Catch and Release

How often, and what factors determine whether you catch and release, or keep a fish that you've caught? Personally, I only keep what I eat, unless it's trophy size for the wall. Otherwise I release most of my catch's.

Hold on and let me get a comfortable seat....
This should be a long one!

That's what I'm hoping for Mike, stir the pot a lil.

Nothing dictates it, cause I dont like any of them. They all go back, every species.

If someone else wants it. To put it in your own pond/lake, sexual reasons, I don't know Beerman, and that's exactly why I asked, Also, like I said, I want to know people's opinions of what they like to do. Don't be that simple, pleeeease.

I've caught numerous fish that were exceptional, in either size, or beauty ( color ), but it would take a spectacular fish ( perhaps a record ) before I'd have it mounted. Just never had the need, or desire to put one on display ( other than a few pics ). Other than that, it comes down to taste, and ease of creel per species. My father, when he was alive enjoyed Trout, even Steelhead so I kept many Trout, and several ( 10-12 ) Steelies per season. Since his passing, I keep no Trout, and only 1-2 Steelies ( I like the occasional smokie ), though I kept none last year, opr thus far this year. NOW when you're talking Wallylogs, or Perch I keep all I catch WITHIN legal limits. I like them, I eat them, and I know alot of folks that CAN, and DO use them. They go to good use, and I offer NO apology for the number I keep. And if Steelhead tasted that good, AND I weren't too lazy to cart them around, I'd take 3 every trip.

How about a deeply hooked or bleeding fish? I personally do not keep many, a smoker or two, but if I feel the steel will not survive I will put him on the stringer. Even if I do not use the fish there are plenty of people I know that will not let it go to waste.

Eperience, and close attention to one's line/float will eliminate 98% of "gut hooks". I use bait often, and can't recall the last time I "guthooked" one. In fact the last time I kept one due to deep, not gut hooking, it was caught on a spoon which he just inhaled, and got into his gills.

I've kept two fish for mounts over the years--a big lake trout from a fly-in up in Canada and a big brown in full spawning colors out of Lake Michigan.  Sadly, the brown languished in the freezer while I waited to have enough money for a mount (I was in graduate school then).  It was never to see a wall.  The lake trout deteriorated in quality over the years (oil bled through skin,   it faded, had a funky smell) and so didn't make our last move with us.  I do kind of miss it, but my wife doesn't.

All that said, I would no longer keep a fish for a mount.  I think I'd go the fiberglass route.  If you've seen high quality fiberglass mounts, they look terrific and don't require killing the fish.

i always flyfish but sometimes a dropper fly will end up in some very odd places. I do not like it when that happens, but it is very seldom. You are right , fish almost never get a deep hook on metal and feathers or yarn. They just don't like the taste or feel i guess.

Amazing.....I saw large numbers of 6 to 8 pound fish this year. They were all 6 points though...no shooters.

I really didn't notice an unusually large number of 2-4's last year ( almost all were cookie cutter 6's ). But let's say for arguement's sake there were. Yes it WOULD have something to do with it, in that THAT would indicate a strong year class. IF there were more in the streams, then there were also more that remained in the lake. Those 2-4's are not mature fish, making a typical spawning run. I can pretty much gaurantee that IF all those 6-8's being caught this year were released, there would be no significant increase in 8-10+'s next year. Another factor is forage, the lake was FULL this summer, and the huge Walleye numbers of the past few years, are back to more normal numbers. Thus the 1st run 3 year old you catch this year, WOULD be bigger than the 1st run 3 year old you caught last year.

"I can pretty much gaurantee that IF all those 6-8's being caught this year were released, there would be no significant increase in 8-10+'s next year"

lol, perhaps you aren't quite tired of debating this one yet. my argument is this:

surveys reveal that over 80% of anglers catch and release. why do we have the HUGE numbers of steelhead runs? some may answer the large number of stocked smolts each year. yes, this is true. but it is also true that the mortality rate on smolts is extremely HIGH. now, there would still be very good runs of steelhead in erie stream given that there ARE huge numbers of smolt stocked. however, we have INSANE numbers of steelhead in erie streams. is it possible that this is the result of such a high percentage of catch and release anlgers (particularly with fish in the 2 to 4 lb range)?

forget the 8 to 10 lb theory spoon. not many fish that made a run at 2 to 4 lbs then again at 6 to 8 would be back for a third time. i believe that most of the fish in the latter lb range DO in fact die. it is the larger numbers of younger fish that make it back in my opinion. i have no proof, just as your "gurantee" is not proof either.

to summarize, what if the reason all along for the insane numbers of fish in erie streams is due to the FACT that MOST anglers release steelies, and more specifically, fish that fall into that 2 to 4 lb range? yes forage plays a part in the size of fish overall, but how much of a factor? i need more evidence than merely speculation and angler observations before i am convinced that smaller fish don't make multiple runs.....

ORIGINAL: whatsajob614

How often, and what factors determine whether you catch and release,

my determining factor is directly related to the taste of "whatever" species AND whether i feel like carting them to the cleaning station or home to clean.
 as far as Steelies go,  when I was slingin'  bait years ago,  I'd kill one or two hens a year for the eggs.
In the past 6-8(?)  years , think I've "knowingly"  killed a total of maybe 5 or 6 of the oodles  I've landed.
All but one of those were because a creek neighbor asked if I was keeping it and if not, could they have it.


"ask and you shall receive"

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hey Carpy, good to see you back, duud
You're older, but not any w....oh never mind....


..L.T.A.

lol good to be back Genie. i'm definitely older but not wiser! lol!






btw.... what part of the pheasant is used to tie a pheasant tail nymph?