>I know I'll stir up the
>stink a little with this
>answer and we will never
>know if this is accurate.
>But I bet that the
>average catch and release fisherman
>and especially tourney fisherman who
>catch (often bedding bass), release
>and cull multiple times thru
>the day and haul the
>fish to be weighed and
>released often miles from "home"
>end up killing more fish
>than the meat eater who
>catches his or her 5
>and goes home with them.
>I own a pond in
>which I let good fishermen
>fish and release and very
>seldom are there not a
>couple nice ones floating the
>next day. In the hot
>summer, in warm water, delayed
>fish kills are terribly under
>reported. Most, the turtles get
>before you ever even know
>they died.


I know it will make some mad also but I agree with this. Just the stress of being in a live well, traveling in boat over rough water, and being released after several hours probably kills more fish than the average guy that keeps a few. There have been divers report lots of dead bass at release sights the day after even though they swam away when released only to die later. I'm not against tourney fishing but it does take a toll.