Atta Boy, Cap'm! (Catch and Release)
Kirk Deeter and F&S are great.
These suckers were eye openers for me. It sucks to think that I have been so poorly maintaining my local fisheries. No longer though. Seriously, sometimes as high as 10% fish dead after photography? Wow!
Thoughts, please. My blog post is a summary of items that are recommended. What other fish-saving pointers are there? Kirk's article hits several good nails on the head, IMO.
There are studies ...
... that show hooking mortality for trout is much less than 10%. So unless someone wants to link their supposed studies to their statements / conclusions, I'm inclined to ignore that statistic.
Having said that, as I've said a number of times, it is my experience and belief that wild trout, especially large wild trout, are much tougher than a lot of people give them credit for. With good C & R practices, and that can include pixels taken quickly as part of the landing and release process, the hooking mortality for these fish is probably somewhere around 1%.
Follow the link for some anectdotal information from last summer - and meet Howard and some of his wild relatives.
http://www.flyanglersonline.com/bb/s...8-Same-fishies-!!
Already this year, I've had occasion to document catching the same fish twice in a matter of a couple weeks. A wild 13-14" west slope cutthroat / steelhead hybrid. If I really analyzed my photo albums, I'd probably come up with at least a few more fishies that I've landed, photographed, and released at least twice.
That 10% mortality statistic may well apply to stocked trout. From some small stocked trout that I happened on last summer unknowingly fishing a stocked lake, I would be surprised that even 90% of those fish in that lake would survive being landed and released, even given excellent C & R handling.
John
P.S. I'm on the lookout for Howard every time I fish in his stretch of the crick. Stay tuned.
The fish are always right.
Stay home or take up golf.Originally Posted by adglife
I'm inclined to agree with the premise of the article simply based on the fact that it suggests that fishermen....and especially FLY fishermen....not forget that they are participating in a "blood sport".
Too many pat themselves on the back and use C&R to place themselves "above" the rest of the fishing community. Thinking themselves seperate from other blood sports. When in fact the "do" kill fish. That FACT needs to sink in, if for no other reason then it causes folks to be responsible. To understand how to handle fish and also to be able to acknowledge when a fish is mortally wounded or exhausted. And when faced with that situation, to do the responsible thing as a steward of the resource and consume what it is you have killed. No ethical drama involved. No righteousnous offended. You killed it....you eat it. Otherwise stop fishing, join PETA, and photogragh flowers. From afar though...so as not to trample any of them.
Ralph
Regarding the "blood sport" thing - practically every fish you catch while angling is trying to kill something.
John
The fish are always right.
I'm with Troutbum...if they ain't gonna make it (and sometimes if they would) and it's legal, eat 'em!
"Trust, but verify" - Russian Proverb, as used by Ronald Reagan
I'm inclined to agree with the premise of the article simply based on the fact that it suggests that fishermen....and especially FLY fishermen....not forget that they are participating in a "blood sport".
Too many pat themselves on the back and use C&R to place themselves "above" the rest of the fishing community. Thinking themselves seperate from other blood sports. When in fact the "do" kill fish. That FACT needs to sink in, if for no other reason then it causes folks to be responsible. To understand how to handle fish and also to be able to acknowledge when a fish is mortally wounded or exhausted. And when faced with that situation, to do the responsible thing as a steward of the resource and consume what it is you have killed. No ethical drama involved. No righteousnous offended. You killed it....you eat it. Otherwise stop fishing, join PETA, and photogragh flowers. From afar though...so as not to trample any of them.
RalphLove it.
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