A guy takes out a young man in southwestern wisconsin.
The client catches an ENORMOUS male brook trout. It is almost twice as big as ANY brookie he has EVER caught.
The client says:
I would like to keep this trout to make a REAL mount of it.
What do you do?
?
Len
[This message has been edited by spinner1 (edited 27 July 2005).]
I tell my clients, before the trip starts, that I only do Catch and Release. If they have a problem with that, I refund the money and we part ways. That has only happened twice in MANY years of guiding.
It’s fortunate that most of the waters I guide on are C&R by regulation.
The question is…
What did YOU do?
Unless you stated it was C&R only,
it is the call of the client.
Although, if it were me, I would try
to talk him out of keeping it and go for
the fiberglass repro.
MW
I let customers make their OWN decisions.
They did pay for the fishing license and the outing.
Its the moment of a lifetime for your client.If he wants to keep and mount the fish, let him do so. The next one he will want to mount will have to be twice as big as that one! I predict a lot of catch and release in your clients future 
Best,
Black Gnat
Is it a legal fish? If so, nothing said.
I figure if you didn’t talk about it before starting the day, then as long as it is a legal fish, it is the client’s decision.
I’d think it wouldn’t be good for business to argue with a customer even if you don’t personally agree with what they wanted to do.
Rex
brought subject up on purpose…
wanted to see response.
I agree with SW Ladyfish.
And from the looks of the way the fish is being held, you said, “Okay, keep it.”
Bill
Len,
You’re the guide & you make your rules, be it total C&R or whatever…whatever your rules are, some will agree & some won’t…just state them up front. Your decision was right for you & thats all that matters as I see it.
Mike
Here is a different view. Seeing as the sex was mentioned I know that females increase in fecundity with increasing size. I am not sure about males. I would think that it size doesn’t matter as much with males and reproductive strength so would taking a big male out of the ecosystem be as damaging as taking out a big female similar to hunting management.
I would personally release it but everyone needs to have a moment in the sun. That fish could be the highlight of that guy’s life and who has the right to take it away from him.
Who has time for stress when there are fish to catch.
Nick
From a saltwater guide’s perspective…
I explain to the customer before we head out, that if it’s a legal fish, it’s “angler’s choice”. After all, it’s their trip. I see nothing wrong with harvesting a few for table-fare.
I tell my clients they can keep it if it’s a state record. Almost kept a squawfish the other day because I didn’t know what the state record was and it was about 6 pounds. I later found out the state record is 7.5 or so, but it was still a huge squaker. I keep a tape and usually have a camera, an artificial mount lasts longer and looks better anyway so if the problem ever arose I think I could covince someone that it was better to let it go. I’ve seen guides on the bighorn killing nice fish for clients to take home and eat and that sucks. If we all did that there wouldn’t be any fish left.
It’s his fish, if it’s legal to keep it in the waters he is fishing in then he can keep it if he wants.
Ladyfisher is correct. If it’s a legal fish, the guide has no right to impose his will, religion or philosophy on the client. C&R is a matter of choice unless otherwise dictated by law, and as far as I know - guides don’t write the laws; that’s the domain of state game and fish authorities.
When nothing is certain, everything is possible.
I agree with LF. Having guided most of my life and having been guiding when people didn’t think anything of keeping limits of fish I see nothing wrong with a person keeping a fish even if it is one to eat. That is there right they paid for the trip the license and guide so they have a right to do as they want to as long as it is with-in the law.
I keep a fish now then to eat as both my wife and I like a fish now and then. I do not like large fish I like the small ones to eat. Sweater if you ask me.
I would ask if the person would like to have a fiber glass mount made of the fish first and explain they look just as good if not better than the real thing. If not then he or she can do as they please with “THERE” fish. Just my opinion. Ron
It seems the ground rules should ahve been set out before the trip. With the fish gasping for breath on the riverbank is not the time to have this chat.
Rusty <><
How come I always rely the same thing …
It does help to avoid discussion (as PCRusty mentionned “… With the fish gasping for breath on the riverbank is not the time to have this chat.”) … if the “ground rules” are openly discussed BEFORE booking.
My discussion ALWAYS include:
[ul]
[li]If it ain’t legal … forget it! This INCLUDES accidental foul hooked fish, … they ALL go back.[/
ca4b9][/li][li]C&R means heavier tippets (sacrificing, imho, some hookups)[/ca4b9][/li][li]C&R means quick fights and quick releases[/ca4b9][/li][li]C&R means good quick release wins over picture time.[/ca4b9][/li][li]In situations where there IS a choice, … (keep some, release some), … ALL injured or exhausted fish are kept.[/*ca4b9][/ul][/li]
My 0.02$ anyway
Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:ca4b9]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:ca4b9]
all injured or exhausted fish kept…
Yes…Have that rule…
Always size up tippet…
There is a Fish Of A Lifetime rule.
If they are looking for frying pan fish…I pick Non-fragile waterway.
Len
Hey Spinner (Len), …
I do the “Pan fish” idea too. 'cept, … instead of changing rivers, … we change seasons
Had some friends who wanted to come up for our BIG trout. They said they just love eating trout. I “convinced” them to come up LATER in the season. Cheaper rod fees, … tons more trout (though smallers), … but NO spawners.
For a gang who’s idea of a big brookie is 8 inches, … they had a blast with schools of 10-14 inch brookies, … all juveniles, … all taking #14 dries on 35 ft casts.
After all, … the skillet IS only 14 inches across
Christopher Chin, Jonquiere Quebec
[url=http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/:9d347]http://pages.videotron.com/fcch/[/url:9d347]