Interested in your thoughts and feelings on this

Would a fishery being made into all catch and release be a good idea or not?

Same on a river.

I think its a good thing for us anglers to understand all sides of this contensious issue.

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Kevin

i can only speak as a river angler... i dont have a problem with people taking fish for the table, at the end of the day we are top predator and we are doing what we do... what i do object to is people taking too much, killing fish , having them in the freezer for 12 months then binning it...

i only take a couple of fish a year,

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i am all for catch and release waters i personally would prefer to fish for more educated troots but i still think you would have to have monthly comps on it to aid turnover of stock i know of some fisheries who do this

I'd happily have C & R,my local water,which I joined this year,purely for ease of getting to,has a 3 fish limit,then stop.There have been occasions when,luck or whatever I've had 3 fish in 15 minutes,session ended and a freezer full to the gunnels of trout,now giving them away to everyone)on that one occasion I carried on fishing,caught and returned A fish then stopped.Okay against the rules,but when I go fishing I'd like to fish for longer than it took to tackle up! The fish wasn't handled at all,brought in quickly and swam away strongly.Days later I hear that the committee are 'watching' me,they couldn't give a monkey's for the individuals who'd spent a few nights fishing through the night with bait,lighting a fire and even having the cheek to barbeque their catch,leave all the mess and rubbish behind afterwards.So for that reason I won't be renewing my season ticket.So give me C & R anytime.

All course fisheries are C&R so I see no reason why a C&R trout venue wouldn't be successful. Provided it is set up carefully with the correct predator to prey ratio a natural balance should be achieved and the fish naturalised into the water.

Rivers with a wild stock should have this achieved already. I doubt I'd ever take a wild fish for the pot, fishing for me isn't about killing what I catch although I have no issues with those that want to, especially from a stocked venue.

Also careful fish handling would have to be advocated along with barbless flies so fish damage could be kept to an absolute minimum.

Big fish don't respond well to C & R, especially when handled with dry hands and just slung back into the lake. That said, i've released double figure fish which have swum off strongly, and ive seen them several times after capture casting doubt on the old adage that they'll die in a few days.

I'm all for discretionery catch and release, if the angler thinks the fish will survive and wants to return it. the problems come with those who release all the small fish until they catch a 'monster', poorly returned fish dying, and stock turnover.

Theere's also the issue with deeply hooked/damaged fish that should be taken, being released to die slowly.

A contentious issue, but i do think that more C&R would benefit the sport in the long run.

I am against full C and R on the basis that if the fish cannot stand a few taken then we shouldn't be fishing for them at all also I think we shouldn't get away from the principle that we are hunting not playing with the fish. I don't fish on stocked waters and the removal or not of stockies is a different issue to that of wild fish but I still believe that fish are not playthings.

I fish at a small stillwater sydicate where members are allowed upto 4 per week or a max of 48 (mid march - end Dec). very, very few fish are taken and fish estimated to be 3lb + must go back. All fish going in are usually between 1.5 & 2.5lbs (no monsters!!) and of superb quality. Restocking takes place as and when it is thought needed with slightly more going in than have been taken.

The result is a good stock of fit, fighting fish, not over fished and most returned to the water. We have a membership of about 35 (on about 6 acres)and if 4 are present at once then thats busy! Yes lots of C & R makes the fish more weary of the hook but increases the challenge.

I realise that commerical fisheries have stock heavier etc but the fishing at my water is aworld away from 'stew pond' scenario often described on the forum

I am spoilt I know so I guess catch and release only will work but where anglers have the primary aim of taking fish as opposed to enjoying the hunt then there could be a problem

Zeolite,I certainly don't think the fish are 'playthings' as I'm certain the vast majority of us have the utmost respect for our quarry,that's why I hope we all do take great care in returning them in as strong and healthy condition as we can.

Agree. Far better returning fish if not required for the table. Whats the point of having a day ticket and going home with 6 or 8 fish only to bung in the freezer. I Know some on here will fish only to eat - no problem but the vast majority me included fish because we enjoy the take and whole buzz of catching. Saw a video of Oglesby & Church fishing they went off with so many fish they could hardly carry the basket what a waste.