02-24-2014, 05:11 PM
Let's be clear here….good handling of fish will certainly maximize the number of released fish that survive and live to be caught again. I am totally in favor of being careful in handling fish and safely releasing them. BUT, threads like this drive me crazy…fishing is a blood sport and regardless of how nicely a fish is handled, it may still die upon release. The assumption that the fish described in the original post is dead or died may or may not be true….we don't know. What we do know based on what the original poster said is that the fisherman did NOT break any laws or rules. This thread is about personal ethics which are always difficult to push on to other people…
….I have seen trout handled much more rough in electrofishing, gill net, and stocking ventures than what was described above. We must remember that fisheries are managed and stocked with the idea in mind that fish are going to die both by harvest and by handling. Again, fishing is a blood sport. And, though, we want released fish to survive and we should maximize that possibility by careful handling, some harvested fish simply will not live regardless of how well they are handled!
[signature]
….I have seen trout handled much more rough in electrofishing, gill net, and stocking ventures than what was described above. We must remember that fisheries are managed and stocked with the idea in mind that fish are going to die both by harvest and by handling. Again, fishing is a blood sport. And, though, we want released fish to survive and we should maximize that possibility by careful handling, some harvested fish simply will not live regardless of how well they are handled!
[signature]