Quote:
Originally Posted by cammat
First: Unsupervised kids. There had to be over 10 kids 13 yrs old and younger out Bait fishing without someone there to properly handle the fish and remove the hooks in a timely and humain manner, without stepping on them or throwing on the rocks. These kids would toss the fish 10, 20 feet out into the water. This after having the fish out of the water for a unneeded amount of time. .
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I spend a lot of time at the lake with the kids. If you take a minute and go over and explain to them the proper methods of catch and release they make an honest effort.
Many are urban kids from homes with a single parent or parents that are too busy entertaining themselves to spend time with their children. They simply don't know.
I buy them bait, lures, rods and reels in hopes they will become outdoors people. I take the time to teach the kids and I encourage my son to pass on eithical information and fishing tips.
Sylvan Lake is crawling with Walleye. It is not uncommon for my ten year old daughter to land 30-50 fish in an evening. There is a mortality rate but at a very small price compared to the benifit for these kids.
If you can't make an attempt to help educate and encourage children then you are missing a big part of the outdoor experience. Those ten kids could just as easily be smoking pot and playing video games, but instead have made a choice to enjoy honest fun in the outdoors.
Give them a break!
MK