Right, im off to Thornton tomorrow and im due a biggy, i reckon 3 years of catching trout under 3lb makes me odds on favourite for a 5lb+ tomorrow.

the only question is, do you take it, or return it to get even bigger? Id certainly want a photo or 2, which means i really should take it as im arsing about with it more than necessary, however i normally have 1 or 2 fish and a 5lb+ fish would be more than even i can eat (even tho i have been occasionally described as a 'fat *******' tut...)

So, do you put them back or take? is there some unwritten rule about trophy fish?

Cheers

Chris
(Still a beginner really)

Is it a stocked fish?

if you want to take photos let it have some recovery time in the net first !!!!

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

THA CAN TELL A YORKSHIREMAN ,BUT THA CAN'T TELL HIM MUCH !!

It will either be overwintered or recent stock.

knock it on the head, take your time with the photo, and serve it up with some nice new potatoes.

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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)

I have to disagree with this Bruce a recovered fish is a nightmare to hold and is more likely to be dropped, holding an already knackered fish out of the water for few seconds to get a photo and then allow good recovery time will not do it any extra harm. IMO

But i am sure most will say its just a stockie, do what you like

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Please look at and sign this e-petition. http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/13978

May as well kill it if you want to, for every one you kill there's another to replace it

I wonder about this with regards to salmon. I'm more than happy to return salmon, indeed prefer it, but I wonder about the, admittedly highly unlikely, possibility that I catch a fish that could be a record for the river or the beat; something truly extraordinary. I think generally a lot of big fish that are caught, and they needn't even come close to being a record fish, are kept and described as bleeding heavily ("in the boot of the car", as someone said to me last year) or the weight of the fish is recorded so as to come just under the mazimum weight permited to be kept.
I'm rambling here, not for the first time, and don't want harp on about the merits of catch and release, but I can understand how someone catching a genuine whopper would be tempted to keep it.

There are a few double figures knocking about, and i believe thornton has a good head of grown on fish.

Another point to muddy the waters - I come from a coarse fishing background and although i have a hunter mentality to my flyfishing and no quarms about taking and eating fish, i think id be happier putting a true trophy fish back for the next red letter day of another angler.

and as for salmon fishing, i live in Leicestershire where bonefish are probably more accessable (i live 20 mins from East Midlands)!

If you are going to eat it keep it if not put it back carefully!