Over the last few outings i've been witness to some shocking handling of fish, when returning them to the water. If the rules of the fishery are followed, then there should be no problem, but some people have no respect or care for the fish they are returning or the rules of the fishery. If the rules state no handling then that should mean no handling .

__________________
All that glitters, will catch anglers.

Colin,

It's not just handling but playing of fish that can be a major problem. Many anglers seem to be totally incapable of playing a fish as they look to be terrified of seeing the rod bend! Either that or they just get their rocks off seeing a fish swim round in circles.

Handling a fish with wet hands does very little harm. In my work I've handled literally thousands of fish of all the common freshwater species with very little evidence of damage. Hell, we even take a sample of scales off them while we are at it, and this after them getting 3 amps up the jacksy, being netted from the water, plonked into an aerated tub, transferred from there to another tub, netted out of there and measured before being dropped into a further tub. They are a lot tougher then we give them credit for.

If I'm doing c&r from a boat the best way to return them is to drop them headfirst into the water. That way they dive off into the deeps with no hesitation. Works a treat.

I find there's less respect for the welfare of the fish when anglers are at a public fishery. I run a private club and the member's subscriptions pay for the stock fish. I see a lot more respect for the fish when members know they have paid for it.

BK

I have seen some shocking cases of fish handling at these 'No Handling' fisheries,
Long nosed forcepts and ketchum tools used to rip of mandibles and stuck into the mouths of trout.that are deeply hooked.and will never survive.
Far better to net the fish ,then whilst holding it in the net in the water,unhook it.far more sensible IMHO.

Jim

__________________
The Fishermans Friend is the Flirty Fly,Fickle Food for Fleeting Fish.

I totally agree,this is a lot kinder to the fish.While we are at it....whoever it was that coined the phrase "shake them off the hook" has a lot to answer for.The number of fish I see minus a maxilliary is ridiculous....

I will go with Jim on this. I landed a fish with a smashed and tattered jaw recently. I have no doubts it was damaged by a forceps release. It was tangled in my net and I had to hold it(with wet hands) to release it. The fishery owner was not happy that I touched his fish, so as I was unable to be sure that the next fish I caught would not have to be handled I packed up.

His fishery,
His rules,
Wasn't going to argue, but I wont be back.

__________________
It is in truth not glory,nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting,but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with his life.(Declaration of Arbroath, 1320)

Totally agree with this. The use of tools as described is always going to cause more damage.

__________________
Eddie
"We look to Scotland for all our ideas of civilisation."
Voltaire

I once saw someone land a small fish, unhook it with dry hands, drop it from about 3 feet onto the toe of his boot and send it spinning into the lake!

I didn't say anything (anyone who does that would be capable of anything) but i made it abundantly clear that i'd seen it.

Dispicable the way some people treat their quarry.

About a month ago I went nuts at a guy who I saw put his foot on the trout to hold it while bending over with forceps to unhook it. He then started to put the fish back in the water and when I confronted him had the gall to say that this way he hadn't touched the fish with his hands! Oh no, much better to have a 180lb man put his boot on a fish and lean on it rather than using the wet net to hold it! I know the fishery owner well and went back to the lodge to report the behavior with the end result that the moron was reimbursed and asked not to come back.

Terry

__________________
"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his desserts are small,
Who dares not put it to the touch,
To win or lose it all!"

quote
"Long nosed forcepts and ketchum tools used to rip of mandibles and stuck into the mouths of trout.that are deeply hooked.and will never survive.


Far better to net the fish ,then whilst holding it in the net in the water,unhook it.far more sensible IMHO."

unquote

If fish is deep hooked then the mandibles should be fine.If when they are being returned and if the hooks are debarbed and barbless,then really,no damage should occur to a fish.Now and again it will happen unfortunatly.

Using a net is fine and I dont have any problem with this at all as long as it stays in the water and released from there,by humane methods,not with a size 9 as some do.

All the above is great in an ideal world,but debarbing a 50p hook can hurt some people and the fly is more important than the fish.We can only try and educate those who do it.

__________________
Kevin