Quote:
Originally Posted by dsafety
Do you think madscientist was suggesting that if we fish at all, we should kill and take everything we hook because making them fight for a while and then letting them go is cruel
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Fish are fish... people try to project human emotions on them.
Fish are fish, People are people, fisherman are fisherman.
I think anyone who fishes enough is going to run into times when they catch fish they do not want or need. I pretty much release everything except tuna, Yellows and Seabass, though I will occasionally keep lings, rockfish and bass for my friends.
Is it cruel to release fish? I don't think so. Look at it this way. Studies have shown that fish have much longer memories then they used to think and they have found that hook fish will avoid the same type of scenario that got them hooked for a year or more. It's like hey... your not hurting them your educating them...
Besides it beats the alternative for the fish, no doubt if they had a vote......
I think the real issue with catch and release is mortality. If your not killing fish and letting it go to waste it's not irresponsable.
I think tail hooked T's probably die so I keep them unless the revive right away. I don't fish white seabass catch and release unless they are in less the 15 ft of water due to the swim bladder issues. Striped bass, yellows, tuna, halibut calicos etc.... I think they all release well as long as you don't handle them, and screw up their slime layer, so I have no problem letting them go.
Rockfish, protected fish, fish that are undersized.... you do what you can, I drop my rockfish back down with a sink rig but who knows if they survive.
Bottom line I think this is a common sense thing. If you are catching yellows all day long, and releasing them... more power to you. The only issue I have with that scenario is if I'm not there to catch them with you.
Just my take though, Jim