Im not going to get into a catch and release debate and its ethics,but where big fish are concerned especially large doubles who are at the end of their tether and are returned I feel is not good for them.I understand the angler wanting to return them but realistically many do not survive and end up on the bottom never to be seen again.Some do survive another catch but not many.Whats your feelings on it?
Are we actually being kind to return it or sending it to its death on the bottom and would we not be better to dispatch them humanely?
My thoughts on big fish unless grown on in the water and wild have a better chance of survival than those put in and caught days to weeks after and fisheries who ask that doubles be returned in the hope that they will end up with water full of doubles will end up with alot of wasted fish.Not to mention many swimming about around winter months with fungi all over them due to stress and some bad handling on occasions and when this happens and they have it ,they will certainly die.A total waste.

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Kevin

from working at fishery I have found that fish over the 8lb mark are less likely to survive. I have released fish at 6lb only to catch the same fish 3 days later in the same area, it was the same fish becuase of the markings on the tail and it had a chunk missing from tail.

We have had alot of fish around the 9-10lb mark being caught and then with photos being taken and fish lifted into the boats being returned safely from the anglers point of view but the fish turn up on the bank or in the weed dead a week later

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2009 ITFFA Inter-Provincial Champions - ULSTER

I see through people for a living!!

If you're strictly talking about stocked stillwaters, then who cares? Conk all you want, they'll feed up more and dump them in next week.

If you're talking about wild fish, put them back. Firstly, individual anglers are not in a position to judge whether or not a large fish is at the end of its days. Secondly, by growing so large, the fish has demonstrated it has the genetic advantages that allowed it to survive and thrive and that's exactly the fish you want in the gene pool regardless of age. Even if it has one more spawning in it and then dies, it's still contributed far more alive than dead and lying in someone's freezer.

Grouse

The brownie in my Avatar was released back into a small stillwater in November. he took a bit of recovering, but swam away strongly. I certainly saw him in the lake several weeks later, which would suggest that he survived the critical post release period.

If the water's cold, and well oxygenated, and the fish is handled with wet hands and briefly, i don't see why it can't be released. I have a freezer full of trout and would prefer to give another fisherman the chance to catch such a fish than have in crammed in somewhere.

I also don't go for the 'if its from a small stillwater chap all you like, they'll dump more in'. I respect ALL trout i catch, whether theyre from Corrib or Chalk Springs.

when i managed to catch my 25lb 14oz from witton i wqas also on a catch and release ticket, The fish took 25 mins to revive, but luckily it didnt die and was caught a few weeks later...

BUT i have to admit i honestly thought it was going to die as a fish that size must have been old, even if it was grown on fast, and in which case alot of fish that have been grown on fast are very unfit...................

Jubilee lakes near darlington has a great policy where all doubles must be killed..........you dont have to pay for the fish but she doesnt like them going back in and dying......

andy

grouse, i think that is a bit of an ignorant point of view. I work at a fishery in Northern ireland and any big fish we get cost us alot of money therefore we would like them released back into the lake safely.

Just because a fish is a stocked fish and is fed on to bigger weights, it still takes a long time to rear them to this size. All fish should be respected regardless of whether they are natural or stocked

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2009 ITFFA Inter-Provincial Champions - ULSTER

I see through people for a living!!

The wild river fish should always be returned when they are old. Do what you like with stockies.

I have to agree that a fish is a fish,wild or stocked and we are all game anglers and just because some fish for wild and some stocked ,makes an angler no better than one or other and respect for the quarry itself should be the most important thing IMO.

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Kevin

Hi Guys

Personally i dont do C & R on rainbows anyway

You should ask the guys here:

http://www.bangourtroutfishery.com/i...tch_of_the_day

Used to be you could kill every thing you caught .............but now any thing over 10lb MUST go back Not sure how long they last ??

Englander

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Englander

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Why is it ignorant?

From your point of view, as one employed by a stocked stillwater, I'm sure you want exactly that--big fish to be returned so more punters will pay more money to try to catch the pig again after its eaten another 5 pounds of pellets.

I was addressing the original question and from the angler's perspective. I don't see that there is any more point or value in releasing a stocked fish that has been fed to an abnormal and unnatural size than there is in releasing a 2 pound stocked fish.

If the angler paid his money and the rules allow, he should feel free to retain the big fish simply because there's no biological or conservation point in releasing it. The original post didn't mention anything about factoring in the view of the fisheries owner and his financial needs.

Now if we're talking about wild, naturally reproducing fish, it's a completely different story.

Grouse