it easy on 209, he is totally right.
I give full support to C&R as thats how I view the future of the fishery.
He's giving 2 sides to the arguement which is whats needed to have a healthy discussion on the topic.

However, there are studies out there that promote the axe of the C&R way of sport fishing. I have read them a few times and it makes a lot of sense, if not more than C&R. I believe a few countries have switched over to outlawing C&R due to these studies.

If your a bright C&R angler that knows how to catch fish wherever and whenever then you are doing a lot more harm than those who keep their limit and stick to the regulations.

It will never come to Canada as there are to many famous conservationists that have given the thumbs up to C&R for way to long to go back on their word.

[ishootbambi]

to start with kyle, i didnt bring hunting into this...209 asked a question and i answered it. as for bringing 2 sides to an argument,....what argument?? a few have stated they like to eat a few fish...a few have stated they dont, and poachers have been discussed. there really has been no diagreement thus far. even C&R proponents are agreeing that not all released fish survive. so no arguing yet...well except maybe your last post. you seem to be contradicting yourself...you give full support to C&R, but 2 sentences later say it makes more sense to axe it?? :argue2::thinking-006::argue2::thinking-006:
and no, 209 is not totally right about C&R. yes studies show that a percentage of released fish do not survive. many factors affect the actual number of fish that die after release such as handling time, depth caught, yada yada. but i will go ahead and once again state the obvious. a good many more fish survive after being caught and released than those that are caught and bashed on the head. heck, you can try to argue with me if you like, but i think we agree?? unless you want to change your mind just to argue?

[KyleM]

Iam saying I agree with both sides of the arguement however I choose to support C&R.
By "arguement" I meant debate.

You dont know that a good number of fish survive when you practice C&R.

A fisherman bags his limit of say 3 trout and heads for home.

A fisherman following the path of C&R can catch 50 fish per day.

Are you telling me the mortality rate is that low as to keep it within 3 fish per 50? I highly doubt it, especially when our regs dont ban treble hooks and our seasons are extremely out of whack. They need to be seriously gone over and adjusted within the different blocks....open season on Sturgeon and Snipe? Are you kidding me? Anyways thats a whole nother can of worms that I dont care to get into.

Either way, I support C&R because I know how to properly release a fish. I sometimes regret that decision when I see people trying to unhook a fish while it flops around on the shore. Theres a ton of disrespect in that regard and it quite honestly makes a guy ashamed to call himself a catch and release fisherman at times.

I apologize if I come across as an angry *****, Im not angry....a ***** maybe.
Its a fantastic issue to discuss as both sides of the coin have bright sides.

[ishootbambi]

okay, i see what yer gettin at here. and i agree wholeheartedly. i have seen waaaaaay too many guys that drag a fish onto the mud and rocks and let it flop around until it calms down. then get out the jaw spreaders and jam them in while holding the fish by the eyes or the gills followed by turning the thing inside out with an extra long hook removal tool and then see how far they can toss the fish back into the water!!! that is usually followed by the astonished and dumbfounded look on their face wondering why the fish is floating upside down. i think the solution is to better educate the masses on the proper way to release a fish. id like to see a section in the regulations dedicated to educating people on ways to reduce stress to a fish. to have zero mortality on released fish is pretty unrealistic....but im absolutely certain there is room for improvement. going barbless is a start, replacing treble hooks with singles is great, if you can, dont even touch the fish....just leave it in the water and reach out with a plier or forcep to pop the hook. there are other good tips as well. anyone else feel free to add.

[Don Andersen]

I've pondered my effect on fish due to the numbers of trout I catch. A typical year [from personal angling records for 40 years] shows I landed approx. 1000 fish in the 110>130 days I spend angling. Using a 3% C&R mortality, I killed 30 trout.

From the DFO Recreational Angling survey site below, I found the following quote:


http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/stats/rec/can/2005/section4-eng.htm


In 2005, anglers caught 215 million fish of all species and retained nearly 72 million (Annex A.7). Resident anglers in all provinces and territories caught 157 million of this total harvest. Foreign anglers caught 54 million (25%) while Canadian non-resident anglers caught a relatively small proportion of the total fish harvest (4 million) during the year (Figure 4.5 and Annex A.8).

Resident anglers kept 39% of the fish they caught compared with 22% and 18% share of fish kept by Canadian non-resident and foreign anglers. On average, each resident angler kept 24 fish in 2005. Every Canadian non-resident angler kept an average of 7 fish, while foreign anglers retained an average of 16 fish of various species.

Residents caught 157,000,000
Kept 39% = 61.230,000
C&R - 95,770,000
C&R mortailty = 3% * 95,770,000 = 2,873,100
Total killed by residents = 61,230,000 + 2,873,100 = 64,103,100
Total Residents = 2,456,876
Residents killed 26.09 fish


I must therefore conclude that although I fish a lot, my effect on the fish population is nearly the same as the Average Kill & Keep angler. It must be admitted though that through my C&R practices, the Average Kill & Keep Angler will not catch/kill nearly as many fish.

You be the judge whether or not this is a good thing.


catch ya'


Don

[surhuntsalot]

I think alot of the "Overfishing " hype is fabricated. Right down to the commercials that state "Alberta has only 800 fishbearing lakes, and is under tremendous angling pressure". The pressure has always been there, and even more so in the past. It wasn't that long ago that the limmits were ...
10 Pike
5 Walleye
30 Perch

I used to see alot more anglers back then as well, before gas was $1/ litre, and the limmit was 1 whatever...

The word used to get out that Big Perch were biting on lake X, and that was it. For the next few weeks it was like a village out on the ice, same people coming back day after day. After a while it would turn too " There not bitin that great" to " Not worth the trip for a few small ones"... Lakes never got fished out...

Now under the New Biology thinking, I see more problems. Pike limmits reduced to 1 in an effort to increase populations even further, now perch populations are declining (guess what all the extra pike eat). Fish populations (Wolf lake walleye for example) that once had all be it fewer, but healthier looking walleye, now full of overabundant, skinny, sickly looking fish. What do you think happens when you meet , or exceed the carrying capacity of a body of water ? It's simple, fish are more prone to disease, depleation of forage species resulting in overabundant stunted fish.

The proof that this thinkin "Might " be out of whack is finally stated in the 2010 fishing regulations on page 4 under "pike"...

and I quote...

"Nine lakes in the norhteast (Amisk,Big Johnson,Fork,Garner,Hope,Island(2),North Buck,Skelton) exhibit high catch rates and good pike densities, but few large fish. Harvest options have been implemented to test and assess whether population dynamics or angling pressure determine lake populations."

That said I know there are some exeptions such as lakes in close proximity to large metropolitian areas, that may need special regulatory consideration, But the rule of thumb as of late is to consider ALL provincial water bodies as collapsed, or on the verge of. I don't believe that.

I don't think you have to keep every fish you catch (but there are some countries where C&R is illegal), but those who do practice total C&R shouldn't rag on those of us who practice Catch & Eat...

[Penner]

I've pondered my effect on fish due to the numbers of trout I catch. A typical year [from personal angling records for 40 years] shows I landed approx. 1000 fish in the 110>130 days I spend angling. Using a 3% C&R mortality, I killed 30 trout.

From the DFO Recreational Angling survey site below, I found the following quote:


http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/stats/rec/can/2005/section4-eng.htm


In 2005, anglers caught 215 million fish of all species and retained nearly 72 million (Annex A.7). Resident anglers in all provinces and territories caught 157 million of this total harvest. Foreign anglers caught 54 million (25%) while Canadian non-resident anglers caught a relatively small proportion of the total fish harvest (4 million) during the year (Figure 4.5 and Annex A.8).

Resident anglers kept 39% of the fish they caught compared with 22% and 18% share of fish kept by Canadian non-resident and foreign anglers. On average, each resident angler kept 24 fish in 2005. Every Canadian non-resident angler kept an average of 7 fish, while foreign anglers retained an average of 16 fish of various species.

Residents caught 157,000,000
Kept 39% = 61.230,000
C&R - 95,770,000
C&R mortailty = 3% * 95,770,000 = 2,873,100
Total killed by residents = 61,230,000 + 2,873,100 = 64,103,100
Total Residents = 2,456,876
Residents killed 26.09 fish


I must therefore conclude that although I fish a lot, my effect on the fish population is nearly the same as the Average Kill & Keep angler. It must be admitted though that through my C&R practices, the Average Kill & Keep Angler will not catch/kill nearly as many fish.

You be the judge whether or not this is a good thing.


catch ya'


Don

One thing I know for certain is that we as a society are unable to limit our own greed so the government continually imposes new rules and regulations for us to follow as we are incapable of self-limiting as the proof is clearly demonstrated within this very thread. So get use to the ever-changing rules and regulations, draws, etc. as they will continue to arise unless we begin to change our ways.

As for C&R, the ASSUMED percentages for C&R mortality wither it be 1%, 2%, 3%, 5% or whatever is debatable and may never really be actually known. Again one thing I now for certain is that a fish that has been caught, handled properly and quickly, and then released has a 100% better chance of surviving then a fish on a stringer or in a live well. A kept fish has a 100% mortality.

The mortality argument I’m not buying. There are some great examples of predominately C&R fisheries, the Bow & Crowsnest Rivers, Muir Lake, Lake Wabamun, etc and thousands of folks fish those water bodies.

So I’m all for it. C&R system with occasional limited and measured harvest to allow for some table fair and to keep populations in check but we must imply the rule across the board for all species in that body of water not just one.

At the very least limit your own catch not based on what a regulation says but what your conscience would says is enough.

[209x50]

Weren't you the same fellow berating pottymouth a few weeks back because he "couldn't see beyond his own backyard" with reards to the crossbow discussion? There are a lot of fishermen who enjoy the pleasure of fishing without killing them. I am not saying that I support forced C&R, but some days I am quite satisfied to watch a fish I have landed swim off to provide enjoyment to the next angler. Some days I thouroughly enjoy a barbecued trout or a fried walleye. Everyone is entitled to make their own choices and I for one am happy to see that a large number of anglers are able to see that C&R is a necessary part of ensuring that all Albertans have a chance to go out and catch a fish. Some days 209 I get concerned for your health. It must be hard for you to breathe with your head wedged so firmly in such a foul smelling orifice.

jeprli, i think what got some a little excited about your post was the fact that you felt the need to point out the ethnic background of those in your story. It just struck as having a wee bit of racism to it. A poacher is a poacher and an outdoorsman is an outdoorsman regardless of where he came from or what language he speaks.
Hey welcome back! Just couldn't let a little banning keep you down now could you?
If you weren't so quick just to want to pick a fight you would see I wasn't against anything other than forced C&R. Why? Well you might want to take a look beyond YOUR backyard to, oh, maybe Europe and see what happened there.
How long you going to be around this time?:sHa_shakeshout:

[KyleM]

Thanks for posting that link Don Andersen.

As I stated earlier, both sides have positive points.

Don admits, it may be possible that he had the same effect on the fishery.
The big difference is that he kept no fish and every fish that did not survive ended up being recycled into the certain body of water.
However, lots of people dont catch 1000 trout in 10 years....Wish I could say I do.

I still lean toward C&R for sure but to just ignore the facts on the other side of the fence is just wrong.