02-24-2014, 09:10 PM
[quote not-a-purist]
No laws were broken, no doubt. But if an "experienced" angler that fishes the body of water A LOT, there are a lot of dead fish as a result. This also sets a bad example of us as anglers, and as stewards of nature.
I try not to even take a fish out of water unless I want a picture. And this can be done while trolling. It's not that difficult. Throwing fish from shoulder high is completely ridiculous. Just leave the fish in the net and put the net back into the water and let it swim out.[/quote]
How do you know there are a lot of dead fish as a result? You think that this angler set a bad example because he doesn't practice the same ethical releasing standards as you do…but that doesn't mean his fish died or that he handled them poorly. I have watched fish thrown from much higher distances than shoulder heights and do just fine…in fact, some are stocked from airplanes! I have seen fish electroshocked, thrown into a chemical, measured, weighed, have their stomachs pumped, tagged in their cheeks, and then thrown over the shoulder only to have them rechecked the following year. I am sorry, but I would bet money these fish were handled much more harshly than those you describe…
…it is good that your ethics follow the higher standard and err on the cautious side, but don't think that the one glove should fit all! An experienced angler can toss fish back without killing them!
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No laws were broken, no doubt. But if an "experienced" angler that fishes the body of water A LOT, there are a lot of dead fish as a result. This also sets a bad example of us as anglers, and as stewards of nature.
I try not to even take a fish out of water unless I want a picture. And this can be done while trolling. It's not that difficult. Throwing fish from shoulder high is completely ridiculous. Just leave the fish in the net and put the net back into the water and let it swim out.[/quote]
How do you know there are a lot of dead fish as a result? You think that this angler set a bad example because he doesn't practice the same ethical releasing standards as you do…but that doesn't mean his fish died or that he handled them poorly. I have watched fish thrown from much higher distances than shoulder heights and do just fine…in fact, some are stocked from airplanes! I have seen fish electroshocked, thrown into a chemical, measured, weighed, have their stomachs pumped, tagged in their cheeks, and then thrown over the shoulder only to have them rechecked the following year. I am sorry, but I would bet money these fish were handled much more harshly than those you describe…
…it is good that your ethics follow the higher standard and err on the cautious side, but don't think that the one glove should fit all! An experienced angler can toss fish back without killing them!
[signature]