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Catch and Release Fishing


foolforjesus

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Picture the scene, the River Wye, Ross on Wye UK.

A thirty something blue collar fisho, chasing the elusive and highly prized Atlantic Salmon.

After a couple of days with no action, with hours to go on the last day, my Dad landed a 16.5 & 25.5 pounder!

To say he was ecstatic would be an understatement.

 

The fish were swiftly knocked on the head, and taken home.

The fish were then divided between friends for food.

I can still remember the fish in our bath at home.

Fast forward some 35 years, and my Dad to this day very much regrets killing those bars of silver.

He often says he didn't know any better, was uneducated, eager to kill everything he caught.

Needless to say, catch and release fishing was and still is to a large degree in the dark ages.

 

My last trip to the mighty Eucumbene river, some of the things I saw there really made me sick to my stomach.

Trophy Brown Trout being caught and put in a ute to die.

I won't go in to more detail, but it's fair to say, the experience cemented in me even more my attitude of being a catch and release fisho.

Don't get me wrong, I will at some point take a few fish home for a feed, however I will always be selective, and take only what I need for dinner that day.

 

I think if we can change the way we look at fishing, and see the end result not being just fish that come home with us in the esky..

Rather see the achievement in the capture, the thrill of the fight, the warmth in watching it swim away, I think how we approach what fishing is all about will change.

I have caught countless trophy Brown & Rainbow trout, and I can honestly say, I get more of a thrill looking after them, and watching them swim away.

I'll always have photos and video footage to look back on, plus the fish will get bigger, and they'll be there next time for myself or someone else to catch.

 

The point of this post isn't to make anyone feel bad about their fishing, it is simply to share one of my experiences, my Dad's experience, and how he's regretted some of his decisions in his younger fishing days.

I have learnt from his experiences, and I can honestly say I'm a better fisho for it.

Just because you can doesn't necessarily mean you should.

If you haven't tried catch and release fishing, why not give it a go.

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Nice story mate!

the good ol days huh!

Its a shame your Dad knocked those great fish on the head as he obviously still regrets it all these years later.

on a positive note, times were tough back then for the blue collar family so those fish at least went to a good cause, secondly and more importantly is the lesson he learnt from his actions, being that it changed the whole way he now sees what fishing can be and then passing that knowledge onto the next generation being you!

Now here you are expressing (your Dads) and now your own thoughts to the world!

imagine how many fish have lived after capture in the last 35 yrs due to his new thoughts!

Thousands! I know how much fish you catch lol!

Those salmon were like martyrs for the good of the species lol.

thanks for sharing that mate and keep up the good work!

TS!

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Its a personal thing- there is nothing wrong with taking a feed, or taking a few to freeze. I personally hate waste- BUT was certainly guilty of a few killing frenzies when I was much younger. With bigger fish like marlin I certainly aim to release everyone that I catch- but I do also accept that sooner or later one will die during a fight- and will therefore be food for a lot of people . I think also saying "I only catch and release" is a bit unrealistic for that reason - at some stage a fish that you release will actualy die - fishing is a "blood" sport and to deny that is not reasonable. There is no need to be ashamed of knocking a few fish on the head- BUT again its a personal thing.

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21 minutes ago, Hooked-Up said:

Nice story mate!

the good ol days huh!

Its a shame your Dad knocked those great fish on the head as he obviously still regrets it all these years later.

on a positive note, times were tough back then for the blue collar family so those fish at least went to a good cause, secondly and more importantly is the lesson he learnt from his actions, being that it changed the whole way he now sees what fishing can be and then passing that knowledge onto the next generation being you!

Now here you are expressing (your Dads) and now your own thoughts to the world!

imagine how many fish have lived after capture in the last 35 yrs due to his new thoughts!

Thousands! I know how much fish you catch lol!

Those salmon were like martyrs for the good of the species lol.

thanks for sharing that mate and keep up the good work!

TS!

Hi Mate,

Good point you mentioned.

I simply want to express what I've learnt, and share it for all anglers to hopefully become wiser and better fisherman.

 

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18 minutes ago, PaddyT said:

Its a personal thing- there is nothing wrong with taking a feed, or taking a few to freeze. I personally hate waste- BUT was certainly guilty of a few killing frenzies when I was much younger. With bigger fish like marlin I certainly aim to release everyone that I catch- but I do also accept that sooner or later one will die during a fight- and will therefore be food for a lot of people . I think also saying "I only catch and release" is a bit unrealistic for that reason - at some stage a fish that you release will actualy die - fishing is a "blood" sport and to deny that is not reasonable. There is no need to be ashamed of knocking a few fish on the head- BUT again its a personal thing.

Hi Mate,

I think being selective in these decisions and educating the next generation is part of our responsibility as anglers.

I honestly have no issues at all with taking home a fish. It is all part of fishing and putting a feed on the plate for your family is fine.

I love eating fish, and will take some fish home from time to time.

As my Son grows up and learns about fishing, I will teach him and explain to him why we're putting this fish back, and why we're taking this fish home.

Teach every aspect of fishing, so he too can pass on the knowledge to the next generation.

 

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I believe that common keeping of the undersize fish, after-hours fishing in the protected areas and widespread urbanization gives more threats to future fish population rather than a Catch & Release dilemma.   

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I love eating fish, But I, thankfully, can afford to be choosy. I release Bream because I am not fond of eating them. Flathead on the other hand are doomed.  Just got back from a morning session today, Caught 18 flathead and 1 Bream.  Kept 2 flathead for a feed, about a kilo of fillets.  ( would cost me a bit if I had to buy them )   the rest I let go !  why?  they were under size......

This brings me to an interesting Point, would I have kept so many if they had all been legal?  Ill give you the answer when it happens!!  Howard.

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You make a good point about teaching people WHY something is done in a particular way. We all have the "right" to take a legal fish home for the table, or release it to live another day. What I see and hear on a regular basis is that some people blatantly disregard the rules and regulations and believe they have the "right" to do so. Everybody needs to understand that we don't have a limitless resource...misuse it today and it won't be there tomorrow. Cheers, BN

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45 minutes ago, bluefin said:

I love eating fish, But I, thankfully, can afford to be choosy. I release Bream because I am not fond of eating them. Flathead on the other hand are doomed.  Just got back from a morning session today, Caught 18 flathead and 1 Bream.  Kept 2 flathead for a feed, about a kilo of fillets.  ( would cost me a bit if I had to buy them )   the rest I let go !  why?  they were under size......

This brings me to an interesting Point, would I have kept so many if they had all been legal?  Ill give you the answer when it happens!!  Howard.

Hi Howard,

Interesting point you've raised.

Fresh fish is very expensive, and I too loooove Flathead. In fact, I will be trying to catch a few for a feed over the coming months.

At the end of the day, it's all about making the right choices. Good on ya Mate.

 

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Despite my better judgment I'll participate in this thread.

I don't agree with freezing fish. Why keep it if your not going to enjoy it fresh. Only time I'll keep fish to freeze is for next trips burley. I'm sure plenty of you disagree. 

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There was a very interesting video on C+R posted up in one of the reports, I'd recommend everyone watch this just to get an idea of what C and R is all about.

I can also say I have been guilty of taking home more than needed. When I first started I guess I felt it was more of a trophy to take back home. Since then my views have changed and while I do take most good-sized table fish, I have also started to release a few.

If you take some good photos and perhaps film the release your memories of that fish of a lifetime will be just as good as if you whacked it on the head for the table!

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There are still anglers who persist with set lines, keeping undersized fish and exceed their bag limits. This is particularly destressing with iconic fish such as Murray Cod. Thankfully this illegal activity has diminished significantly over the past few decades. Those who keep “fish of a lifetime” are also on the wane. A lot of anglers now have a much better attitude towards fish conservation. It wasn’t that long ago that those who practiced catch and release was received poorly, but now it is common practice in many angler circles. Fishing clubs for example often now require digital photos, rather than physical proof of the catch. It is every ones right, providing they have the appropriate fishing licence, to keep fish which are legal size and within bag limits. Thankfully though greater numbers of anglers support catch and release, or keep just enough for one feed.

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3 hours ago, Mike89 said:

There was a very interesting video on C+R posted up in one of the reports, I'd recommend everyone watch this just to get an idea of what C and R is all about.

I can also say I have been guilty of taking home more than needed. When I first started I guess I felt it was more of a trophy to take back home. Since then my views have changed and while I do take most good-sized table fish, I have also started to release a few.

If you take some good photos and perhaps film the release your memories of that fish of a lifetime will be just as good as if you whacked it on the head for the table!

i beleive your referring to this one mate.

These guys are the S#@T

 

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Here is my two bobs worth. 

The laws are set on the best information possible (noting that the numbers on the recreational take are very rubbery) .  I think we all want to see the fish populations increase,  so if necessary increase size limits and decrease bag limits. 

I've taught my boys we stick to the rules and I honestly believe that sharing a meal of fish caught that same day makes them think about conservation, living sustainably and not wasting food. 

I've let legal fish go too,  but if we really want to make a difference then lobby for more funding for fisheries inspectors and for less o/s supertrawlers. 

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17 hours ago, Hooked-Up said:

i beleive your referring to this one mate.

These guys are the S#@T

 

Yep that's the one. Excellent video with a good explanation of how they formed their views.

Must-watch!

Edited by Mike89
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I reckon it's incredibly liberating to leave the esky at home. Takes away the pressure to bring home dinner. Dropped fish aren't as bad and so on

Or even better to catch as much as you need, 3 lizards is all we'll eat,  and continue with no intention of keeping any more.

the old Victorians are a strange lot, determined to max out at every opportunity  and taking the freezer and generator o interstate trips!

 

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interesting video, I release probably 90% of the fish I catch, I get as much enjoyment out of watching it swim away as catching it, the best example being a mangrove jack a couple of months ago, it took me a month and probably 800 casts to catch that fish and I have seen him terrorizing bait fish multiple times since and I get a buzz each time and I hope some one else will get the same excitement from catching him as I did and I truly hope we will be reunited when he's 50+cm.

That's my 2 cents worth on catch and release

Dave

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All good comments Guy's. 

Aside from the obvious benefits of catch and release fishing, for me it is in the "catching" and "releasing" of the fish itself where I'd like to shed some light.

We spend all this time chasing our chosen species, the hours put in refining our techniques, rigs, tying flies, making lures, whatever the case may be.

Once that fish latches on, the battle ensues, and if everything goes to plan, the knots hold, the fish plays the game, and you land it, for me this is where angling reaches the pinnacle.

This is why I 99.9999% of the time release everything I catch, not necessarily for conservation reasons, which is of course a huge benefit of catch and release fishing.

For me, it is more the fish deserves to live to fight another day. We shared an angling experience, the thrill of the chase and capture is enough for me.

Appreciating the fish, nature and all that.

So for me, regardless of whether its legal size or not, that really isn't the point.

Maybe I'm getting a bit sentimental in my old age, lol, but I'm finding now, there is a lot of joy, and enjoyment to be found when I go fishing simply to catch fish and let them go.

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I know with fishing it is a personal thing, and each to there own is completely fine.

My intention here isn't to put pressure on anyone.

I just want to share my views, experiences and what I've learn't from them, I guess in the hope that someone on here might read this, who has never thought to give catch and release fishing a go, and try it.

Not because it might be deemed the right thing to do, but because you genuinely want to.

Who knows, it may just take your fishing to a whole new level.

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I see many anglers on Wallis Lake bagging out on Whiting, day after day, and keeping a lot more fish than they can consume in the short term. Whilst this is a legal catch, it puts a lot of pressure on fish stocks. Anglers who regularly fish places like Karumba often recall catches from times gone by, and then talk of the numbers of people who go home with more than one fridge/freezer stocked full of Barra. Thankfully, many anglers are aware that fish stocks are not inexhaustible.

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Guest Guest123456789

Interesting thread.

@foolforjesus going back to your dads example, let's say the authorities knew the population of the salmon as well as their reproductive cycle. Let's also say they had rules or guidelines whereby anglers informed authorities the number of fish caught. Based on that information the decimation of the Atlantic salmon could have been predicted. Therefore, your dad could have been educated that he could sustainably catch x species per year, otherwise his kids might not get the chance to experience it when adults.

Our present fisheries management is a lot better but there is a lot of room for improvement too. No one knows what the recreational catch is. Its important for catch and release to have more accurate data about the fisheries and this should include a means for people to record their catch. Maybe then we can identify current overfishing practices and have better limits in place or maybe even 'recommended annual limits'. I believe collectivism stills exists and anglers will release more fish unharmed if they know doing so is to ensure our current fishing practices are sustainable so our kids and grandkids can enjoy our great sport long after we're gone.

My own personal choice and view, I don't believe in catch and release unless it's bycatch. I fish to catch food, I don't think it's right to drive a metal hook into an animals mouth, fatigue the fish and risk its life, take a photo then release it simply for my own personal enjoyment. It seems a bit Roman to me. I catch enough only for my immediate needs and that also for my elderly neighbours, after that I pack up and head home. I used to freeze fish but I don't anymore. But it's a free country and I respect others choices so long as it's within the rules.

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I also no longer freeze fish and aim to cook and eat my catch within a couple of days.

Luke's rationale against C&R is quite reasonable IMO, and is the reason C&R fishing is outlawed in several European countries. Whilst I don't abide by it, it is certainly something to think about and has crossed my mind when I do release fish.

One aspect of the video put up is the suggestion by these guys to 'speak up' when you see someone taking more than they need, or keeping undersize fish. I find this hard to do.

Do you guys speak up when you see others taking what you personally consider to be too many? What about illegal catches (undersize or protected)?

I will say something only when I see people take undersize or protected fish just to confirm that they know the fish is too small (or protected) and that they can be fined if caught by police or fisheries officers (both of which patrol the spots I frequent). Beyond that, I'm not going to kick anyone's bucket into the drink or insist on the release of the fish. Personally I feel that's for the authorities to deal with, and the person already knows what they are doing is wrong and will most likely be caught eventually.

What do you guys think?

Edited by Mike89
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2 hours ago, Mike89 said:

Do you guys speak up when you see others taking what you personally consider to be too many? What about illegal catches (undersize or protected)?

What do you guys think?

Yes. When it is undersized or protected I feel you have a responsibility to do so,  further more not doing anything is cowardly. If you can't /dont want to confront the offender/s , ring fishries etc. If you deem the amount to be "to many" do you have the right to do so? No , but I do anyhow. I have an opinion and choose to voice it. In some instances the amount being kept is disgusting. 

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Hi Everyone, all good responses Guy's, so thank you for your input.

This post really was only intended to share a few of my own personal experiences on the subject, so there is certainly no pressure on anyone to change or do things differently.

I do however hope to have got people thinking, with the possibility of trying things a little differently at some stage.

As pointed out, catch and release fishing in some ways might not be a good thing.

I am only going to speak for myself, and say that I personally find catch and release fishing great, and in regards to the fish, I honestly don't believe it is inhumane to let them go.

As for whether the fish feel pain from being hooked is open to speculation, but for me it won't stop me from letting any sized fish go, legal or not.

I recall a time I caught a solid 5-6lb Brown Trout, awesome battle on the fly rod...2-3 months later, my friend caught the same fish!

We know it was the same fish by the unique spots on its cheeks.

This doesn't prove that fish don't feel pain when hooked, but it does suggest that if handled properly, the fish will revive, survive and flourish. 

 

Edited by foolforjesus
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