FISH FOR THE WALL OR FOR FOOD CONSUMPTION. WHATS RIGHT VS WRONG

[THE JIGGER]

Let me start with I release 99% of the freshwater fish that I catch and I really do not target Bass or Pike.
I enjoy Calico,trout and salmon fishing
I have heard so many complaints about people primarily keeping Pike and Bass for wall mounts.
I never hear any comments about keeping a trophy Calico or Yellow perch or did they go back into the hole.
What are the feelings about people keeping Pike or Bass for food consumption?
 What is right and what is wrong.
I happen to enjoy a largemouth bass once in a while depending where I caught it.
Listening to the conversations,I'm now intimidated to keep any fish.
I think alot of people on the sight would like to hear some comments on keeping fish to mount versus food consumption.
 

[GrizlyGarou]

I don't see any problems with keeping fish to eat them, assuming they came from somewhere that has plenty of breeders.  If we aren't supposed to eat them, why are they made out of meat?  Water quality's your own call, though. 

As far as putting one on the wall, I'd never do it myself but I don't have much of a problem with people doing it.  If I was going to get a mount done, I'd just do the fake one (whatever they call them...) and either toss the fish back or eat it.  I doubt I'd ever eat anything big enough to be a 'trophy' other than a panfish, just out of fear of eating something that spent years eating all kinds of pollution, though.

That's one of the best things about fishing.  You can catch a fish and put it back after you take a picture of it in your hands.  Try that with a 12 point buck!

[THE JIGGER]

I don't see any problems with keeping fish to eat them, assuming they came from somewhere that has plenty of breeders.  If we aren't supposed to eat them, why are they made out of meat?  Water quality's your own call, though. 

As far as putting one on the wall, I'd never do it myself but I don't have much of a problem with people doing it.  If I was going to get a mount done, I'd just do the fake one (whatever they call them...) and either toss the fish back or eat it.  I doubt I'd ever eat anything big enough to be a 'trophy' other than a panfish, just out of fear of eating something that spent years eating all kinds of pollution, though.

That's one of the best things about fishing.  You can catch a fish and put it back after you take a picture of it in your hands.  Try that with a 12 point buck!


I'd like to try it with a twelve pointer.
The biggest I've seen and gotten has been a ten pointer

[formerly known asflapjack]

I keep all my Trout and Salmon, not to mount , to give to the elderly. I have a list of elders who either no longer fish or their husband has passed away. For crying out loud the Wachusett Res. has a scare notice on the fish from there and thats Bostons tap water. Again, you pay for your License, do with as you please with your catch. I'll bet 50% of released fish die because of hook removal and poor handling. How about all the "short" stripers floating by when your in the surf? Gilled or gut hooked good meat dead for the food chain. That road killed deer or moose, if someone gets to it in time goes to feed the needy , well it used to, doen't seem to be much of that any more. The ones I've hit, have hit my fridge

[newbraintree]

Put the pike back in the water..  PLEASE.

Take a pic and the measurements.  Go get a replica made

[THE JIGGER]

Put the pike back in the water..  PLEASE.

Take a pic and the measurements.  Go get a replica made

No problem here.

[JDiPerrio]

Put the pike back in the water..  PLEASE.

Take a pic and the measurements.  Go get a replica made

Definetly, If they keep killing them like at the derby yesterday not that it is bad there will be none left soon because pike fishing is fast growing

[bisceglia]

pike... never got one, but only fished for this twice through the ice.

smallies throw em back if they're over 3 lbs (and this is pretty rare as it is for most)

a large mouth i've felt shoud be throw back if there between 3-6 lbs. keep the little one or a "true trophy." there's a spot i stopped fishing 4 years ago due to over fishing, one of those pond you'd never find unless you lives near by and decided to go for a walk were no one lived. the fish were well over populated then (keep the little ones). i fished it this year and could not believe the come back. i have not shown a single soul that place. but i'm worried about it next year.

a pic is just as good as a mount

[PIKEKILLER1]

everybody has a diiferent opinion and its there decision what there gona do with THERE  fish  not yours

[bisceglia]

there are a few place were i would make an exception

i've only kept a bass once, the same year i said if i got a pin fish, i was going to keep it to see how they taste. at that time i thought you had to bring them to a weigh station to get a pin though

[JDiPerrio]

everybody has a diiferent opinion and its there decision what there gona do with THERE  fish  not yours

well said seth I definetly agree with you on this

[THE JIGGER]

well said seth I definetly agree with you on this

Hey Seth

Thank god you don't keep your pike. The population would be in deep s@@t

[newbraintree]

everybody has a diiferent opinion and its there decision what there gona do with THERE  fish  not yours

True, but the question was asked. If everyone keeps pike out of Mass waters, we will not have a future for pike fishing .. Plain and simple

with the economy and the diseases we are far away from a stocking program and they are NOT reproducing

[bisceglia]

everybody has a diiferent opinion and its there decision what there gona do with THERE  fish  not yours

my opinion is that a fish that has lived long enough to that size, survived that long against all the odds, throw 'em back, they deserve to be. tub (stocked) fish are the only exception

[Doggz1]

True, but the question was asked. If everyone keeps pike out of Mass waters, we will not have a future for pike fishing .. Plain and simple

with the economy and the diseases we are far away from a stocking program and they are NOT reproducing

Nature finds a way...they reproduce just fine in certain areas...just have to find them.  I will never believe that the pike in our waters cannot reproduce......not possible

i will definately, strongly agree wth you that fish should swim again............--- take pictures....... not fish

[THE JIGGER]

Well some of the members have seen " On Golden Pond"

[bisceglia]

Well some of the members have seen " On Golden Pond"

and i guess you have too

[THE JIGGER]

and i guess you have too

Have you caught Walter yet?

[FROZEN SHINER]

True, but the question was asked. If everyone keeps pike out of Mass waters, we will not have a future for pike fishing .. Plain and simple

with the economy and the diseases we are far away from a stocking program and they are NOT reproducing

um in some bodies of water they are, quote head of mass fisheries biologist.

[MASS_pike]

I think most people who fish regularly for big pike can appreciate the time you have to put in to catch them, even in the best of pike waters.  To me this alone is reason enough to snap a quick pic and get em back in the water.  Keep our sport fruitful for ourselves, our friends, and our babies.

[RickWakeman]

I don't take fish for two reasons:
1) I don't know how to clean them
2) I can't seem to catch any

[Scotty D]

i keep the ones that are going to die anyway, ie gut or gill hooked. but only trout. salmon i will usually keep one

[newbraintree]

I think most people who fish regularly for big pike can appreciate the time you have to put in to catch them, even in the best of pike waters.  To me this alone is reason enough to snap a quick pic and get em back in the water.  Keep our sport fruitful for ourselves, our friends, and our babies.

well said

[newbraintree]

um in some bodies of water they are, quote head of mass fisheries biologist.

have you caught any small ones recently?

[FROZEN SHINER]

have you caught any small ones recently?

a 22 inch is a small one plus not me personally but ive heard there was.

[newbraintree]

a 22 inch is a small one plus not me personally but ive heard there was.

that is good news then

[GrizlyGarou]

have you caught any small ones recently?

http://www.inhs.uiuc.edu/inhsreports/mar-apr95/page8.html

The little ones might be up in the reeds and swamps according to that.  There's a bunch of info for muskies, too.

[flaggs]

I don't take fish for two reasons:
1) I don't know how to clean them
2) I can't seem to catch any

 

Only thing I ever keep are those that are frequently and heavily stocked... Trout and Salmon... Everythng else, snap a photo and see ya next time, hopefully a pound or two bigger 

Flaggs!

[The Dad Fisherman]

Your Fish.....Your Call....

[knotreelly]

i release everything unless were having a cookout, if you have a license and don't excede the laws on your limit, then it's nobody elses business, simple.