Releasing Perch

[Sasquatch]

I always release the perch I get but most are dinks anyway.  I was told by a vermonter that I should keep all perch since they compete with the smelt.  Good or bad advice?

[whipplebuck]

Personally,  I think you should keep the perch if you want to eat them  or let them go if you don' t..

[BrattleShack]

I say that more people should keep and eat the Pickerel they catch.  They make for some good eats and compete with the Walleye and Bass that I'd like to catch more of.

[BrattleShack]

Personally,  I think you should keep the perch if you want to eat them  or let them go if you don' t..

Ditto.  No such thing as a trash fish.

[CJiceaddict]

there was a pretty colorful coversation about this topic on the NH board a few weeks ago. I am of the belief too that either eat it or let it go. Sometimes I do get frustrated with ponds that seemed to once offer good perch, bass and crappie fishing now over run with small pickeral but I know I have seen piles of them just thrown on the ice and don't agree with that either, I like eating all kinds of fish- though short of pickling them whole have not heard or found of a good way to deal with small pickeral..

CJ

[fuldraw]

to me it depends on what body of water i am fishing.  if im fishing a lake with just panfish, bass, pickeral and what not i will let them go but if i catch them in a pond with good trout or smelts they dont go back alive.

[Sasquatch]

fuldraw, I was fishing Dunmore.  I guess I could have cooked some but most were under 7 inches and some less than 5.

[bigtreeman]

fuldraw, I was fishing Dunmore.  I guess I could have cooked some but most were under 7 inches and some less than 5.

That size is hardly worth the time to clean and eat. I would have tossed them back too. Let them get bigger for next year