Catch & Release

martycoo · **Joined:** Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:50 am **Posts:** 1793

not sure, but I got mine free at a show! Great read!

hoser · **Posted:** Mon Mar 13, 2006 12:06 pm

hmmm.... I was wondering how many other odd anglers there are out there that well, just plain don't really like to eat fish?? I can handle eating fish maybe once every few months, but don't really enjoy it. and it absolutely has to be the whitest meat, like perch and pike, don't really like trout or salmon at all.

Don Stokes · **Posted:** Mon Mar 13, 2006 2:41 pm

I love to eat fish but more often than not, release my catch. Yellow perch, walleye, halibut some trout and select members of the char family are my most enjoyed and I am fortuneate to have been able to fish for most of them at one point or another.

Specifically, I target very unique samples from extremely select waters that I believe hold unique qualities in water, forage, etc.. It might be a rainbow caught from Medicine Lake in Jasper National Park, or a yellow perch caught near Wolfe Island, but I am always looking for what I percieve to be the best, under ideal conditions.

I have had to refrain from keeping some fine looking samples from local trout waters, believing that it was not wise, given what I believe to be a small self sustaining population.

I will not retain anything from say muddy waters of under most conditions. I do not like fish like walleye from the Bay of Quinte or Lake Ontario that are too large, or that may have the right genetic material to squire the next generation.

It has become mildly fun in a way to become fussy and yet have a firm belief on the right to retain some type of limit. I equally find it amusing and/or puzzling, when people keep fish that I would not regard as fit for human consumption. I also find it painful when these same fish are sold to an unknowing public by unscrupulous buyers and sellers.

Releasing fish is still in its infancy as far as I can see. Most releases I observe are poor from most sectors of the angling community, and most knowledge is weak at best. I do not proclaim to be an expert, but do pride myself on being quick and usually very efficient in ensuring a decent release in under 30 seconds.

Just a few thoughts on this subject.

Donald Stokes

steve-hamilton · **Joined:** Fri Apr 25, 2003 7:40 am **Posts:** 1776

don, when your fishing with a group of guys in November, five days straight, and the smallest fish you catch is 10 pounds, when you get that 6-7 pounder, that would probably never make it as table fare....

well, it does.

it doesn't kill ya, and when you want a nice walleye meal, its sometimes the only option.

however, i'd likely starve before i kept a 9+ pounder.

martycoo · **Joined:** Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:50 am **Posts:** 1793

My grandfather has been eating walleye out of the bay for like 40 years now, he has just grown a new third eye and I think his third arm is on the way! Man ONLY TWO WORDS I CAN SAY! FEAR FACTOR!!!!! I agree the 6-9 pounders are a bit too much to keep, but I'll go out anyday and catch 15" and love every bite of them! By the way my grandfather has lived a very healthy life and I think the fish prolly helped him more then less!
The thing I dont understand is why everyone is out to trophy fish now adays, your taking the fun out of fishing! dont be offended, just my ten cents!

steve-hamilton · **Joined:** Fri Apr 25, 2003 7:40 am **Posts:** 1776

no offence taken bud, but i'd rather catch bass than < 25" walleye....

generally we spend half an hour each evening catching enough walleye for the evening feed, then back to bass fishing we go....

trophy fishing does not take the fun away, rather, it adds a new, exciting element to fishing....

just to know you have a damn good chance at catching a Canadian Record....very exciting.

Don Stokes · **Posted:** Mon Mar 13, 2006 3:50 pm

Actually Steve.....I likley particpated in this at Christmas from a walleye that a friend gaffed and could not be released (I am a non gaffer....lol). Agreed it tasted fine, but not my ideal and certainly not the norm for me. I expect the and strive for the best, not as an arrogant thing but as someone that simply wants quality at nearly any realistic costs.

This summer will see the target being "chicken halibut" as the preferred ideal, with most consumers unknowingly eating what the locals regard as the rougher cuts....lol....larger fish (15-55 pds is the rough range). In Quinte a 2-4 pder is my target walleye for ideal tablefare an I think any long term avid local angler, would be hard pressed to disagree about this as the size for the ideal Quinte....meal. Hopefully, my third trip will have me connect in this magical range when I fish either the Queen Charolettes or the west side of Vancouver Island this summer (budget version...lol).

Donald Stokes

martycoo · **Joined:** Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:50 am **Posts:** 1793

steve-hamilton wrote:

no offence taken bud, but i'd rather catch bass than < 25" walleye....

generally we spend half an hour each evening catching enough walleye for the evening feed, then back to bass fishing we go....

trophy fishing does not take the fun away, rather, it adds a new, exciting element to fishing....

just to know you have a damn good chance at catching a Canadian Record....very exciting.

I agree with fishing Bass, its getting outstanding in Belleville area as well!
I can diffently see a world record Bass coming from the Bay in the very near future! Heres the PB my little brother caught last year, no official weight or measurement because we just wanted to see it go back safe and sound! I caught oddles of 4plus bass last year! Im not saying tryophy fishing takes the fun out of it, it's that I dont go out excepecting to catch trophy fish everytime out! Like alot of anglers I know DO! And they complain and whine if they dont get something BIG!

hoser · **Posted:** Mon Mar 13, 2006 5:32 pm

nice smallmouth always seem to find me when I am undergunned, taking my 4wt fly rod (like fishing with a twig) out that I built last year as a "small creek brookie" rod, ended up with the fight of my life. for me the thrill is catching the biggest fish possible on the lightest tackle, although you won't see me chasing carp on my brook trout rod, that's just asking for trouble. (and a missing fly line and backing).
brook trout fishing for me is different however, if I walk a few miles into the woods somewhere and fish a 4' wide 1' deep creek and catch even a 3" brook trout, I'll be smiling for days, I find that as exciting as catching a 4lbs bass.

Grizzly · **Posted:** Mon Mar 13, 2006 6:54 pm

............ in 35 plus years of fishing i can honistly say never once have i herd someone say the words "Dam not another fish, i wish they would quit biting so i can go home"... Lets face it guys. fishing is fun, thats why we do it.! ........... personally long as im catching fish im happy and ive said it before. anyone can catch fish when they are biting :wink:

martycoo · **Joined:** Tue Jan 03, 2006 9:50 am **Posts:** 1793

I think that fishihng is fun, but I also think that alot of people take advantage of are fisheries. Everyone loves to catch em, but what are they doing to help populations grow. I think im being a little harsh in that last statement but thats me. If more people pitched in and helped in conserving the fisheries, starting with the MNR. I think alot more knowledge needs to be spread and learned more than anything. And the Net is where that can be attained. For one a more broaden test for getting your fishing licenses, this makes people learn the rules. Just like hunting you have to take a test. Sure hunting is more dangerous, and I understand the test is more needed for that reason. But I think alot of people are out there and they break rules, they dont even know. Well I love fishing and I can say the Bay of Quinte boomed this year, I dont know what it is, but I have saw a change in the fisheries here. SOrry to blab my azz off but it is very true not all fishermen underdstand the laws or respect the shorelines.

hoser · **Posted:** Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:48 am

they have that in germany, that you have to write a test, although catch and release is strongly discouraged there. and some of the questions are rather hard I heard, like "how many eggs does a pike lay" and such.
yeah there are some people that don't know the laws, although that just makes judges smile, because you all know the saying "ignorance of the law is no excuse" we all just have to watch out for it, license plates and descriptions help if you see someone poaching.
getting involved in helping the fisheries is a great thing to do. I don't know to many programs going on right now, and guess it's different for everyone where they are willing to help. I rarely ever fish stillwater, I'd be more likely to help with rivers and small creeks, so far to help, I've been carrying a bag to put discarded fishing line and garbage that I see.
anyone fishing trout in small streams, PLEASE!!!!!!!! put them back!! this is probably the most sensitive area when it comes to catch and release, brookies have a hard time sustaining themselves and have been wiped clean from alot of creeks.

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Catch & Release

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