Catch and Release

I have always been almost exclusively a CPR, Catch, Photo, and Release guy. I truly think that this is for the good of the resource. I really have trouble with those who seem to keep every thing that they pull in, even when within the legal limits. (I do admit that walleye/sauger can be very tasty, but bass, pike although they can be tasty too I guess but how much is enough.) I often hear of those who will go in the AM and limit out then PM to do the same. My question is to those who seem compelled to keep large amounts of what they catch. What is the reason? I am not looking for a fight just some thoughts why you keep or release.

If I personally new of someone double dipping i would start out by calling the game warden and that would most likely stop them from doing it again.

I think most of the reason a lot of people keep everthing that they catch is because the fishing can and usually is easier this time of the year for people who do not get out on the water as often as some of us do and the few times they do make it out and catch some fish they really want to stock up to make up for the times they were on the water and did not get anything. The bigest and probably the most important issue dealing with this question is education and knowledge Most of these people are probably not as skilled or educated in the angling world as some of us on this board. We need to preach and teach catch and realease as often as possible! Hopefully sooner than later more and more people will start to understand the importance of CPR.

See ya on the river!

Dustin

I don’t ‘double-dip’, but I do keep a limit from time to time. Ask the guys that I fish with and they’ll tell you that the fish we keep are 15-18″ and anything in that range that looks fat enough to be female goes back.

6 fish for me get lapped up easily. My wife, daughter and I can eat 4. I give the other 2 to my parents. My dad is in his 80’s and had a stroke about 15 years ago so his angling days are over, but my folks smile wide when I show up with filets.

The days and the mentality of “filling the freezer” are out-dated. Ask Warden Stone what he thinks of guys that double-dip and overbag. Good to see the hogs are getting thrown out of the trough.

Beav

My wife and I are weekend and vacation fishermen at most,but even at that, we can’t use all the fish that we catch.

Like Beaver we also take some fish to my mother, (she’s in her 80’s also), but we keep very few fish for ourselves. If I want fish to eat we will go catch them, and eat them fresh.

We have to put the days of filling our freezers behind us, it’s just such a waste.

That’s my 2 cents..

I hunt and fish with an ole feller (83 yrs old) who grew up around Rice Lake WI. I really dont like to do either due to the fact, that he is a meat pig. From the stories I have heard (over and over) I believe the reason he is this way, is from upbringing and the need to catch what you need to eat and steal what you needed to survive. His father passed away way young, and this gentleman was in the position to provide for the family at at a young teen age. I try to get him to CPR but only way to do it is the ole……..oops..fell in the water. Luckily hes not a very good fisher anymore and I can shake off fish if need be, and really just like to get him out of the house. But all this being said…..I think he would like to keep everything, because back in the day, thats what they did.

Haywood,

I do think that education on both sides of this viewpoint is still the key. Most of us that post here are pretty adament about being responsible with CPR and with what we are willing to take from the resource as well.

One thought that seems to be overlooked is ecobalance. Not so much in what we can all do to protect the resource, but remembering that as co-existant beings on this planet, we are part of that ecosystem and with responsible conduct toward the resources we use, it’s fathomable to suggest that it may actually prove beneficial to the resource by taking from it. Hunting is a prime example. Nature’s been altered, therefore, it has become important to regulate flocks and herds, for the benefit of the resources and the species.

I don’t believe that anyone under any circumstance should ever have to feel guilty about keeping a legal limit of any species. But I do believe it should stir the conscience if it is practiced often.

I’ve never known anyone who sets out to “fill the freezer”, but I know plenty who feel the quest is for the purpose of accomplishment, and that interpretation is through keeping the fish they catch, within the guidelines of the law. Many people still share that mentality and it is up to us to demonstrate the accomplishment of letting the fish go. Truthfully, I was much more enthusiastic about keeping fish before I started learning better from the great people at this web site. I actually prefer letting fish go now because of what I’ve learned here. But when I injure a fish that is tasty in the pan, that’s pretty much what I keep these days. I don’t feel good about a bad hookset or a mishap in the boat and I hate the thought of that fish swimming off only to most likely die anyway. This has greatly reduced the number of fish I bring home and no one seems to mind when I come home with an empty pan as long as there’s a “livewell” full of stories to fill their hearts.

Sorry so long! Keep ’em tuggin’! :O)

Haywood,

Sometimes I like to catch a limit of fish to bring home as we (my family) enjoys a fish fry once in a while. I believe I caught and kept 1 limit of walleyes this year and that was when I was out fishing with James. I also have learned to put large ones back. For as much as I fish I don’t keep to many not because I release them but generally because I don’t catch that many. Sometimes it may take me several times out to catch enough for a fish fry and if I get the chance to keep a limit and I’m lucky enough to do so I will. Some people like the ones recently caught by our friendly wardens that had their rigs and hopefully all there gear confiscated are the ones that I would like to see post a message and I also believe that part of their punishment should be public appologies at outdoor shows. I think that would help with this problem of people keeping 150 walleyes or whatever the amount was. Sometimes it seems like people don’t care about the chance of losing their gear or a fine but if you make it mandatory for these criminals to stand up in front of thousands of other fishermen and women and explain what they were doing and how they have harmed the fisherey maybe that would help. I guess I also was raised to believe that what we caught, and or shot we ate.

My grandma, who loves to fish still at 70+, grew up dirt poor in the south. They shot, fished and ate anything they could get. You should have seen the look on her face when I released a 24″ walleye out of her lake. Later that night, after keeping 4-5 12-13″ fish, she agreed that is was nice watching that big fish swim away.

BTW- she now has 3 refrig/freezers, 3 upright freezers, 1 chest freezer and an entire walk in pantry full of food! I think that her and grandpa are set for awhile!

Edited by DaveB on 11/16/01 08:14 AM.

You know, if you want to keep fish PLEASE do!!!!!! I’m often sickened by the “guilt trip” sometimes laid down on people for taking fish home!!! HOWEVER, as mentioned before, simply be aware of what and how often you keep, that’s all!

Fanatacism breeds discontempt!!!!!!!! True and honest education, from all sides is needed. Let’s not play God people! Be aware of our precious resources, practicing SELECTIVE HARVEST! I think we need to get rid of the term “catch and release”! In a way, we are telling people they can’t keep when using this terminology! We can share the ideology of catch and release, but do we need to keep jamming the term down everyones throat?

FTR strives very hard to demonstrate the need for selective harvest and does a fine job if I may say so!

Time to put to rest “catch and release” per say, moving forward towards a healthier statewide fishery, fisherman relations and a bright fishing future for our children and theirs………..

Jim W

I think I might have had a little too much coffee this morning or something eh? All whipped up. Maybe cause it’s so darn nice out and I’m sitting in my office writing on the internet when I should be fishing!!!

hey I keep about 3-5 fish a week on average from october to april….. that’s about 3 lunches a week for me….?? why because I love to fish…… two because I like to eat fresh fish….. if you go into my freezer the only fish that WERE in there was some devil’s lake perch from this last winter…. and they are consumed///// so I will neer fell guilty keeping fish….. It’s chaeper than buying walleye or catfish at 8-12$ a pound…. I just throw the big ones back….. me and my walleye fishin buddy from the board) probally keep 1(legal walleye) fish to every 10 we throw back…… I would say that is selective harvesting……

You will rarely see me not taking some fish home to eat. snakes from 22-40 head home, any walleye or sauger- 15 to 20 inches and anyother size with a piece of gill missing. Any legal size bass that is all torn up. Prefishing for tourneys or a long way from home is the exception. I love to eat fish and so

do the other six members of my family. As for the violators, down her we use a cell phone, or just mention it to the local wardens. We have a good bunch down here and if you don’t break the law they leave you alone. If you do break it they make sure that all appropriate citations are issued. The one that still really burns me is the guy with the dead , stiff as a board fish on the floor of his boat that you know he can’t possibbly eat. Lawrence

Thanks for all the insight. I am glad that so many have a positive insight on the resource. Thanks for the responses.

I think we have come a long way in the past 30 years. I still remember when catch and release was not heard of except from people who did not like the taste of fish but liked to fish. I too feel if you want to keep a limit from time to time that its fine as long as you do it wisely. I think there are by far a great number of fish and fishermans these days but I think there are a great number of catch and release people to. Maybe even more than we know. Just because you see someone keep a eater, doesnt mean that he doesnt practice releasing them also. I know as I am one who does both. Like the old saying goes, you cant please everyone. But you can learn to accept them as nobodys perfect FF