fishing ethics

[Viking]

from: GOD
to: Bass fishermen

Don't play with your food.

[yogio]

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.

[plowboy]

>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.

[Chubminnow]

Eat'm, mount'm, release'm...just don't waste'm...in other words, sure, mount yourself a trophy bass...it doesn't have to be the state record to be a trophy...it's your own personal trphy anyway, maybe you've fished for many, many years and never caught a bass larger than 2 1/2 to 3 pounds, then you suddnely land a largemouth that goes over 6lbs...heck, mount it...

If you'd like to have some fish for dinner, or even put some in the freezer for another time, heck go for it, why not? As fas as tropy's are concerned everyone most likely pretty much knows what they'd like to see hanging on their own walls...In regards to fish consumption, everyone should know what they can or will eat as far as quantity of fish is concerned, so there's no need to hord a bunch of fillet's in the freezer, especially when you can get catfish fillet's on sale at Kroger for 2.99 to 3.99 per pound every now and then...but above all, please handle the bass with care if you release them...

This is only my personal opinion...everyone feels or sees it differently, but if a man has any concious about him what so ever then he'll do what's right by the laws of man and by the laws of nature.

[Chubminnow]

Yogio - You're correct about the turtles...The following is a true story.

a few years ago I had a fish basket laying in the water up next to the bank of this farm pond I go to...we were having a nice cook out there at the house of this pond, so I take a break from fishing and go to the house and grab a burger and a beer and visit a spell...about 45 minutes to one hour later when I returned to the pond I resumed fishing. My fish basket was still there and looked to be just as I left it...after a few casts I caught another fish...as I lifted the basket to place the fish in with the rest of them I discovered a torn spot in my basket, not only that but two of the nicer sized bass that were in the basket had their stomachs completely eaten. A freakin' turtle had worked it's way THROUGH my fish basket and ate the dag-blurned bellies out of my bass...man you talk about getting ticked off! If I had known that was going to happen I would have either cleaned the fished prior to my having dinner or released everyone of them as soon as I caught them...I was ticked off and a little sorry at the same time...but then again I guess the turtles have to get their share occassionally.

[Chubminnow]

MASBAS - How large are the two bass you have mounted?

[MASBASS]

The first one my father had mounted for me when I was about 12 it wieghed in at just over 5 lb. It was the first keeper bass I ever caught, my dad did not bass fish, that is the fish that got me hooked. I have also done both of my sons that way I mounted thier first keeper bass. Both of which were about 13" long.

The last one I had mounted, anout 18 years ago, way 6-4 and I caught it on and ultra-light on 4 lb test line.

Since that time I have caught some really big fish and always release them most of the time keeping nothing but a memory.

In my life I have been lucky I guess I have caught (2) fish over 9lbs and (6) over 8 lbs. I will not have another mounted it is just me I believe a replica in the long run will be better IMO.