Why no catch and release on tip ups?

I was tip up fishing this morning, had a great morning, 5 bass, biggest was 22″, two northerns, biggest was 37″. A guy showed up a little after we set up, and when we started catching fish, asked why I was throwing them back, I told him I release everything I catch. The guy told me he would keep the ones I caught, I politely told him that I prefer to release them, it really seemed to bother him when I caught my biggest bass, and biggest northern of the day, he walked over to me and said “your not going to let that one go are you?” when I said yes, he looked at me like I just kicked his dog, and walked away. I don’t get it, you can catch smaller northerns and bass, not to mention panfish, all day, and eat fish every day if you want. I have only met one other group that practices catch and release ice fishing, I just don’t get it, why is the mentality so much different ice fishing than at other times during the year. I don’t eat fish, but doesn’t a 14 inch bass taste better than a 6 pounder, and doesn’t a 5 pound northern taste better than a 15 pounder?

I have sliced my share (and then some) of some real pigs… but, I have changed my ways from some years back…. I now release the big ones and try to keep only what smaller fish Ma, the kids, and I will eat.
It matters not if I am in open water or on ice, I throw back those I do not want and just keep fishing… I am there to fish. Someday I may grow out of this mind set too.
Did you ask the guy if he had a license? I have had the same… people ask for me to give them my fish when they did not even have a license. Right… I have shared a fish or two with some campers that have had a hard day on the water with no fish to fry…. but I am not big on giving my fish away either.
Hoggie

Those are some VERY nice catches! I don’t ice fish a lot but I’ve noticed that the ice fishing mentality isn’t the same as the one we commonly see during the summer months. Your example will have an impact as time ventures forward though……….stick to your guns!

Want to share your location for catching those nice fish?!?

I usually only keep a couple of the smaller, eater-sized, walleye or a medium-sized northern, or a few crappies when I fish. I then take pictures of the other, nicer fish. (Gotta prove to the Mrs. that I’m really fishing dontchaknow ) So, I’m on your side on this one.

But, I know a bit about the “winter-mentality”. There’s 3 points that I hear made that makes people more “meaty” in the winter.
1. You catch fewer fish in the winter, so you have to keep all that you catch. That is generally true for me: it’s not as easy to find the fish through the ice, you can’t fan-cast an area, it’s harder to stay with a school if they want to move off… But that’s also the reason that the DNR (in MN at least) lets you keep 2 lines in the water at a time, right? So, I don’t really consider that point valid.
2. You gut-hook more fish on tip-ups. I agree with this point – the fish usally have a minute or two with the bait before I get the hook set and sometimes they swallow the bait and hook. You can look at this on an individual basis though, and it doesn’t mean you should keep every fish, just the fish that are not likely to make it.
3. The fish taste better in winter. Well, I can’t argue with that one.

– Thumper
“Can’t we all just get alone?”

Did you mean to quote “Cant we all just get along?” Although when talking fishing- “Cant we all just get alone” might be more appropriate.

Thanks for the replys, I don’t want to give the wrong impression, I’ve got no problem with people keeping fish for the frying pan, I just don’t believe in eating the few trophy’s that are out there. As far as divulging my location, I suddenly seem to have amnesia, but if you see an arctic cat atv, and a really big bulldog, you probably found me, don’t worry, he’s freindly, but he slobbers alot and has a sweet tooth for shiners. As far as gut hooking fish, I always stay close to my tip-ups, and set the hook as soon as I get a flag, so the fish doesn’t have a chance to swallow it. I hook the shiners right through the back, so when a northern attacks them sideways, I get a good lip hookset, just like on a spinnerbait, or stick bait. I also generally get a good lip hookset on bass, I haven’t had to kill a fish yet this year, and I wouldn’t hesitate to give one away if it was hooked bad. Oh, and the bigger northern I caught the other day had some poor guys hook and leader, along with about 3 feet of broken dacron hanging out of his mouth. I’ve found the Mason tip-up line that’s plastic coated to be the best, doesn’t fray, doesn’t tangle, and wont break when it runs along the bottom of the hole with a big fish.