Catch n Release or Catch to eat?

[007]

I was just wondering what everybody else does with their fish. Whenever I am out fishing people stop and ask if I have caught anything, when I tell them yes - they usually want to see it - which assumes I have kept it, and they are surprised when I say I put them back. There seems to be a philosophy of catch and keep/eat rather than fishing for the sport/enjoyment. I know I come from England where it is all catch n release and here in Canada there is a history of eating what you catch but I was just curious as to what today's angler does and whether Catch n Release is getting more popular or not.

 

I hope I have done the poll thing correctly - otherwise the multiple choice answers to the question would have been:

 

100% Catch n Release

Mostly Catch n Release but occasionally eat a fish caught

Target certain fish for eating and put others back

100% Fish to Eat - keep everything within the regs limits

 

cheers

007

[wolfville]

First of all, there is nothing wrong with keeping a few fish for the table as long as it's not breaking the regs.

 

I found it a learning experience for me, as an immigrant. I used to keep more if the fish was eatable size. Then over the years I have learned to really enjoy fishing as a sport.

 

Last year I kept less than 10 fish (all bass between 1 - 2 lb). Although I caught over 200+ bass and probably over 300 lbs of carp (never kept a carp).

 

I also found that people born in Canada are normally better in this regard (enjoy fishing as a sport). I just hope that the time taken for people to learn isn't long enough to damage the fishery.

 

BTW, this is just my observation. Not saying it has to be true or you have to agree.

[John]

One or two fish fries a year on location. Never bring anything home.

 

I too come from England and grew up fishing the rivers and North Sea in the '60's and early '70's. I think that the catch and release philosophy over there is fundamentally due to the fact that unless you are a member of a club and able to fish restricted waters, you are limited to coarse fisheries.

Also the fishing pressure over there is dramatically greater than what we have here.

 

John

[misfish]

I voted #3

[OhioFisherman]

Mr. Bond, I think you will find that history and geography play a part in it. Great Britain and Europe have been inhabited with a large number of people and with a lot less water(fresh). Also the United States and Canada are also able to raise large quantities of beef, pork, and poultry.

 

Tradition dictates the pattern a lot, pollution and over harvest have been a problem for a lot longer across the pond. Here in the states the trend toward catch and release in bass tournaments was started basically because not many lakes could stand the pressure of catch and keep. I am glad of it, coupled with pollution controls bass fishing here is much better than in my early days.

 

I used to keep a walleye or steelhead, sometimes both a year. Again a different tradition, shore lunch is a sandwich! MMM! Spam!

[TJQ]

If im eating fish that nite.. ill keep em ... however very rarely does any fish come home to the freezer.. generally everything goes back in the water. However.. the limits in place are there for a reason and you are certianly allowed to keep whatever legal.

[007]

I've been in Canada almost three years and the first two years fished 100% catch n release cos that's what I was used to and because I am a great believer in conserving the resource for future generations to enjoy.

 

This year I kept my first two fish to eat while camping as we had run out of fresh meat and wanted to give it a try. I think responsible harvesting in this way is ok in somewhere like Canada where there are clean lakes up north and an abundance of certain types of fish - hopefully takes some pressure off the ocean's fish stocks - which seem to be in serious trouble.

 

My only concern is that I see some people keeping everything they catch, whatever the species and whatever the size and often from waters for example in the GTA which I doubt are very clean! It can't be good for the resource (especially when you factor in all the cormorants eating plenty) and certainly not for their health LOL

 

A word of warning for those fishing Grenadier Pond in T.O and keeping their catch - the guidelines on eating sport fish for this year states its only safe to eat 1 bluegill a month - so put some back!! LOL

Edited June 18, 2007 by OO7

[fishdawg]

I voted #3

 

I do enjoy eating fish very much, but I do release the majority of what i catch. Lake O is where I fish quite often and it is a put & take fishery that our tax dollars pay for. I dont feel bad at all taking home a couple small salmon or trout each trip, especially if they hooked deep.

[Big Cliff]

We eat a lot of fish and I refuse to go out and buy it from a store when I can catch it and know how it has been treated. I am very selective though in what I keep for the table. If it is walleye, I am looking for fish in the 1.5 to 2.5 lb range, anything outside of that goes back unless it is hooked badly and would die anyway.

 

I don't fish for muskie or bass and in the last six years I haven't kept any other than one muskie that had it's gills badly torn up and would have died and perhaps the odd bass if I was fishing with someone that wanted to keep one or two for the pan.

 

Each to their own though as long as it is within the law!

[motv8tr]

Most of the time I'm strictly catch and release...but then I don't like to clean fish . If I am with someone who wants fish for the table, then if they want to clean it, I will keep it.

 

Maureen

[Guest lundboy]

I voted #1

 

I love to fish, but can't bring myself to kill the fish. I don't mind the odd fresh fish fry, and will contribute my catch to one, but I just can't eat it if I had to kill it/clean it. I guess if it were a do or die scenario (which may come some day), I would do.

 

That doesn't mean that I begrudge anyone else from keeping their catch.

[fishindevil]

It depends where,and what i am fishing for,if its lake ontario im pretty much a catch and release [unless a freind wants one] but if im fishing for walleyes or bass i will keep a few for the pan,and the majority go back to swim another day.....i really enjoy eating our fish,and there is nothing wrong with doing that....cheers

[rickster]

Voted # 3

Nothing better than fresh walleye for shore lunch.

Everything else goes back though pike muskie bass and any walleye over 18"

Usually keep one or two walleye between 15-18" for shore lunch if I am by myself.

[xrap]

#2 for me, we keep perch and the odd walleye

[Mike Pike]

Number 3 for me.

 

When I plan a fishing trip, I've usually decided whether it's gonna be a catch and release day or a catch and keep day. In other words, I either pack a cooler in the trunk or I leave it at home.

 

The catch and keep trips are usually to Erie for perch or to a trib for resident brookies, bows or browns. My favourite fishing is done on the tribs where I usually hope to catch a couple of trout for the pan. If I DO manage a fish or two, I usually stop fishing because I don't wanna deep hook a fish accidentaly and have to keep more than I had planned on. It cuts my fishing day short sometime, but I'm ok with that.

 

It's just too darn fun coming home with a couple of fish for the frypan and cleaning 'em whilst enjoying a cold one!

Edited June 18, 2007 by Mike Pike

[dustink]

#3 for me....

 

Eat all the panfish I can catch; Release all bass; Keep enough walleye for meals on my trips to the GWN.

 

dk

[Carmen]

Keep the odd spec or walleye otherwise they all go back

[Fisherman]

Within good reason and limits, I eat what I catch except for fish like musky, sheepshead, carp. If I'm going to spend time fishing, then eating some is part of the equation. I don't like going around poking holes in fish I'm not going to eat.

[Clampet]

#3

Don't ferget, I gotta deal with Jethro!

[Corey]

For the 2 or 3 times a year I go fishing for walleye, to keep 4 if I can catch them, I will keep all 4. I also have a wife and 3 kids. 4 walleye at 3 pounds each, is good for... well... about 1 meal for the family. I enjoy fishing and all, but I enjoy eating them as well. Considering the time and money I have invested in fishing, I better be able to keep a few fish each time I go fishing. Would I go fishing every day and bring home a limit of fish? Not a chance, but for the few trips I make, and the even fewer times I bring home fish, there is no reason for me not to bring them home.

 

If anyone complains about people taking too many fish, for any reason other than legal reasons is full of it. Pollution, Cormorants and certain people who harvest fish commercially under the guise of feeding their family or rights to fish are far more of a problem to the fish population than a few poachers.

 

I hope nobody takes offense to my opinion, but anyone who has their eyes open will understand what I am talking about.

 

cd.

[Canuck2fan]

I voted for number 3

 

I fish for bass, perch, and chrome mainly. I have a favorite spot where the bass remain edible (worm free) all season. So for the first couple of outings I will keep a few for the family. After a couple of feeds though I release most of what I catch when it comes to bass. Any other spot for bass I know before I leave the house I am releasing them all that day, mainly because I can't see killing a fish I know will be wormy....

 

Perch, I fish for so they can be eaten. I like nothing better than getting 20 perch over 10"s an outing to come home. I am very selective in size compared to a lot of people I've seen lately.... In my case I have a number of family members who grew up eating perch and have no way of getting them unless they buy them a week old in supermarket, so I like to try get those folks a couple of meals a year, which I happily catch, clean and even cook if necessary. It is a family tradition to have fresh perch cooked breaded with smashed saltine crackers, maple baked beans and dollar fries. For many in the family this is the ultimate summer comfort food.... Having a fish fry brings back a lot of memories of when those folks were young enough and other family members were still alive who fished for them as well.

 

For chrome I try to release all larger healthy fish, as I feel they will be the best breeders. I do like to keep 2 to 4 lbers for the table, but never take more than 2 per trip home. If I harvest a large female for roe I get the flesh smoked so as not to waste it. I am not a great steel header by any means so if I take 10 to 12 fish during the trib season which is from Sept till June most years that is a good year in my books.

Edited June 19, 2007 by Canuck2fan

[ccmtcanada]

Bly and I have kept 3 fish...one was a huge 15 pound walleye, which unfortunately could not be live released. The other two were steelhead....for fresh roe and a few nice meals.

 

Other than that, we always release.

[Mike the Pike]

I mostly catch and release but I love to eat Walleyes and perch .Pike and Bass go back in the water .Speckled trout are tasty.I had Lake trout for the first time this year and I have to say next time I will let it go .Not as good as speckles.

 

I would have to say 70% of the time I catch and release.

 

MTP

[bbog]

I am mostly catch and release except when hooked badly or looking for Crappie.

[MJL]

I keep 2 bass per year when I go camping with friends. Other than that, I hate cleaning fish - Especially panfish...But if someone offers to fillet, coat, fry and clean up the mess, I'm all for catching a little more for the table. I generally practice catch and release 99.9% of the time.

 

There was one time I kept a Lake O salmon for eggs + dinner. Walking 2+km with a 25lb carcass is something I don't want to do again - Especially with my bad back and all. On the bright side, it tasted alright with the recipe I got from Shelly and Courtney involving fresh wasabi and low sodium soy sauce. The skein was also mint.