Enforced Catch and Release

[kingfisher]

As above guys, if the goverment or other bodies decided that the Atlantic Salmon in the UK were subject to a 100% catch for and release policy for the foreseeable future, how many of you would decide give up the sport?

[felix1975]

not me either, as martin says the best part is the take. we've also been 100% catch and release for two-three seasons on the lochy.

[goosander]

Would be concerned about returning all the fish as then it would be hard to justify catching them. See no problem in taking the odd fresh fish. Would put forward the throught that if they are that scarce we should be leaving them alone to get on with it.
Have loads and loads of tackle so would just carry on fishing. Would agree that the take is a magical moment but so is sitting down with friends for a meal when you have provided the main part of it.
The anties have finished fox hunting so what is next?
Countryfile last night was down on hare coursing so how do you justify fishing when you return all your fish and take none for the "pot"

[faughanpurple]

Game Fishing is so called because its a field sport. That means we hunt and eat our quarry.

If salmon angling went 100% C&R i would seriously consider hanging up the rods.

There would be no point.

Now before you all jump on me and say you butcher etc..

I have fished rivers that are 100% C&R and I have and do release fish but its my choice to do so.

I still have a choice in where I fish and what I do with my catch and that for me is the way it should remain.

If we take that out of a sport I have enjoyed all my life it would kill off what i also enjoy as the best part of fishing for me..

Yes I enjoy the take and the fight etc but I also like getting home gutting the fish and serving it up for dinner with family and friends as it's something I have brought home, not bought in cellophane from a supermarket.

Salmon is a natural food resource after all if we turn them into a plaything then i can see the antis putting us at the top of their hit list although i can see fishing being harder to get rid of than Fox hunting.

[kmacc]

I do not agree with 100% C&R but we must consider what we do each time we chap a fish! I wonder if it would apply to the coastal netting, drift netters and Half netters?
This season I returned 3/4 of my fish caught, if everyone takes responsibility to return over 50% I am sure it would be enough to ensure the future of our sport. I read somewhere that 10% of fish returning to our rivers are caught by rod and line. Therefore by retuning more than 50% the figures should show 95% of fish surviving to spawn. Or are the figure wrong?

K MacC

[scanny]

Its always interesting hearing different generations talk about the "good old days". Like my Grampa speaking of catching fish 3 feet from the shore as a boy and then the next generation down (40-50) talking of days fishing and catching prolific numbers of salmon in rivers that now appear to be on the a vast decline. Does this mean that my generation (20's) will be one of the last to get Salmon fishing, what will the stocks be like in 20 years time?

or conversely will it have gone full circle with the heightened attention paid to conservation and will the stocks recover.

I wouldn't kill every fish i catch but i do like to keep a cock grilse or two for Christmas. I enjoy the cooking of it almost as much as the catching, half a side gets cured into gravadlax and the other hot smoked.

So if there were a total catch and release enforcement i would still fish for them but it would kill the excitement

[underghillie]

Dec 7, 2009 8:32:13 GMT @kingfisher said:

As above guys, if the goverment or other bodies decided that the Atlantic Salmon in the UK were subject to a 100% catch for and release policy for the foreseeable future, how many of you would decide give up the sport?

Not me i have still got too many salmon to catch ;D

Agree with most of the others the take is the best part, the playing of the fish is just a worrie is it goin to fall off is it well hooked especially if its the 1st of the season.

Besides the government or any of the other bodies don't have the B######S to go through with it anyway.

[goosander]

Most people that i am with when they get a fish, first thing they say is please god, please god stay on. They are more worried about loseing the fish than anything else.
Ten years ago and less you would have been laughed off the [planet for saying that smoking would be banned

[goosander]

Fishing could be next depending how much votes there are in keeping it

[badcaster]

it wouldnt bother me as neither me or the wife eat fish but ill bring home trout for the kids for me its always the anticipation then the take and then waiting to get that first good look at what youre connected to
magic theres no way i could give up even if i wanted to ;D

[skippy]

100 % enforced C/R ? NEVER NEVER NEVER.It would completly ruin salmon fishing as we know it.I for one would chuck it.Salmon fishing is not a game its a blood sport.Whatever next says i.Muzzles while ferreting ? firing blanks at red deer ? or hows about paintballing wild duck shoots ? comon guy's dont let the nannie state ruin our pastime.All thats needed is a bit of comon sence we all know you cant take every fish you catch and salmon fishing is well capable of managing itself without the interference of government so i say a big thumbs down to 100% C/R.
Skippy.

[goosander]

If fishers spent a few days each year looking after the water it "may" do more good than returning all the fish which i am very much against.
What puzzles me is if we return half our fish and we catch approxly 10% of the run then what is the other 95% of the run doing? Find it hard to belive that a river requires 100% of the run to survive.

[perthshirefisher]

I wouldent stop fishing,but it would reduce the number of rivers i would bother fishing,so thats not good.

I think any one taking one or two a season is fare enough.

[fredaevans]

Dec 7, 2009 8:32:13 GMT @kingfisher said:

As above guys, if the goverment or other bodies decided that the Atlantic Salmon in the UK were subject to a 100% catch for and release policy for the foreseeable future, how many of you would decide give up the sport?

Just a perspective from "across the Pond." We have many places where this (all the time or some of the time) is a regulation. 99% of the Guys say 'who cares, I'm fishing.' Will some of them say 'fuxk it' and do what they want? You betcha .. but that's why the Oregon State Patrol /Police (who do the majority of our game checks) are on a speed dial on my cell phone.

Not often do I have to hit that key, but the longest response time (even in the middle of no-where on the upper Rogue River) was 15 minutes. Now how cool is that??!! ;D

Works for me; and these guys don't have a sense of humor when it come to game violations.

[underghillie]

Just a perspective from "across the Pond." We have many places where this (all the time or some of the time) is a regulation. 99% of the Guys say 'who cares, I'm fishing.' Will some of them say 'fuxk it' and do what they want? You betcha .. but that's why the Oregon State Patrol /Police (who do the majority of our game checks) are on a speed dial on my cell phone.

Not often do I have to hit that key, but the longest response time (even in the middle of no-where on the upper Rogue River) was 15 minutes. Now how cool is that??!! ;D

Works for me; and these guys don't have a sense of humor when it come to game violations.

[/quote]

I wish our water bailiffs were as fast to react, sometimes takes them all day to arrive