Question for the more experienced

[DG]

Where it is legal to do so, I have absolutely no problem with people keeping fish. Fishing, even C&R fishing, is a blood sport. We harm the fish by catching them, we kill a (hopefully small) percentage, and those of us who fish a lot and catch a lot of fish probably actually kill more fish than do the anglers who get out a few times a year and keep their limit. 5% mortality, couple thousand trout a year... go ahead and eat a few. Especially those pesky exotic fish, like brookies and browns and such.

[Big Bad Wulff]

As long as you aren't taking evry fish you catch.................them fish are mighty tasty.

[racine]

I just wanted to lurk and read today but I just had to answer this. I recently moved to a very hunter oriented region of the country and the concept of C&R has been ruminating in my head. Do they hunt by stun and release method for the sportsmanship of it? Do they shoot blunt arrows to watch prey fall, to allow one to admire your prey then allow them to revive? I think not. I used to catch my brookies and keep what I needed; however, the this trend of "being sportsmanlike" and playing out the fish to catch, quickly retrieve and then release came into being. I have struggled with the concept of catch and just release for several years but I do enjoy fishing so I have practiced that. That said, I will diversify into catch and keep/harvest in the very near future (redfish, speckled trout, or salmon) as I somehow feel this to be more logical to myself alone. Or perhaps I've allowed my conscience too much latitude and not nurtured my animal instincts enough. Then again, I don't hunt for trophies to mount on my wall. Is catch and release the happy medium...