Catch And Release Vrs Catch And Keep

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djw2112

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I dont like to eat the fish I catch but I love fishing and catching fish, so I have always caught and released.  Sometimes they are hooked so bad that there is no way to get the hook out, in those cases I usually cut the line or the hook and set them free, the hook should rust and fall out eventually.  But sometimes the hook gets them in a place where they wont survive regardless.  Rather than put them back to die and float I usually keep those and give those away to someone else who wants them. 


Just wanted to see how many of you release and how many of you keep all legal catches.

I was also curious if someone catches a fish that is too small but the fish is damanged and will die, do you keep them or release them anyway? 

Are there any states that require you to keep all legal catches?
 
If I want a meal of fresh fish, I keep it, otherwise they are released.  In NY, if an undersize fish is caught, regardless of hoe badly it is hooked/damaged, it must be released - according to the fishing regs.  It will feed another predatory fish, or other animal.
Don't know of any regulations where a legal catch must be kept.
 
In the summer I live on a native and stocked trout stream,  but gave up fishing many years ago just for the reason that I hated hurting the fish.
In the winter we live in Key Largo and love to cruise the mangroves and flats on our paddle boards in the crystal clear water and view the fish. Just yesterday in one place we were surrounded by about a hundred or more 15" long sea trout

jack L
 
I kept the first trout I caught (four years old) and one larger bass, from the pond in my front yard, that I had mounted.  None of the thousands of others.

Ernie
 
I'm a meat fisherman. I target mostly walleye and sometimes yellow perch. I keep and eat those of legal size, everything else goes back. All of this takes place on the lake in north Michigan that we live on. I faithfully contribute yearly to the lake association for dam maintenance and our fish stocking program.
We also fish Lake Huron, one of the Great Lakes and target salmon.
 
There are a few waters I have fished on that require all fish of a certain species  not be released. You are free to eat them or throw them away in the trash, but you can?t return them to the water. These include various overstocked or invasive species, and it isn?t common. As for regular fishing, the only fish I keep are trout because they are easy to clean! My favorite to fish for are small mouth bass and bluegills though - so much fight on a 2-4 pound line! They always go back into the water.
 
We love eating the fish species that we target. Also love having a great day catching, so we throw many back to keep fishing during the day. Also if there is a size limit and the fish must be returned to the water, even if it'll die, fear not, nature will make sure it enters the food chain, so its never really wasted. Also the percentage of fish returned to the water injured and dying is so so small in comparison to the Bio mass. Fish onward folks, and take a kid fishing to pass on the Heritage and to introduce the future custodians of our wildlife,,,gregg
 
I release except for the ones that are going to be eaten that day. All my hooks are single barbless which makes landing more of a challenge but that is the fun of it. Occasionally a fish will swallow a small fly, if it is legal I keep it but undersize I cut the line and it goes back. I mostly fish for rainbow trout but am not averse to a nice char.
 
Well, we don't manage to catch that many but small ones go back in and any decent sized ones we have for our dinner.  We did have one that we struggled to get the hook out of and it died.  A bald eagle swooped down and took it out of the water....
 
jackiemac said:
Well, we don't manage to catch that many but small ones go back in and any decent sized ones we have for our dinner.  We did have one that we struggled to get the hook out of and it died.  A bald eagle swooped down and took it out of the water....
Click to expand...

I hope he said thank you :)    such beautiful animals, we did right by making them our national emblem.
 
I fish for food and tournaments. Most the lakes around me have size limits. Some days I keep everything legal, and others I release everything.

There are a variety of videos on youtube on how to remove a gullet hooked fish. Below is just one of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14Y7gUWJN_M
 
Hanr3 said:
I fish for food and tournaments. Most the lakes around me have size limits. Some days I keep everything legal, and others I release everything.

There are a variety of videos on youtube on how to remove a gullet hooked fish. Below is just one of them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14Y7gUWJN_M
Click to expand...

Thanks for sharing ill have to get me one of those hook remover tools... :)
 
jackiemac said:
Well, we don't manage to catch that many but small ones go back in and any decent sized ones we have for our dinner.  We did have one that we struggled to get the hook out of and it died.  A bald eagle swooped down and took it out of the water....
Click to expand...
That is something to watch! It doesn't take them long to learn hanging around people fishing pays off.
 
I have heard that seaguls are really aggressive, not sure if that is true or not.    I know some birds are very territorial, we had birds on the golf course in Clovis New Mexico years back that attacked you on several holes, but they are protected and you cant hurt them.  They took my hat off and got me off balance several times. 
 
Eagles and ospreys are incredible to watch, the eagles are much lazier and will often steal a fish from an osprey.

Seagulls can be very aggressive especially when there is food around. If you are ag the seaside in the UK trying to eat your fish and chips be on the lookout for poachers!

Also the gulls attack you when nesting so you need to be aware of that if you are anywhere near a nest.
 
Catch and release. I use a barbless hook and sight fish for carp. Very rarely hook one other than in the lip. Like the OP I fish for the strike and fight not for the table. Carp get pretty big and put up a good fight.
 
NMDriver said:
Catch and release. I use a barbless hook and sight fish for carp. Very rarely hook one other than in the lip. Like the OP I fish for the strike and fight not for the table. Carp get pretty big and put up a good fight.
Click to expand...
I have a good recipe for Carp,,,,,,,,,
Salt the fish and pack red clay around the fish
cook on a hot open fire for 3hrs
break the clay apart and remove the fish
throw the fish away and eat the clay
your welcome,,,gregg
 
I was watching a game warden show the other day and it was soooo funny, this guy was fishing with no license and when the GW asked him about it the guy said "oh i was not wanting to catch anything i was just checking"  LMAO  he had his line in the water but was not fishing, it was halarious.
 
Sometimes I keep (mostly offshore), most often I practice catch & release inshore.  I also participate in tagging efforts offshore.
I love to eat fresh fish - tonight Tripletail - hopefully tomorrow mahi or tuna (or both).  I also release.
If a fish is injured when landed (unless out of season or out of size) I bring it home.  But if out of season, out of size, I release expecting it will become part of the food chain.
Eagles and Ospreys.  It happens they will take your catch.  Dolphin (the mammal) are a much bigger problem in Florida.  They will follow your boat and eat everything you release. 
  Tight Lines.
 
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