keep net cruelty

[wesley]

On recently visiting my local Carp pond I noticed a large number of dead Roach and small Bream without apparent disease or injury. After walking round for a bit I discovered a few "anglers" with brimming keep nets, one boasting the proud catch of 20lb of fish including a 5lb common carp.A pond with no flow, on a warm day, a 12ft legal net with just 3ft in the 2ft shallows. I'm not very big, I'm disabled and I got pushed around a bit, but I shure spoiled his day.Can we as a fair sport do something about catch and release on still ponds "keepnet ban" for i've just found out that my local "Angling association" are to hold "Matches" (presumably who can be most cruel to fish trophy cup)on this particular venue.

[Peter Waller]

Nets used sensibly might not be a major problem but used less sensibly, such as you have illustrated, will damage a fishery, and our reputation. A pity that the offending anglers have such low I.Q.s

[kendo]

good on yer for confronting said offender wesley.

[Tog]

Keepnets, Never had one nor wanted one - just a quick kiss then put them back!

[Pangolin]

I can see a good use for a keepnet, and it's the reason I own one. When a decent fish is caught, I slip it into the net and put my rod out again, to try and catch another. If there is no action, I'll get my camera ready, set up the photograph I want, take the fish out of the net and photograph it, before returning it. My fish might spend up to half an hour in a keepnet: I've noticed that they don't thrash around in the net, so I'm satisfied it does them no harm. These are big fish, mind you: I can't see any need for retaining small fish in a net, as they are undoubtably more fragile than specimens.

[Dick Dastardly]

Not very fashionable now but in some situations I like to use a keepnet.It adds to the pleasure of my day to see what size bag I can put together when catching what would otherwise be quite uninteresting fish.A bit old fashioned maybe but there we go.Used properly they are acceptable in my book.Been using one for to long now to be convinced otherwise.Dont get me wrong though there are a lot of times where I think the use/incorrect use of one is wrong eg cramming loads of big bream in a standard diameter net,mixing big fish with small,carp in keepnets fullstop,use in hot weather in shallow water and keeping fish for ecsesive lengths of time.

I also believe that a lot of the dead fish you see arnt caused by being retained but by bad hooking/unhooking and handling.The fact that they are retained in a net just draws attention to these casualties where if they were just released they would still die but as they say "out of sight out of mind"

 

[ 24. May 2004, 11:06 PM: Message edited by: BUDGIE ]