Killing fish

[AddictedToScopex]

...

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

This was pretty much the point I have been making all along. To be honest though I would say just let sleeping dogs lie. Those of us on the side of giving them a chance aren't going to change their minds and those of the opinion on a knock on the head aren't either. It seems the topic has been done to death now in the last 20 pages. I cant see anything else of use coming from the topic based on the last few posts.

[Guest redfin2]

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

Seem to remember my 'Handling Code' was ridiculed recently, might have been OTT in some ways but as most good practices cover all bases, but the message is still a good one.

 

A few well voiced points given by barbel anglers such as hold the fish for a minute in the landing net, keep the time out of the water to a minimum, and if you have to weigh/ photograph return the fish in a sack, before doing so.

 

Azreal staking fish out is not really good practice, and if you have not the patience to hold a fish until it recovers then you really need to rethink what you do perhaps. Having to recover a fish to that extent is a result of poor angling anyway and really it is an anglers duty do as much as possible.

 

Pike are pretty delicate out of the water, and do need careful and experienced handling, but of course it's a free for all out there, anyone can buy a packet if Aldi spinners with a cheap rod and reel, and off they go, should be some effort by EA to stop this, by perhaps having a separate licence?

 

All in all a good debate, but with a few tantrums thrown in too, and not a Rabbit to be seen, just like the Old Days

[Guest redfin2]

This was pretty much the point I have been making all along. To be honest though I would say just let sleeping dogs lie. Those of us on the side of giving them a chance aren't going to change their minds and those of the opinion on a knock on the head aren't either. It seems the topic has been done to death now in the last 20 pages. I cant see anything else of use coming from the topic based on the last few posts.

 

So Knock It On The Head?

 

No, educate don't capitulate.

[AddictedToScopex]

So Knock It On The Head?

 

No, educate don't capitulate.

??

[azrael]

Azreal staking fish out is not really good practice, and if you have not the patience to hold a fish until it recovers then you really need to rethink what you do perhaps. Having to recover a fish to that extent is a result of poor angling anyway and really it is an anglers duty do as much as possible.

 

Pike are pretty delicate out of the water, and do need careful and experienced handling, but of course it's a free for all out there, anyone can buy a packet if Aldi spinners with a cheap rod and reel, and off they go, should be some effort by EA to stop this, by perhaps having a separate licence?

 

tha lack of patience was refering to andys good work of over an hour restoring a fish to health i am fine with less then that

 

good you mention pike as it was the pac man who taught me the bank stick method i think they thought i might be wanting the fish for the pot

 

is supporting in bank sticks not a good method? seen it many times for pike but that in it self not meaning it best practice

[Akimbo Rob]

hope no one minds me putting my thoughts into this topic, I've been spinning and deadbaiting for a good number of years now and if i deep hook a fish i will try and get the hook out without harming the fish, the last pike i deephooked i spent an hour trying to get the hook out with hurting it or distressing it i'd try for a few minutes then replace the pike back into my landing net to recover, i only cut the hook as a last resort i hate leaving them in a fish, i now crush the barbs on my treble as it seems to make it easier to unhook in all situations, yes i do lose a lot of fish when playing them but it makes for better sport and for more troublefree unhooking.

 

I've never killed a fish personally, I've got a priest sat gathering dust in the top drawer of my desk still with the price tag on, I'd prefer to try and get the fish unhooked and back into the water to recover in the landing net before letting it go happy in the knowledge i've place a fish back in the water ready for another angler to catch another day

[Sportsman]

tha lack of patience was refering to andys good work of over an hour restoring a fish to health i am fine with less then that

 

good you mention pike as it was the pac man who taught me the bank stick method i think they thought i might be wanting the fish for the pot

 

is supporting in bank sticks not a good method? seen it many times for pike but that in it self not meaning it best practice

 

Can I just point out that the original post did not mention anything about knocking a fish on the head because it was tired and I lack the patience to revive it. I always have, and do revive fish for a long as it takes.

The post referred to fish that had been deep hooked and / or bleeding from the gills where I had reasonable expectation that, if returned, the fish would not survive. I last performed the act for this reason over five years ago, maybe as long as 10.

It also did not suggest that anyone else should kill fish for that, or indeed any other reason so I am not trying to persuade anyone to do anything.

The question was about whether or not any other anglers carried a priest.

 

The section that triggered the HYPOTHETICAL question about fish feeling pain was started by, ironically, Anderoo who asked a good question which I felt deserved a more in depth answer in a different thread.

 

I too feel that this thread has run its course, it has, for the most part, been interesting apart from the contributions who either didn't understand or didn't want to understand the question.

Edited August 28, 2012 by Sportsman

[azrael]

i must have missunderstood i thought it must happen a little more for some one to carry a priest as standard kit

 

if it has only been needed once in 5 or more years then it is a very hyperthetical question

 

so to answer your initial question no never carry a priest

[Andy_1984]

sportsman the pike i had to deal with was very badly deep hooked and played to exhaustion when the guy got it in i pulled its gut out to deal with the trace too, what an operation! i thought more than tiredness was going to kill it thankfully it never or maybe it did who knows? but i reckon it survived.

 

1 hour is a long time to wait i wondered if anyone would have given up sooner and bashed its head in, i dont have a problem with that btw, each to their own and all that.

 

i guess none of us can tell if a fish is going 1 way or the other.

 

azrael im sure the bank stick thing is also in one of my fox pike fishing books too, dont quote me on that though id need to check.

[Sportsman]

sportsman the pike i had to deal with was very badly deep hooked and played to exhaustion when the guy got it in i pulled its gut out to deal with the trace too, what an operation! i thought more than tiredness was going to kill it thankfully it never or maybe it did who knows? but i reckon it survived.

 

1 hour is a long time to wait i wondered if anyone would have given up sooner and bashed its head in, i dont have a problem with that btw, each to their own and all that.

 

i guess none of us can tell if a fish is going 1 way or the other.

 

azrael im sure the bank stick thing is also in one of my fox pike fishing books too, dont quote me on that though id need to check.

 

Andy

Some research in America on post hooking survival rates in Northern Pike showed that they seem to survive catch and release rather well. The thing that was most likely to result in death was deep hooking, way in front of bad handling or even time out of water. They found that one of the biggest killers was small trebles as they had a tendency to be swallowed further. Large trebles were found to be better for the pike and lure fishing was best of all as the pike didn't get chance to swallow the bait.