Catch & Release Only Fishing, Ethical Or Not?

[nwshooter3540]

Only if you can safely, remove the hook. It sucks when you pull a hook out of a fish and it dies anyways, I guess you're feeding the ecosystem but ruining somebody else's chance of catching it later.

 

[Member 94692]

Don't rightly know if it's true or not, but a fly fisherman I knew when I lived in Montana in the Craig/Cascade area of the Missouri river, claimed that too many fly fishermen fight the fish until exhaustion, which results in a mortality of up to 20% of the fish caught. It's worse on them in warm water months when their O2 is depleted. These guys will catch and release 150 fish per day. I use what they would classify as the uncouth, classless, Neanderthal manner of fishing...that's with my fat nightcrawler for the few fish to plop on the skillet that night. Let's see...20% of 150 fish -vs- 4 fish? I'm a classless fisherman, so I can't figure out the math.

 

[osprey]

Of course it is ethical when done properly but that is a whole nother subject as I have seen some pretty poor examples. I hate over regulation but I think some sort of competency needs to be demonstrated before allowing to participate in some of the C&R fisheries.

 

[foxmeadow]

Years ago, a section of the McKenzie River was restricted to fly only in certain areas. Now I suspect the whole river is that way.
Anyhow, I drifted a grasshopper imitation over the head of a really big trout, who took the fly, got hooked and ran about 20 feet and went passive. I cranked him up to the boat, unhooked him and held him in the current to revive. It only took a second and he raced away.
I thought the behavior was unusual, and mentioned it to a guide at the landing. He said that some of the fish in that stretch of river had been caught so many times that they gave up and waited to be released without expending much energy.
I don't know if I believe that.

 

[Member 94692]

Years ago, a section of the McKenzie River was restricted to fly only in certain areas. Now I suspect the whole river is that way.
Anyhow, I drifted a grasshopper imitation over the head of a really big trout, who took the fly, got hooked and ran about 20 feet and went passive. I cranked him up to the boat, unhooked him and held him in the current to revive. It only took a second and he raced away.
I thought the behavior was unusual, and mentioned it to a guide at the landing. He said that some of the fish in that stretch of river had been caught so many times that they gave up and waited to be released without expending much energy.
I don't know if I believe that.

Those are Troutus Einsteinus.

 

[Stangler]

All these "catch and release isn't ethical" guys sound like paper straw people...




Nate

 

[Member 94692]

All these "catch and release isn't ethical" guys sound like paper straw people...




Nate

What is a paper straw person?

 

[Mark W.]

The only reason I fish is to eat what I catch. If what I catch is not to be eaten I will return it as best I can. But fishing without eating is to me a game. And I have better things to do with my time then play games with fish.

 

[Martini_Up]

My understanding is most of the fish released swim off and die anyway. Crawdads gotta eat too, I guess.

I release if I'm supposed to. I see nothing ethical in releasing if you don't have to. I do see ethics in killing something and not eating it. Well, sans dirtbags and tyrants of course.

 

[RVTECH]

Hunters usually say they are doing it for sustenance. If a hunter does it for fun, they are usually looked down on for that.

In nearly 50 years of hunting I have never heard another hunter (legal ones) say they are doing it for 'sustenance'

They (we) might say I hope I get a deer, elk etc. but if not well then it was a good camping trip and camaraderie.

IF a hunter kills an animal it IS no doubt going to be used and not just injured and released.

Bottom line is I AM against INTENTIONAL C & R fishing.

 

[Member 94692]

What is a paper straw person?

No, really! Is that like a scarecrow or sumpin?

 

[dangerranger60]

No way I'm wasting my time catching some fish just to toss it back! DR

 

[No_Regerts]

I'll ask you all this: Is there a shortage of bass? Bass fishing is probably 95% C&R. Up here, probably even more. The populations are robust. No one needs a bass hatchery around here.

I C&R 100% of the bass I catch. 90% of the time, I am fishing for bass. It's been proven that fish don't have the nerve structure that mammals do and don't conceptualize pain in the same way. Probably why they fight against the hook vs wince and come right in.

I only use fairly large lures, never live bait. Deep hooking a bass is rare. And I don't fish for them in greater than 35 FOW to avoid barotrauma.

When fishing for other species, I keep the ones I like to eat. I don't fish for trout or salmon if I don't intend to keep them because they don't seem to survive very well afterward. Maybe too much lactic acid build-up or something. Again, I don't fish deep unless I'm keeping fish because surviving rapid pressure changes isn't good for them. I do keep a descending device in the boat just in case.

 

[dplev4]

Hey, I don't love having to now save up my points to draw an archery elk tag if I want to hunt central or eastern Oregon. But I do it, otherwise I'd be poaching which is unethical, not to mention criminal. Catch and release isn't really any different, at least if you are talking about native versus hatchery fish in Oregon or Washington. So yeah, doing otherwise would be unethical. As to just catch and release for other species that's fine with me. Yes, there's some mortality, but I think it's far less than 20% and more importantly, those fishing license fees are doing far more to help fish habitat and conservation than the limited mortality rate.

 

[Tlock]

Hey, I don't love having to now save up my points to draw an archery elk tag if I want to hunt central or eastern Oregon. But I do it, otherwise I'd be poaching which is unethical, not to mention criminal. Catch and release isn't really any different, at least if you are talking about native versus hatchery fish in Oregon or Washington. So yeah, doing otherwise would be unethical. As to just catch and release for other species that's fine with me. Yes, there's some mortality, but I think it's far less than 20% and more importantly, those fishing license fees are doing far more to help fish habitat and conservation than the limited mortality rate.

That's cute you think fishing license fees go to habitat

 

[Oxygen Mask]

Wow lots of viewpoints here.
When I moved to Oregon from the deep south I was lost, how would you fish in clear water with rocky bottoms...?
A coworker introduced me to trout fishing. The first time I saw an ultralight rod with spider silk line I thought I was being pranked... First time I caught a 8-9 incher and he said "nice one" I KNEW I was being pranked! But...Day one I was hooked! I have spent countless days in the 35 years since alone on a stream catching trout and being quiet and alone with my thoughts and just... in the moment. I also fly fish, with an 80 year old split bamboo rod. Same Zen...

But...trout tastes awful. Really...fishy... So I use barbless hooks and release every trout that clearly isn't beyond surviving. And I do eat them, or give them to friends who love them. And I've gotten artful with the smoker... For me fishing is a soul restoring Zen type of experience, it's the activity, not the freezer filling aspect. (Same for deer hunting, I love everything about the experience, the time spent restores my soul. But I dont care for venison. I've passed up many bucks after putting the crosshairs on them. And enjoyed the day.)

But if you're talking C&R posted fishing areas, I dont do that. If the local fish population is endangered I can fish elsewhere.

 

[MannyGlocks]

First time I've read of 'fish vegan' opinions...how very pc...

 

[albin25]

Catch and release?…
… isn't that kinda like goin' to the range to "shoot and miss"?

Why not just fish without a hook and skip the whole torture-a-fish step altogether?

 

[Ura-Ki]

Mandated C&R shouldn't even be a thing, if there is enough of an issue with the native population, then mandate NO FISHING in/on that body, Period!
As an avid fly fisherman, as well as drift fishing, and all other forms, I find myself in waters with multiple species, some are restricted, some regulated, some not, and having to deal with those regulations is hard enough, being able to target a specific species has become a pretty fun challenge in it's own right, but forcing/mandating it is not helping anyone, least of all the fish!
Imagine your self nearly chest deep in the lower Deschutes during the spring Steelhead run, you ALSO have Salmon, Pinks, and Trout, as well as Bass and suckers and all sorts of others, your good enough to target only the Steelhead, but manage to lay into a monster Chinook which on a Fly rod or Drift is a good 45 min+ fight, you should be good enough to identify what your hooked into before ever seeing it,, just by feel, but not always, Anyway, after that Epic fight, you and the fish are worn out, and as you manage to net it you find it has a Rudder, DAMMIT, PHUCKME, All the other swearwords you can think of, Now I gotta release it as unharmed as possible, never mind the hook went through the Jaw and has worked a good inch or more gash in the mouth and now that fish is dead meat to it's brothers and any other species that catches it next, what did we actually accomplish at this point, weather or not I killed that fish now becomes irrelevant, even though I turned it loose mostly unharmed, it's guaranteed to die pretty soon anyway, so how did C&R help in any way at all? It sure as hell didn't and never will!
So, the State or Oregon, in all it's (lack of) wisdom has mandated Barbless hooks, in the hope of avoiding unnecessary mortality, but the reality is it doesn't help one single fish survive, NONE! So, it's all just a feelgood scam to get people thinking we are doing our part when we are not, and more importantly, it's the States excuse for "Allowing us poors to fish" while making it very very hard to actually catch fish!
I'm all for preserving a native population, BUT, for states like Oregon to then restrict my fishing, AND, to shut down all the Hatcheries, that's FLAT OUT BULLbubblegum, and needs to be reversed, NOW! To hell with your "Bio-Diversity" there is no biological distinction between "Native" and Hatchery at all, if both occupies the same water system, then they are both the exact same with ZERO biological distinction, in other words, it's all a god damn lie to make folks feel good, and furthermore, removes the need for C&R entirely, unless the entire system is in peril, then and ONLY then should there be some restrictions, but they should be applied evenly across the entire spectrum, not how it's actually done in practice, again, see how Oregon mismanages it all for how NOT to do it!

 

[Xaevian]

Mandated C&R shouldn't even be a thing, if there is enough of an issue with the native population, then mandate NO FISHING in/on that body, Period!
As an avid fly fisherman, as well as drift fishing, and all other forms, I find myself in waters with multiple species, some are restricted, some regulated, some not, and having to deal with those regulations is hard enough, being able to target a specific species has become a pretty fun challenge in it's own right, but forcing/mandating it is not helping anyone, least of all the fish!
Imagine your self nearly chest deep in the lower Deschutes during the spring Steelhead run, you ALSO have Salmon, Pinks, and Trout, as well as Bass and suckers and all sorts of others, your good enough to target only the Steelhead, but manage to lay into a monster Chinook which on a Fly rod or Drift is a good 45 min+ fight, you should be good enough to identify what your hooked into before ever seeing it,, just by feel, but not always, Anyway, after that Epic fight, you and the fish are worn out, and as you manage to net it you find it has a Rudder, DAMMIT, PHUCKME, All the other swearwords you can think of, Now I gotta release it as unharmed as possible, never mind the hook went through the Jaw and has worked a good inch or more gash in the mouth and now that fish is dead meat to it's brothers and any other species that catches it next, what did we actually accomplish at this point, weather or not I killed that fish now becomes irrelevant, even though I turned it loose mostly unharmed, it's guaranteed to die pretty soon anyway, so how did C&R help in any way at all? It sure as hell didn't and never will!
So, the State or Oregon, in all it's (lack of) wisdom has mandated Barbless hooks, in the hope of avoiding unnecessary mortality, but the reality is it doesn't help one single fish survive, NONE! So, it's all just a feelgood scam to get people thinking we are doing our part when we are not, and more importantly, it's the States excuse for "Allowing us poors to fish" while making it very very hard to actually catch fish!
I'm all for preserving a native population, BUT, for states like Oregon to then restrict my fishing, AND, to shut down all the Hatcheries, that's FLAT OUT BULLbubblegum, and needs to be reversed, NOW! To hell with your "Bio-Diversity" there is no biological distinction between "Native" and Hatchery at all, if both occupies the same water system, then they are both the exact same with ZERO biological distinction, in other words, it's all a god damn lie to make folks feel good, and furthermore, removes the need for C&R entirely, unless the entire system is in peril, then and ONLY then should there be some restrictions, but they should be applied evenly across the entire spectrum, not how it's actually done in practice, again, see how Oregon mismanages it all for how NOT to do it!

Yeah, stuff gets complicated.