Flamming people on an open board

[1bigfish]

After watching(and being part of) a thead go sideways, I decided to write the original poster a PM. The thread he started was not post to cause a problem or start a heated debate but it is kind of turning into that. The original poster was proud of his catch(as he should of been) and decided to share it with everyone. What did he get for this? Well if you have read the tread you already know. In fact this sort of thing happens often enough that even if you have not read the thead you likely already know what happened.

If you were one of the people who helped to take that thread sideways or if you are one who has made post like this in the past I hope you take a minute and READ and THINK about what I said to him.

"Sorry your thread has went the direction it has. I am as guilty as eveyone else since my first post was not about your fish but was a responce to a very stupid comment. For that I am sorry.

In the Bass and Panfish board you will often get ripped for killing a large walleye or bass. I really hate when people(some of them my friend) do that sort of thing. I have tried to explain to some of those people that an open board is not the place for that. Me personally I very much believe in selective harvest, part of which means releasing the large breaders. However, ripping someone who caught a walleye while salmon fishing and decided to keep it is not very respectfull. Now if someone regularly targets and keeps big walleye then maybe a "respectful" PM explaining the importance of selective harvest may help to sway someone opinion. But a flame job on the open board has not likely ever changed anyones veiw.

As for you keeping and eating this fish, I say good for you. No better freshwater fish to eat IMHO."

[jcft2007]

Personally, I feel that as long as the fisher is following the local/state fishing or hunting laws AND BEING LEGAL TOO, they have every right to harvest a catch.

For example, the limit on a saltwater albacore in Oregon is currently 25. What are you going to do with 25 tuna immediately by yourself? This may sound outragous now but when cutting, canning, and giving to friends, etc. you always run out quickly. The same for bass, panfish, salmon, etc.

During bass tournaments we've caught salmon and steelhead, walleye, bluegill, crappie, etc. Unless there's rules stating you can't keep them no one can say anything!!

..

[yfz450guy]

i have to agree.

i catch and release all the fish i hook and i only fish for bass and while i would prefer that everyone was practicing c&r it is in fact within everyone's right when they purchase a fising license to keep any and all fish caught legally.

[Green Eyes]

I have to agree with this thread, as I to have been hit hard for keeping or suggesting someone keep a fish or two. All legal and in some cases the fish were kept because of hooking them to deep and looking like release would not matter as they are half dead. Makes for mixed feelings of ifish if so many members feel it is their responsibility to inform me that its supposed to be ifish & irelease. For me the fish dinner that I rarely catch and eat is icing on the cake, not something to be put down for.

[Smoked Salmon]

If anyone, anytime, sees a person violate the AUP, please use the alert function of that post to let us know that we need to take action.

In part, the AUP states, "Do not post negative comments on another's fishing report thread. Such negative comments will be removed with out comment."

Due to the volume of posts on ifish, the moderators do not read (since we have lives, family, jobs, and occasionally fishing trips) every post, and it is only when we see an alert that we can know that something is wrong. Please, help us out.

Thanks,
Bill

[Basshound]

Way to go Dave

[1bigfish]

Me personally I only keep enough warm water fish for one meal for my family once a year. I will also keep one salmon about every other year. And I keep a few northern pikeminnow for bait. Other then that I don't keep anything. I feel that are lakes and river would be better off if everyone practiced selective harvest I think there are better ways of persuading someone to see the importance.

For those that also think C&R and selective harvest are important please think about this, not everyone undstands why they are so important. Therefore it is very important to teach everyone who might be open to the idea. Now if you try and do it in an open post where people just ague back and forth all you will do is confuse the person. However if you actaully take the time to send them a PM and calmly explain you reasons your are much more likely to have them listen. But there is even a better way. This year I have fished with 12 different people. Seven of those were for the first time. They were people I meet on ifish and other boards and gave them an open seat in my boat. Everyone of them had different feeling about C&R and selective harvest. The reason I know this is because I talked to each one about it. It is amazing how much more open people are to listening to what you have to say when they are in the back of your boat.

I you truely believe in C&R and/or selective harvest as I do then just think about how you can best teach those that have never thought about it.

[Dan Feller]

I agree with what jcft2007 said, people have the right to keep legally caught fish and should not catch flack for it. I find it especially strange that the O.P. would get negative feedback for keeping a LMB - bass are not native and actually would be considered an invasive species were it not for the fishery that has grown around them.

This thread has started to focus on the Catch-and-Release versus Harvest question. I never target fish that I don't want to keep. If I do accidentally catch an undersized or native fish I certainly let it go, but to purposefully angle for fish that must be released seems irresponsible to me.

I don't mean to slam advocates of C&R fishing, but I don't like it when they start "preaching" to those of us that enjoy eating legally caught fish (poaching is a whole 'nother story!).

Just a little food for thought - Switzerland banned C&R fishing in 2008, it has been prohibited in Germany longer.

[1bigfish]

Just a reminder for those that have not read the sticky at the top of the page.

This is not the place for having "invasive species" discussions, as this is not the intent of this forum. In this same light, going over to the main Community board and jumping on others who do not agree with bass fishing as a sport is also not acceptable. In the end we all must agree to disagree and go about our lives. In the end, we are all here to talk fishing, which includes techniques, methods, reports, and anything else that helps us catch fish. If you cannot abide by these rules, then we ask that you find other waters in which you can wet your line.

Ifish Management

http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?t=202150

[Jennie@ifish]

Thank you, and with that, we are closing this topic.
I'm sorry, but although an important issue to many, we won't solve it, here.
Thanks,
Jen