Catch and release?

[densa44]

I have been doing this for more than 60 years. I haven't carried a net in at least that long either.

I read that we shouldn't do this if we don't want to eat the fish. I started doing this because I thought that the fish was too small and I put them back so that they could grow bigger.

I put the large ones back so they can be breeders.

I have used barbless hooks for a very long time, I don't touch the fish, when I get the hooked fish close to me and I slack off on the line the fish usually self relases.

I have never thought for a moment that I was hurting the fishery. Is this incorrect?

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by densa44

I have been doing this for more than 60 years. I haven't carried a net in at least that long either.

I read that we shouldn't do this if we don't want to eat the fish. I started doing this because I thought that the fish was too small and I put them back so that they could grow bigger.

I put the large ones back so they can be breeders.

I have used barbless hooks for a very long time, I don't touch the fish, when I get the hooked fish close to me and I slack off on the line the fish usually self relases.

I have never thought for a moment that I was hurting the fishery. Is this incorrect?

You point is not really clear

If you are debating using a net or not that is more complicated than yes or no

If you are catching fish of a size where you can land/pop the hook in a timely manner without a net it does save handling. But if you are catching larger fish that cause you to over play them to accomplish this without a net it’s not the best option

A net with appropriate mesh can speed up landing time and hook removal so it has advantages as well

Personally I carry a net but I only use it with larger fish to speed things up landing/release wise. If the fish is more of a manageable size I pop the hook in the water or land with my hand

I own an aquaculture outfit where I raised rainbows for 10 years and lots of fish handling was involved. Keep it quick, remove minimal slim, and don’t use techniques that end in deeply hooked fish and you are going to have good survival rate

[Bushrat]

If we didn't have catch and release regulations our trout streams would have very few fish for the most part as very few if any streams or rivers are stocked. Sure some fish look like pin cushions in their face but most are still swimming and spawning which wouldn't happen if they went into the fry pan first time they were caught..like in the old days

[cranky]

If you google “ethics of catch and release” there’s tons of stuff on the topic. Anywhere from folks who quit fishing cause feeling guilty they say of getting pleasure out of harming a creature,to those who cut their hooks off. They say they still get the tug. Ive talked with a few folks who do the latter, say it works well.

Guess I don’t feel guilty enough to quit or to try hookless. Sometimes I think about trying it but not for long.

[TrollGRG]

Originally Posted by Bushrat

If we didn't have catch and release regulations our trout streams would have very few fish for the most part as very few if any streams or rivers are stocked. Sure some fish look like pin cushions in their face but most are still swimming and spawning which wouldn't happen if they went into the fry pan first time they were caught..like in the old days

So much for the lecture. Now do you have anything to contribute to the OP's question?

[Bushrat]

Originally Posted by TrollGRG

So much for the lecture. Now do you have anything to contribute to the OP's question?

Apparently more than you just did.. lol

I think the OP's post is in relation to posts 44 and 45 on "the Crowsnwst river has run dry" thread where it was mentioned by someone that fisherman are the worst abusers of the fish. He started this new thread so as not to sidetrack that thread looking for input on how catch and release fishermen are damaging the industry. I stated my opinion here that catch and release is the lesser evil than catch and keep for the stream trout fishery.

Seems you don't like catch and release? Not sure what your getting at.

[Mr Flyguy]

Originally Posted by TrollGRG

So much for the lecture. Now do you have anything to contribute to the OP's question?

Kind of hard to figure out what the OP's question was all about!

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Mr Flyguy

Kind of hard to figure out what the OP's question was all about!

It’s definitely not clear