Killing fish

[Sportsman]

Easy - when you're shooting, the object is to kill whatever you're shooting at; when you're fishing (in this scenario) the object is to return the fish alive and well.

 

Obviously there's no point in shooting something and then hoping it gets better.

 

If you think fish can experience distress and/or pain, the bigger picture is that catching and releasing hundreds of fish is worse than catching and killing one, regardless of how 'humane' you judge its death to be.

 

I think the key point there is alive AND WELL

 

The debate is about fish that are not well and have a very low probability of survival.

[Anderoo]

I think the key point was the final line.

 

I was just pointing out the difference in intent between shooting and fishing. When shooting, you're trying to kill something that you know is going to suffer if it's not done quickly, so it makes sense to make it as quick and painless as you can. When fishing, you're trying to hook, land and return a fish without causing it any lasting harm. So I'm not surprised that with this mindset, many people choose to release damaged or wounded fish just in case they do survive. They didn't leave the house that morning wanting to kill something.

[Andy_1984]

you guys can talk a loada carp

 

heres a good question. how long would you wait with a fish that appears to be on its last fins before you decided to whack it on the head?

 

i ask because i once sat with someone elses pike that i had to deal with a deep hooked trace for almost an hour before it was ready to go. i held it for a few minutes but it kept wanting to go belly up so i kept it up right in a weigh sling until it was fighting fit.

[azrael]

you guys can talk a loada carp

 

heres a good question. how long would you wait with a fish that appears to be on its last fins before you decided to whack it on the head?

 

i ask because i once sat with someone elses pike that i had to deal with a deep hooked trace for almost an hour before it was ready to go. i held it for a few minutes but it kept wanting to go belly up so i kept it up right in a weigh sling until it was fighting fit.

 

i would not be the patient one to hold it up for that long but you are right some fish can take a very long time to get recovered and so not good to be tempted to kill them in case decision to early

 

a good idea if do not want to wait to long is to support them held in the flow with bank sticks facing up to the current it stops them going belly upwards or floating away in the current fish that look almost dead can get liven up after a log time and kick to want to swim away and then the time comes to remove the sticks and they swim away. not getting the chance if they have been whacked already on the head

[Phone]

Andy,

 

An hour is a bit long (maybe even extreme). Do you guys "swim" a fish in distress? I can't think of a fish that didn't want to be tail released after more than 3 - 4 minutes.

 

Phone

 

Different customs dictate different actions. Leaving a fish in or on a mat - even in a brisk stream would be considered cruel over here.

[Emma two]

you guys can talk a loada carp

 

heres a good question. how long would you wait with a fish that appears to be on its last fins before you decided to whack it on the head?

 

i ask because i once sat with someone elses pike that i had to deal with a deep hooked trace for almost an hour before it was ready to go. i held it for a few minutes but it kept wanting to go belly up so i kept it up right in a weigh sling until it was fighting fit.

 

 

All one saturday afternoon and well into the evening at a quite remote lake spot a few years ago, she was a big one of 22lbs. I held her upright in a highlt oxygenated feeder stream. Each time I let her go she went belly up but appeared to be breathing strongly. Eventually she kept the right way up and swam off.

 

Last year I released a oike which had been hooked in the mouth with no unhooking complications, yet it surfaced after release good way along the shorefew hundred yards until I could reach with the landing net, then it was nursed while upright until i kicked off and swam away, the whole business took much longer than an hour.

 

On the other hand I have returned fish which upon reflection I should have killed, there is s deep feeling, a voice inside us which tells us what is folly and what isn't. Those of those fish I have found 2 dead found dead later, one washed up while I was still fishing, and another which I saw hours later from the boat on the floor of a crystal clear shallow bay.

Edited August 28, 2012 by Emma two

[robtherake]

Last year I released a oike which had been hooked in the mouth

 

Interesting typo - do those oikes put up much of a fight?

[Emma two]

Interesting typo - do those oikes put up much of a fight?

 

 

Very often a splendid one, strong boring deep runs and leaping clear of the water gill flaring, tail walking , the lot!

[Sportsman]

i would not be the patient one to hold it up for that long but you are right some fish can take a very long time to get recovered and so not good to be tempted to kill them in case decision to early

 

a good idea if do not want to wait to long is to support them held in the flow with bank sticks facing up to the current it stops them going belly upwards or floating away in the current fish that look almost dead can get liven up after a log time and kick to want to swim away and then the time comes to remove the sticks and they swim away. not getting the chance if they have been whacked already on the head

 

And how many of the fish that have been revived this way die later, or doesn't that count?

[azrael]

And how many of the fish that have been revived this way die later, or doesn't that count?

 

sometimes they do not recover and die but they had a chance but some swim away strongly

 

i confess i do not know how many that swim away survice longtime it may be 0% or 50% or 100% i just do not know

 

but from those bashed on the head until dead i am sure 0% survive

 

those who release fish can not be sure they survive but those who kill them can not be sure they would not have survived if returned we all do what we think is the best thing to do