Is it just me or...

I usually catch and release for conservation and convenience purposes, but have nothing against those who keep fish within the limits of the law, after all, they are mostly stocked fish, that's what they are put there for.

I'm no scientist or environmental expert, and these are just observations, but there are multiple other factors that could be contributing to the decrease in numbers. What about lampreys? What about seagulls and walleyes eating stocked smolts and the smaller fish? What about the algae blooms? What about pollution? I read somewhere that Lake Erie has some of the worst plastic pollution in the world. Google "Lake Erie Plastic Pollution" right now, and look at the images, it ain't very pretty. Heck, there was an article I read on the high concentration of microplastic in Lake Erie just the other day 
 
"http://www.ibtimes.com/microplastics-great-lakes-pose-very-real-threat-humans-animals-1446804" 
 
Now, I'm far from a tree hugger, and I'm not saying poaching and keeping too many fish that go to waste isn't a problem. I'm not saying that catch and release isn't beneficial, nor am I saying that keeping fish is a bad thing. I'm simply saying that, maybe we should consider the wide multitude of other factors that can be impacting steelhead populations, before we go at each others throats with these tirades about who should or shouldn't be keeping fish.
 
I mean, a lot of this debate has got me thinking lately, and I realized that it seems everywhere I fish these days (and that goes from steelhead, to panfish and big game through the ice, to spring trout fishing, to summer bass tournament fishing, to saltwater fishing), it seems the fishing has not been as satisfactory. And with all due respect, on multiple occasions I will have some old timers telling me how "this is nothing" and how much better the fishing was 20 or 30 years ago. That may be cliche behavior. But this is also occuring in strictly catch and release, or specially regulated, fisheries.
 
A few examples. Spring Creek/ Fly Fisher's Paradise in Central PA, about half an hour away from where I live. Been fishing that stream since I was about 5, back in the early 90s. Pretty much learned to fly fish there, caught my first ever trout on a fly rod there. Still an excellent area to fish, and has some recently opened stream purchased from the old SCI Rockview. However, others will tell you it is not what it once was, it's seemingly become overrun with suckers, and the size and numbers of the trout just doesn't seem to be what they once were. It used to be somewhat common to catch a few 15+ inch browns per day, now you are lucky to get one or two. When this kind of thing happens on a normal stream, people will consider it to be a result of too many fish kept, however, the strange this is, it has been under Trophy Trout Catch And Release regulations, I think since sometime in the 80s.
 
Another one. Foster Joseph Sayer's Dam @ Bald Eagle State Park, probably the lake I fish the most, many big bass to be found.  However, one controversy has been over the lack of legal panfish in the lake. Strangely, the lake is under Panfish Enhancement Program Regulations, in which crappies must be at least 9 inches to keep, and sunfish/ bluegill must be at least 7 inches. Logically thinking, this should help out the sizes of the fish. There are enormous quantities of panfish in the lake, the problem is, it is very common to fish for an afternoon, and catch crappie almost every other cast, and not have one of them be legal. A major difference from when I used to fish this with my father, and it was easy to get enough legal crappie for the fryer within a few hours. Black Moshannon, another lake about 15 minutes away, does not have the Panfish Enhancement regulations, yet the average size of crappie I catch there is probably 10.5-11 inches, and I got a 14 inch perch out of there through the ice last year, not bad for a smaller lake.
 
Just my .02 though.

C&R is great and all....
BUT... then we can't see pictures of guys hold up fish in parking lots/ basements/ and kitchens
 
 

fishingood
I usually catch and release for conservation and convenience purposes...

so
is that before or after you gill****them????

Beagler. I remember when the Erie /Ontario area was on the news all the time if it wasn't an Ohio trib on fire, it was the "Love Canal" mess. Any way we got passed all that with the help of the EPA, and Clean Waters Act.   I caught my first steelhead on Elk in Nov of '98 I believe.  We've had these discussions before and it leads nowhere.  Do you remember when there was sort of a unwritten agreement that gear guys stayed below Rt20 and Fly guys above, it worked. But went by the wayside when everyone became an internet fisherman.  You know stream ethics and courtesy went out he window up there years ago. Guys always took fish. But now it has become so sensitive becouse there are factions that despite the law they understand will keep whatever they catch and as many as they catch. Not even trying to hide their gluttony. Then there;s the guys that put fish on stringer and drag it around all day alive. Take a softball sized rock and wack the thing over the head for God's sake.  Last spring My 11 year old son and I were walking out and noticed eggs scattered here and there along the banks, we then noticed the source up ahead someone was dragging two fertile females along and they where spewing  eggs from the stress. My son said "Dad that just ain't right" I told him I was very happy he understood that. As for you others who defend your rights to kill fish if you want. your right you can, why don't you treat dinner better.  And of course the original question was ignored why do you take fish to feed your family that contain carcinogens.  I guess it's just me.