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When I go fishing, coarse or game, I carry in my bag an implement for knocking fish on the head should it prove necessary. Some call it a priest (administers the last rites)

If I catch a fish that for whatever reason is deep hooked, bleeding from the gills or I have good reason to believe won't survive if returned then I feel that knocking it on the head is a better option than returning it to die later. Once killed it would be taken home to eat.

Now I know you have some very strange laws in England regarding what can be taken but would it be a defense if you said that you did not believe the fish would survive?

I can also see problems on a commercial style fishery where the fish may have a monetary value. Most fisheries wouldn't be too pleased at the prospect of your euthaniising there 40lb carp ;)

So what do you guys think?

Let's agree to respect each others views, no matter how wrong yours may be.

 

 

Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity

 

 

 

http://www.safetypublishing.co.uk/
http://www.safetypublishing.ie/

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When I go fishing, coarse or game, I carry in my bag an implement for knocking fish on the head should it prove necessary. Some call it a priest (administers the last rites)

If I catch a fish that for whatever reason is deep hooked, bleeding from the gills or I have good reason to believe won't survive if returned then I feel that knocking it on the head is a better option than returning it to die later. Once killed it would be taken home to eat.

Now I know you have some very strange laws in England regarding what can be taken but would it be a defense if you said that you did not believe the fish would survive?

I can also see problems on a commercial style fishery where the fish may have a monetary value. Most fisheries wouldn't be too pleased at the prospect of your euthaniising there 40lb carp ;)

So what do you guys think?

 

 

Firstly I think that you are right to carry a priest, I always do, its as important a piece of fish welfare as a unhooking mat (and the right tools for unhooking pike). I simply don't believe those who say they will never need one, one never knows with fishin' a fatally deeply hooked fish is always a possibility, no matter how atentive to our rods we are. On my local waters I know it would'nt be a problem, that the EA bailiffs would accept thet the fish wasn't going to make it, and better then leaving it to rot concealed away somewhere it was going to be used (eaten). Outside of my home range I would be more cautious, and not get 'caught' with dead fish.

"Some people hear their inner voices with such clarity that they live by what they hear, such people go crazy, but they become legends"
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Edited by Emma two
"Some people hear their inner voices with such clarity that they live by what they hear, such people go crazy, but they become legends"
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Sportsman,

 

We do worse. Most guys, while it is legal, won't take fish home for the pot. To much trouble. Bait fishermen will, on occasion leave the hook and release the fish with the hopes it will rust out before the fish expires (fat chance!). Others simply chum the turtles. I'm afraid I fall in this catagory with a thousand 'justifications'.

 

I will say, I have the impression, with the large hooks we use it probably doesn't happen as often as it might with smaller hooks. Still, it happens alot. Fish mortality (for whatever reason) is a lot higher than we would like to believe as "sportsmen".

 

We do have (fish), I think like Germany(?), the regulations require you kill captures of certain species. Common carp used to frequently fall under that law. While the laws have changed in all but maybe one state many anglers still just throw them up on the bank to rot.

 

We are getting better but have a L O N G way to go.

 

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I haven't even used a priest on a trout for about a decade as far as I recall and have never used one on a coarse fish. Although I defend the right to take fish for the pot, I don't actually do it. If a fish is looking a bit worse for wear I return it in the best shape I can manage and let it take its chances. This happens rarely and is normally small perch. I can't think of a situation where I think smacking the life out of a 40lb carp is the best option...

And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music

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I break their necks.:(

 

 

Thats ok for fish up to a couple of pounds (big blokeys may be able to handle bigger). I have used that method too, thumb on the roof of the mouth and forefinger around the back of the head and puch back util it snaps. The last time I used my priest was on a pike of 17 lbs my son and I found trailing a trace and trebles with a 4 oz bomb on a lenght of mono. It was in a poor state, we got the very deeply set hooks out, and he nursed it by trying to keep it upright in the water, he stuck with it for over an hour which was twice the time I would have, It still went belly up, bleeding. I knocked it on the head. we were in my boat so it had to be the priest, oars and trolling batteries are a bit unwieldly as well as 'overkill'

"Some people hear their inner voices with such clarity that they live by what they hear, such people go crazy, but they become legends"
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I have never felt the need to carry a priest to dispatch fish. If they do go back in a less then ideal state, then if they do die I am sure they will be absorbed in to the bio system. Something will dine on them, Pike, Birds, insects etc and maybe even those pesky Otters.

 

If someone wants to take fish for the pot that's there choice and I think a different issue to dispatching them because they look a little dodgy. I have no illusions that the chances of a deep hooked Perch or eel of surviving is very high if I release it but overall there is a small chance and if it dies then they will make a meal for a Pike. Not that this happens very often and certainly not enough to even have the notion that a priest would be a standard part of my fishing kit.

 

I know some don't except it but not that many fish get deep hooked or damaged badly while fishing. I guess if I was that bothered about damaging fish then I would not fish at all or at least only fish with boilies and bolt rigs.

Edited by Dales

Stephen

 

Species Caught 2014

Zander, Pike, Bream, Roach, Tench, Perch, Rudd, Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Eel, Grayling, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout

Species Caught 2013

Pike, Zander, Bream, Roach, Eel, Tench, Rudd, Perch, Common Carp, Koi Carp, Brown Goldfish, Grayling, Brown Trout, Chub, Roosterfish, Dorado, Black Grouper, Barracuda, Mangrove Snapper, Mutton Snapper, Jack Crevalle, Tarpon, Red Snapper

Species Caught 2012
Zander, Pike, Perch, Chub, Ruff, Gudgeon, Dace, Minnow, Wels Catfish, Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Ghost Carp, Roach, Bream, Eel, Rudd, Tench, Arapaima, Mekong Catfish, Sawai Catfish, Marbled Tiger Catfish, Amazon Redtail Catfish, Thai Redtail Catfish, Batrachian Walking Catfish, Siamese Carp, Rohu, Julliens Golden Prize Carp, Giant Gourami, Java Barb, Red Tailed Tin Foil Barb, Nile Tilapia, Black Pacu, Red Bellied Pacu, Alligator Gar
Species Caught 2011
Zander, Tench, Bream, Chub, Barbel, Roach, Rudd, Grayling, Brown Trout, Salmon Parr, Minnow, Pike, Eel, Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Ghost Carp, Koi Carp, Crucian Carp, F1 Carp, Blue Orfe, Ide, Goldfish, Brown Goldfish, Comet Goldfish, Golden Tench, Golden Rudd, Perch, Gudgeon, Ruff, Bleak, Dace, Sergeant Major, French Grunt, Yellow Tail Snapper, Tom Tate Grunt, Clown Wrasse, Slippery Dick Wrasse, Doctor Fish, Graysby, Dusky Squirrel Fish, Longspine Squirrel Fish, Stripped Croaker, Leather Jack, Emerald Parrot Fish, Red Tail Parrot Fish, White Grunt, Bone Fish
Species Caught 2010
Zander, Pike, Perch, Eel, Tench, Bream, Roach, Rudd, Mirror Carp, Common Carp, Crucian Carp, Siamese Carp, Asian Redtail Catfish, Sawai Catfish, Rohu, Amazon Redtail Catfish, Pacu, Long Tom, Moon Wrasse, Sergeant Major, Green Damsel, Tomtate Grunt, Sea Chub, Yellowtail Surgeon, Black Damsel, Blue Dot Grouper, Checkered Sea Perch, Java Rabbitfish, One Spot Snapper, Snubnose Rudderfish
Species Caught 2009
Barramundi, Spotted Sorubim Catfish, Wallago Leeri Catfish, Wallago Attu Catfish, Amazon Redtail Catfish, Mrigul, Siamese Carp, Java Barb, Tarpon, Wahoo, Barracuda, Skipjack Tuna, Bonito, Yellow Eye Rockfish, Red Snapper, Mangrove Snapper, Black Fin Snapper, Dog Snapper, Yellow Tail Snapper, Marble Grouper, Black Fin Tuna, Spanish Mackerel, Mutton Snapper, Redhind Grouper, Saddle Grouper, Schoolmaster, Coral Trout, Bar Jack, Pike, Zander, Perch, Tench, Bream, Roach, Rudd, Common Carp, Golden Tench, Wels Catfish
Species Caught 2008
Dorado, Wahoo, Barracuda, Bonito, Black Fin Tuna, Long Tom, Sergeant Major, Red Snapper, Black Damsel, Queen Trigga Fish, Red Grouper, Redhind Grouper, Rainbow Wrasse, Grey Trigger Fish, Ehrenbergs Snapper, Malabar Grouper, Lunar Fusiler, Two Tone Wrasse, Starry Dragonet, Convict Surgeonfish, Moonbeam Dwarf Angelfish,Bridled Monocle Bream, Redlined Triggerfish, Cero Mackeral, Rainbow Runner
Species Caught 2007
Arapaima, Alligator Gar, Mekong Catfish, Spotted Sorubim Catfish, Pacu, Siamese Carp, Barracuda, Black Fin Tuna, Queen Trigger Fish, Red Snapper, Yellow Tail Snapper, Honeycomb Grouper, Red Grouper, Schoolmaster, Cubera Snapper, Black Grouper, Albacore, Ballyhoo, Coney, Yellowfin Goatfish, Lattice Spinecheek

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. I guess if I was that bothered about damaging fish then I would not fish at all or at least only fish with boilies and bolt rigs.

 

That is fair enough...and honest, and I suppose I am the same except for boilies. tried 'em a couple of times, but that sort of fishin' isn't for me. You made me think though and I can't remember having a badly hooked problem with a lure or spinner (have with greedy rainbows on fly).

"Some people hear their inner voices with such clarity that they live by what they hear, such people go crazy, but they become legends"
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That is fair enough...and honest, and I suppose I am the same except for boilies. tried 'em a couple of times, but that sort of fishin' isn't for me. You made me think though and I can't remember having a badly hooked problem with a lure or spinner (have with greedy rainbows on fly).

 

I think when a fish does get damaged and a call needs to be made its because they are often not the target fish. Certain methods targeting certain fish like your example lure fishing often don't cause the same problems as "nuisance species" hate that term but its those unwanted captures that are often the fish that get damaged and not the fish we are trying to catch.

 

I don't think any anglers should have to carry gear to cover every eventuality like needing to dispatch a badly damaged fish. That goes for all so called fish welfare gear. If fishing for Carp then it makes sense to have unhooking mats etc but if wandering rivers etc targeting other fish then it would be stupid to drag one around just incase. All we can expect is to have appropriate gear for the species we are after and the enviroment we are fishing. I think in general most people know what is and is not appropriate for the fishing they do.

Stephen

 

Species Caught 2014

Zander, Pike, Bream, Roach, Tench, Perch, Rudd, Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Eel, Grayling, Brown Trout, Rainbow Trout

Species Caught 2013

Pike, Zander, Bream, Roach, Eel, Tench, Rudd, Perch, Common Carp, Koi Carp, Brown Goldfish, Grayling, Brown Trout, Chub, Roosterfish, Dorado, Black Grouper, Barracuda, Mangrove Snapper, Mutton Snapper, Jack Crevalle, Tarpon, Red Snapper

Species Caught 2012
Zander, Pike, Perch, Chub, Ruff, Gudgeon, Dace, Minnow, Wels Catfish, Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Ghost Carp, Roach, Bream, Eel, Rudd, Tench, Arapaima, Mekong Catfish, Sawai Catfish, Marbled Tiger Catfish, Amazon Redtail Catfish, Thai Redtail Catfish, Batrachian Walking Catfish, Siamese Carp, Rohu, Julliens Golden Prize Carp, Giant Gourami, Java Barb, Red Tailed Tin Foil Barb, Nile Tilapia, Black Pacu, Red Bellied Pacu, Alligator Gar
Species Caught 2011
Zander, Tench, Bream, Chub, Barbel, Roach, Rudd, Grayling, Brown Trout, Salmon Parr, Minnow, Pike, Eel, Common Carp, Mirror Carp, Ghost Carp, Koi Carp, Crucian Carp, F1 Carp, Blue Orfe, Ide, Goldfish, Brown Goldfish, Comet Goldfish, Golden Tench, Golden Rudd, Perch, Gudgeon, Ruff, Bleak, Dace, Sergeant Major, French Grunt, Yellow Tail Snapper, Tom Tate Grunt, Clown Wrasse, Slippery Dick Wrasse, Doctor Fish, Graysby, Dusky Squirrel Fish, Longspine Squirrel Fish, Stripped Croaker, Leather Jack, Emerald Parrot Fish, Red Tail Parrot Fish, White Grunt, Bone Fish
Species Caught 2010
Zander, Pike, Perch, Eel, Tench, Bream, Roach, Rudd, Mirror Carp, Common Carp, Crucian Carp, Siamese Carp, Asian Redtail Catfish, Sawai Catfish, Rohu, Amazon Redtail Catfish, Pacu, Long Tom, Moon Wrasse, Sergeant Major, Green Damsel, Tomtate Grunt, Sea Chub, Yellowtail Surgeon, Black Damsel, Blue Dot Grouper, Checkered Sea Perch, Java Rabbitfish, One Spot Snapper, Snubnose Rudderfish
Species Caught 2009
Barramundi, Spotted Sorubim Catfish, Wallago Leeri Catfish, Wallago Attu Catfish, Amazon Redtail Catfish, Mrigul, Siamese Carp, Java Barb, Tarpon, Wahoo, Barracuda, Skipjack Tuna, Bonito, Yellow Eye Rockfish, Red Snapper, Mangrove Snapper, Black Fin Snapper, Dog Snapper, Yellow Tail Snapper, Marble Grouper, Black Fin Tuna, Spanish Mackerel, Mutton Snapper, Redhind Grouper, Saddle Grouper, Schoolmaster, Coral Trout, Bar Jack, Pike, Zander, Perch, Tench, Bream, Roach, Rudd, Common Carp, Golden Tench, Wels Catfish
Species Caught 2008
Dorado, Wahoo, Barracuda, Bonito, Black Fin Tuna, Long Tom, Sergeant Major, Red Snapper, Black Damsel, Queen Trigga Fish, Red Grouper, Redhind Grouper, Rainbow Wrasse, Grey Trigger Fish, Ehrenbergs Snapper, Malabar Grouper, Lunar Fusiler, Two Tone Wrasse, Starry Dragonet, Convict Surgeonfish, Moonbeam Dwarf Angelfish,Bridled Monocle Bream, Redlined Triggerfish, Cero Mackeral, Rainbow Runner
Species Caught 2007
Arapaima, Alligator Gar, Mekong Catfish, Spotted Sorubim Catfish, Pacu, Siamese Carp, Barracuda, Black Fin Tuna, Queen Trigger Fish, Red Snapper, Yellow Tail Snapper, Honeycomb Grouper, Red Grouper, Schoolmaster, Cubera Snapper, Black Grouper, Albacore, Ballyhoo, Coney, Yellowfin Goatfish, Lattice Spinecheek

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