Fish, food for the table or entertainment?

[bigfishon]

I am sorry if this makes anyone mad, but I am tired of being called a fool and an idiot cause I like to keep the fish I catch to eat. I go to the river and see people doing CNR and I see it as molesting the fish. If your not going to eat them why not just leave them alone and let them live a healthy life and spawn, rather than torcher them. How would you like it if some guy came by and kept tossing food in front of you that was full of hooks and then draging you to the bank with one by the mouth. Fish are for food, not someones twisted & cruel form of entertainment. CRN = molesting the fish. Just my opinion.
:hoboy: :hoboy: :hoboy: :hoboy: :hoboy: :hoboy: :hoboy: :hoboy:

[ 11-06-2002, 10:09 PM: Message edited by: bigfishon ]

[Flatfish]

Unless you have very little invested in tackle,no boat for fishing,and live very close to the river,couldn't you just buy the fish for less money than it costs to go catch one?You don't seem to be a fool or idiot to me,but I have my personal favorite fish and you cant kill them legally.I whack more fish than most folks,but the food is a benefit of the opportunity to go fishing.I have gone catching in my day.But I never enjoyed it like fishing.I do not CnR hatch fish very often.If it is missing a fin it dies,unless I want to keep fishing and it is real dark.But the nates in the spring are my fav.Wouldn't kill one if I could.It may not be rational or logical,but thats fine with me.I kill native fall Chinooks.They are in good shape numbers wise.But the spring steelhead have made such a huge comeback,from dark days when a fish or 2 was good to now when a dozen is not too out of the ordinary.Native chinook populations seem(to me at least)to be a touch more stable and not in near the danger that the steelhead were just a few years ago.I guess I can't explain any more than that.The best I can say is fishing is like deer hunting...you will not recover your expenses invested,but you may have a great time while you are at it.
Mark and the dog.

[RichH]

Bigfishon,

In your post you complain that people call you a "fool" and an "idiot" for your views on killing everything you catch. Well, isn't that pretty much what you are calling those of us that don't?
I enjoy fishing a great deal. I do it every chance I get. I don't particularly enjoy eating fish. What do you suggest someone like me do? Should I quit fishing? Should I fertilize my garden? I give away most of the fish I kill. So far that amounts to 12 fish total this year. I've probably released 50 or 60. There is no way I'm going to kill that many fish. For one thing, most of my efforts are spent in wild fish zones because I enjoy something like solitude when I fish. Ever go just for the experience?

My take on your post is that you don't catch many fish and are ticked off at the people that do and release fish that could have been killed but prefer fishing over harvesting.

If it bothers you that bad to see people catch and release, fish hatchery trout in the lakes and ponds and you can share them with a majority of folks that share your outlook on fishing. My 2 cents.

[bigfishon]

Every coho I have landed this year have been native and had to be released, not one clipped fish. Last winter on steelhead I was catching Native 10 to 1 on hatchery fish. I Personaly don't see how they can be in that bad of shape over hatcher fish when almost everything I hook is a native and has to go back. I supose you think that the seals are almost extinct also? Like you never see a seal in the river and they are still protected also? I have seen sand bars with hundreds of seals on them, would like to be able to toss them some Dupont hot dogs for lunch, but I can't.

[Flatfish]

Bigfish,I caught many native cohos this year also.Both in the salt and in fresh too.I catch quite a few native steelies in January too.Points are
1 -Native fish have made a huge comeback from the low numbers in the 90s.
2-Natives are,in my opinion,about 5 times(not an exaggeration)more likely to strike a bait/lure than a hatchery fish.They are plain more agressive.This may make it seem like there are more of them than there really is.
I certainly don't mind killing fish(have smoked 7 steelhead this week alone)and that is why we have hatcheries to augument the natives.There aint enough natives to support a catch and kill fishery.So bonk all the brats you want.My whine is "Why do we need a kill fishery on steelhead(the broodstock program)in the spring?".If you don't want to fish for fish you cant keep,thats fine.
Mark and the dog.

[bigfishon]

I have been on the river and had people complain about me keeping clipped fish? Saying that they will respawn those hens at the hatchery if you let it go. I just keep hearing CNR for EVERYTHING not just natives, I think that is part of the point you have all been missing is that I keep getting told that we should not keep anything we catch native, hatch or otherwise. I never keep a Native fish although when all I seem to catch is natives there are times I would love to be able to, not worth the trouble it would cause though. Of course if we could stop all the big boats out there that fill on these fish daily we would not have this problem I don't think. But I am probably wrong to say that also.

[Salmonator]

I don't know where you are fishing but I can't ever recall catching flak for keeping brats. Maybe you should take the "kick me" sign off yer back! :grin:

[GutshotApe]

Bigfish - Could be that you wouldn't see so many wild fish if they were legal to keep. A few years ago there was a one mallard hen limit for duck hunters. Towards the end of the season my hunting partner complained that most of the ducks we were seeing were hen mallards. Where were all the drakes? We hunted a small pond way up Camas Swale that didn't get a lot of new ducks during the season - so I think most of the local drakes had been shot.

[Bankbound]

I Release about half of my legal fish. For the fact I am not a big fish eater (rather have steak). I see alot of people out here saying something to the effect of Bigfishon, which if fine. However the point that is being made that I "molest fish" is coming from people that would rather have me murder it!! I have no aversion to the taking of game by legal means whatsoever, I just don't like dealing with a dead smelly fish that I am going to give away anyways. I'd rather just put it back in the river.
Just my .02

Mike

[rob allen]

OK I torture fish then let them go and I enjoy it! I am proud to be a catch and release angler (except for hatchery steelhead and spring chinook). I feel no guilt over it None at all and I never will. If it's not entertaining for you too you wouldn't do it you'd go down to safeway and buy a fish. It's a lot less expensive that way. There is no difference between C&R and C&K except that after C&R the fish is still alive.. There is no moral highground.

[Jennie@ifish]

This topic comes up repeatedly. It almost always results in very heated arguments and does not change anyone's mind about the subject. As long as fishing remains a legal activity, the ethics remain an individual choice. Let's not throw any more logs on this fire.

[Mojo]

Bigfishon,
You started the same discussion last week. All it did was get people mad at each other, divide the ranks, and then eventually get to the point that it became a flame fest. Are you going to keep bringing this up over and over?

The acceptable use policy expressly adresses the issue of imflamatory posts. In my mind, and the minds of others on this board this post is inflamatory. Please read the following statement...it's from the acceptable use policy you agreed to.....

Inflammatory posts are not permitted. A post, or statement in a post, which serves only to fire up negative emotions or generate anger will be considered inflammatory and will be edited or deleted at the discretion of the moderators. Multiple offenses of this nature will result in banning.

Jennie, please lock this thread!

[PapaHog]

I am glad to see this put to bed. Arguments pro and con are just that "arguements". This could be constructed in such matter as to inform rather than argue.