Catch and Release

[grub662]

I was looking at the law book and saw a lake I like to fish and notice a relaxed bag limit of 3 salmon, minimum length 12 inches. Cool, small salmon are tasty little buggers and there is way too many in there. This morning the local bio was sweeping his car off and we had a small chat.
I said "nice move on that lake."
He said "It wont work."
I said "Why?"
He said " People don't keep fish like they used to. I checked a party that caught and released 12 salmon, all legal fish."
Well some people say throw them back, some people say feed them to the eagles or eat them. It seems to be a complicated subject for sure. My way of fishing will be determined according what body of water im on at the time. Some ya keep em some ya chuck em back.

[JDK]

I don't know where you are fishing but our biologist said the same thing.  We have been trained to release smaller fish and it is hard to keep those that they want out of the lake. 

[grub662]

I kind of take it lake by lake. If me fishing helps the fishery in any way I like that. I also like to eat small trout and salmon.

[thedirtydirtyfisherman]

kind of depends on the day and situation.  Really cold days, i dont want to kill a small salmon trying to figure out if its barely legal so ill just take the hook out and release as quick as possible.  If conditions allow for the fish to be out of the water a little longer so i can measure then i might keep one just over.

[MadSledder]

Let me throw in my 2 cents: Not keeping fish (not keeping ALL fish at least) is a Win-Win-Win.
  - If not enough anglers are keeping fish, that encourages the managers to liberalize regulations a bit.
     That means bigger bag limits and smaller minimum size for people who do keep fish!

  - If there are "too many" fish in the lake, the state can cut back on stocking numbers (if it is a stocked water).
     That saves money/ more fish can be stocked in other waters.

  - If more fish are being released, they have a chance to grow to older age classes and possibly larger sizes.
     That means potential trophys and ol' moss-backs swimming around. It tickles the imagination doesn't it?

This is just one take on the issue. There are other sides to be argued of course, but better "too many" than "too few!"

[Fishteeth]

The bios make the refs they have for a reason depending on how they are trying to manage a lake. Usually if it's 1 fish over a larger size limit it's being managed for trophies. Multiple fish over a small limit is because the fish are slightly overpopulating and limiting their size because of food constraints. Each lake can only support such a large population of fish before size gets stunted as a result. If I fish a lake with very liberal limits of small fish I'll listen to the bios and keep my limit if small fish in order to help the rest of the population

[MG39]

This is a topic that has been discussed many times on here and actually got ugly a few times, ending in a blocked topic.

Biologist have a lot of good ideas but I think experienced fishermen can offer valuable information.

I believe in removing all the pike from cold water fisheries, they don't belong there.

On warm water lakes, there shouldn't be any of the trout family, so why throw fish on the ice, just to kick them around like a hockey puck?
Take a look at Sabattus at the end of the day, especially on weekends. There are dozens of pike and perch littering the ice. Feed the eagles?
All the eagles within a 50 mile radius couldn't eat all those fish.
Unfortunately, ice fishing can bring out the worst in some people. Having dealt with drunks for 35 years, I can easily recognize them, as opposed to the family atmosphere and fishing parties of responsible individuals, having a good time. Getting together in a group on the ice makes for a good day with friends. Have a few beers, cook up the venison from last Fall and have some laughs, maybe a friendly wager on the biggest fish. Release what you don't want to eat, clean up your trash and look forward to another day with friends.

[grub662]

The lake that I am referring to is all natural reproduction. It is located in Maine's 100 Mile Wilderness. The Appalachian trail runs along the shore in places. Beautiful feeder streams provide awesome spawning area for the salmon and trout. The lodge owner has been after the state to increase the size of the salmon. Finally someone listened.

[Brownbagger247]

Tough subject, I don't try to play God when I fish like a lot of people. I'm not going to kill fish just because I think it will enhance other fish I let nature do its course, and the biologists their job. It makes me sick when I see people icing all these fish just so they don't take their bait again. And I'm not talking about the people who actually eat them. You want to take a fish life then have some respect and at least eat it. But when I show up to a spot and see an iced 18" bow that some Joey was going to eat and then suddleny became to lazy to put in the work at the end of the day I am pissed.
I fish because I appreciate the fish whether it is the intended targeted species or not. Just my 2 cents

[gamefisher]

I was just talking with a bio. friend about this very topic.  As some of you have eluded to, one of the biggest needs for all these reg. changes is the simple fact that people don't keep fish anymore.  I'm sure most of you in the 50+ set like myself grew up in an environment where you were taught to keep every fish you caught and shot the first deer you saw, just a huge shift now.  I have seen my kids throw gamefish back and pass on deer that 90% of adults wouldn't have just because that's what we prefer to do.

This is such an over thought out topic on I.S. and has been since day one and I don't think one person's opinion has ever been changed, we all have our reasons and justifications for feeling as we do.  For me and my family it's always been as simple as do what you want to do within the confines of the law.  We never try for pike but kill every incidental pike and crappie we catch because we can.  Some of you catch and put them back because you can.  I never tell anyone that I'm fishing with what to do with their fish and always appreciate the same courtesy.    

[grub662]

I was just talking with a bio. friend about this very topic.  As some of you have eluded to, one of the biggest needs for all these reg. changes is the simple fact that people don't keep fish anymore.  I'm sure most of you in the 50+ set like myself grew up in an environment where you were taught to keep every fish you caught and shot the first deer you saw, just a huge shift now.  I have seen my kids throw gamefish back and pass on deer that 90% of adults wouldn't have just because that's what we prefer to do.

This is such an over thought out topic on I.S. and has been since day one and I don't think one person's opinion has ever been changed, we all have our reasons and justifications for feeling as we do.  For me and my family it's always been as simple as do what you want to do within the confines of the law.  We never try for pike but kill every incidental pike and crappie we catch because we can.  Some of you catch and put them back because you can.  I never tell anyone that I'm fishing with what to do with their fish and always appreciate the same courtesy.

Funny thing you mention about hunting. People getting picky about shooting a deer. I was raised to put fish and game on my family's table starting at a very young age. I had a lady transfer her doe permit to me this fall and I had respect enough for the lady to use it and I did. A big fat, donkey eared doe stepped out on the morning of November 5th just long enough for me to put a 95 g Nosler Accubond in the right place. I was so proud to take her to town and tag her. Didnt care a bit what people think and wasn't she good eating. Almost gone already. lol

[gamefisher]

Funny thing you mention about hunting. People getting picky about shooting a deer. I was raised to put fish and game on my family's table starting at a very young age. I had a lady transfer her doe permit to me this fall and I had respect enough for the lady to use it and I did. A big fat, donkey eared doe stepped out on the morning of November 5th just long enough for me to put a 95 g Nosler Accubond in the right place. I was so proud to take her to town and tag her. Didnt care a bit what people think and wasn't she good eating. Almost gone already. lol

Exactly my point grub, you did exactly what you wanted to do and were within your absolute legal rights to do so, nobody has right to look down their nose or inflict their will because they might have done or believe different.

[Alex Delarge]

I don't mind keeping a couple small salmon but I like to be able to fillet them. Scrawny 12" salmon doesn't offer much, release, but a 14" fatty I'll fillet. Maybe keep a couple of those if it's slow but save the third for something 18"+. We have a similar situation, couple lakes loaded with small salmon trying to thin out and 5 miles down the road they are stocking another lake with 8" salmon. Why not avoid the hatchery and just transplant small fish? Accomplish the goal of thinning while stocking another lake. KISS