04-29-2010, 04:51 AM
Ok. I am very afraid that this discussion will open up a huge can of worms, but I don't want to stifle free speech already exercised on the Deep Creek post.[cool]
I do think that education is the best way to help people not abuse our fisheries. So lets talk about it in a way that is not inflammatory or personal, and then not bring it up again for at least a year.[
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I will start with a quick story. When I was 18 I caught a 22" Largemouth at Condie that was huge. She, yes [#000000][/#000000]she[/u] was fat and heavy. I have no idea how much she weighed but it was the biggest large mouth I had ever caught and I got her on a six weight fly rod. I immediately thought I would get a taxidermy mount of her. Someone fishing nearby said, " You are going to release her aren't you." My conscience was pricked so I said, "Of course," as I slid her back into the water. Now it was close to spawning so I thought I was doing the right thing. The unfortunate thing was Condie was completely drained a couple of years after that. I now wish I had her on the wall. If I had kept her she was a legal fish. One of only a couple over the 21" minimum that I have ever caught at Condie.
If had caught and kept that fish today would I have been roasted on BFT? I think most likely and that is unfortunate. On the other hand I probably would have a digital picture of it to make a fiberglass mount had I caught that fish today.
The reason this subject is so inflammatory is because there are no easy answers. Each of us must decide for ourselves what is the proper thing to do in a given situation.
There are as many different kinds of fisherman on this board as there are ways to fish. We need to respect the guy who likes to eat fish and keeps a legal limit for his family. We should also respect an angler's right to keep a trophy fish for a mount if they so wish. I don't think it is wrong to educate people who otherwise don't know how special some fish are so they don't keep fish needlessly when other alternatives might taste better, be better for the fishery ( I know I am no biologist), or just flat out be more ethical.
Here is what I think...Take it for what it is worth.
1. If you like to eat trout it might be the best thing to target fish at the family fisheries or reservoirs where the trout are heavily stocked and there are liberal limits for a reason. I have also found the small stream brookies to be especially tasty (personal opinion).
I have also found trout to be more desirable when the water temps are cold. I don't know if there is anything to it, but it seems like I just feel like eating fresh trout more in late fall and winter. ( Anyone else feel that way?) I think the thing that angers people the most is when people keep a stringer of trout and then freeze them until they find them years later and then throw them out. Trout really are the best when eaten fresh. I personally never freeze trout. I keep them in the fridge for a day or two until I can eat them. Then again I fish enough that there will always be another chance at a fish meal if I want one.
2. Bass are always a touchy subject do to there status as a big time game fish in a state that for the most part is not conducive to fast growth rates. Most people just do not realize how long it take to grow a trophy smallmouth or largmouth in this state. How many smallmouth over 16" have you caught at Ririe? I have seen three and I have caught one. Are they overpopulated or are people just keeping the bigger ones at 14-15" before they can reach that size? Should we release the bigger ones so the genetics can be passed on? I can say I haven't kept a big one yet. The same argument can be made for many bass lakes and rivers in Idaho. Unless they are deeply hooked and bleeding all over I release with the thought that they can't get bigger unless I let them go. Hope someone has caught the 14ers" I let go last year.[laugh]
3. To me panfish are my dinner fish. I love a good perch, bluegill, or crappie dinner. I would say 80% of my fish meals are panfish. My kids love them and they populate fast enough that I don't feel bad about keeping a mess for the plate. When I am in catfish country I keep a few smaller ones as well simply because I love them.
4. I guess my final question is are there some fish so special and hard to find that they should always be released even if the law allows you to keep one?
i.e. Bulltrout (illegal and protected in Idaho)
Big Laketrout-They just take too long to grow. A 20 year old fish deserves to released in my opinion.
Sturgeon (protected-keep in the water and take care to follow the barbless rules)
Tigermuskie?-They help keep the small fish in check.
5. One more thing that I thought of is what do you do when you know that you have mortally wounded a fish. If I see blood or I can't revive the fish and it is a legal fish I take it home and eat it. If it is a cutt or a fish that is out of a slot limit I just let it go anyway because I can't legally keep it. More often than not an eagle, hawk, or osprey comes and takes care of it.
Hopefully this leads to a productive discussion.
Windriver
[signature]
I do think that education is the best way to help people not abuse our fisheries. So lets talk about it in a way that is not inflammatory or personal, and then not bring it up again for at least a year.[
]I will start with a quick story. When I was 18 I caught a 22" Largemouth at Condie that was huge. She, yes [#000000][/#000000]she[/u] was fat and heavy. I have no idea how much she weighed but it was the biggest large mouth I had ever caught and I got her on a six weight fly rod. I immediately thought I would get a taxidermy mount of her. Someone fishing nearby said, " You are going to release her aren't you." My conscience was pricked so I said, "Of course," as I slid her back into the water. Now it was close to spawning so I thought I was doing the right thing. The unfortunate thing was Condie was completely drained a couple of years after that. I now wish I had her on the wall. If I had kept her she was a legal fish. One of only a couple over the 21" minimum that I have ever caught at Condie.
If had caught and kept that fish today would I have been roasted on BFT? I think most likely and that is unfortunate. On the other hand I probably would have a digital picture of it to make a fiberglass mount had I caught that fish today.
The reason this subject is so inflammatory is because there are no easy answers. Each of us must decide for ourselves what is the proper thing to do in a given situation.
There are as many different kinds of fisherman on this board as there are ways to fish. We need to respect the guy who likes to eat fish and keeps a legal limit for his family. We should also respect an angler's right to keep a trophy fish for a mount if they so wish. I don't think it is wrong to educate people who otherwise don't know how special some fish are so they don't keep fish needlessly when other alternatives might taste better, be better for the fishery ( I know I am no biologist), or just flat out be more ethical.
Here is what I think...Take it for what it is worth.
1. If you like to eat trout it might be the best thing to target fish at the family fisheries or reservoirs where the trout are heavily stocked and there are liberal limits for a reason. I have also found the small stream brookies to be especially tasty (personal opinion).
I have also found trout to be more desirable when the water temps are cold. I don't know if there is anything to it, but it seems like I just feel like eating fresh trout more in late fall and winter. ( Anyone else feel that way?) I think the thing that angers people the most is when people keep a stringer of trout and then freeze them until they find them years later and then throw them out. Trout really are the best when eaten fresh. I personally never freeze trout. I keep them in the fridge for a day or two until I can eat them. Then again I fish enough that there will always be another chance at a fish meal if I want one.
2. Bass are always a touchy subject do to there status as a big time game fish in a state that for the most part is not conducive to fast growth rates. Most people just do not realize how long it take to grow a trophy smallmouth or largmouth in this state. How many smallmouth over 16" have you caught at Ririe? I have seen three and I have caught one. Are they overpopulated or are people just keeping the bigger ones at 14-15" before they can reach that size? Should we release the bigger ones so the genetics can be passed on? I can say I haven't kept a big one yet. The same argument can be made for many bass lakes and rivers in Idaho. Unless they are deeply hooked and bleeding all over I release with the thought that they can't get bigger unless I let them go. Hope someone has caught the 14ers" I let go last year.[laugh]
3. To me panfish are my dinner fish. I love a good perch, bluegill, or crappie dinner. I would say 80% of my fish meals are panfish. My kids love them and they populate fast enough that I don't feel bad about keeping a mess for the plate. When I am in catfish country I keep a few smaller ones as well simply because I love them.
4. I guess my final question is are there some fish so special and hard to find that they should always be released even if the law allows you to keep one?
i.e. Bulltrout (illegal and protected in Idaho)
Big Laketrout-They just take too long to grow. A 20 year old fish deserves to released in my opinion.
Sturgeon (protected-keep in the water and take care to follow the barbless rules)
Tigermuskie?-They help keep the small fish in check.
5. One more thing that I thought of is what do you do when you know that you have mortally wounded a fish. If I see blood or I can't revive the fish and it is a legal fish I take it home and eat it. If it is a cutt or a fish that is out of a slot limit I just let it go anyway because I can't legally keep it. More often than not an eagle, hawk, or osprey comes and takes care of it.
Hopefully this leads to a productive discussion.
Windriver
[signature]