My Record Wild brown trout from the TWEED

[Guest Wilko 09]

Well we are talking about totally different places.............

 

As Budgie has already aluded to, we are.

Again, that is the point,

[danny2391]

But be fair Danny that has to work both ways.

 

yes thats true but i,d be fair to my word and i would not fish a place that if i thought by me taking a fish for the table was going to effect the enviroment then i wouldnt fish it, and to do so would be reckless ! we are loosing sight of what fishing is really about ?

[Guest Wilko 09]

That has to be conceded as a fair point, but we don't see/hear those from 'our side' (and yes that's the way it has gone)bending the ears or tryin to pull the moral strings of those who want to return everything, I say to 'em, 'please do' and I actually admire them, on some waters with low levels of fish and high numbers of anglers returning everything may be the way to go. It's not for all of us, and we wish to be left alone to our way of life. ha ha like the confedarates.

 

I wouldn't disagree with any of this, it's all about achieving the balance

Edited December 21, 2011 by Wilko 09

[Dick Dastardly]

Yes I agree that the non killers do tend to leap a bit quick on the killers so to speak! Thats why I allways back up the killers!

[Emma two]

I think there are many factors to this which mostly lead to the same conclusion: There just was not the pressure then as there is now (human population increase, water abstraction, the introduction and spread of non-indigenous species leading to disease and competition etc), take eels as an example, many years ago (particularly in the South) they were taken and eaten routinely with no affect, however nowadays, their numbers have fallen almost to the point of extinction due to both commercial and environmental pressures

 

 

Yes and I stopped fishing for eels, just in case I killed one, while they were still selling them wholsale in London. Our local lake has no where nearr the pressure of angling on it than it had when I started there in the 60s. then one could hire out powing boats and summer weekends saw them all out, and coming back in loaded with pike for the gibbet (yes there was one) and perch and trout for eating.

Edited December 21, 2011 by Emma two

[Guest redfin2]

Why not just stick to the other forums then ? In all honesty I don't think anyone would miss you

 

Harsh, he is the one reason at the moment I log on here, makes a change from the next 'pin thread or the next Harrison rod The guy obviously knows a thing or two, and as he says on other forums his views would be the norm, I should know I am a member of most of them.

Don't want to make an enemy of you mate, just puttin the record straight .

[Guest redfin2]

Yes I agree that the non killers do tend to leap a bit quick on the killers so to speak! Thats why I allways back up the killers!

 

A bit odd that Budgie, are you saying you back the killers even if you don't approve of them killing

[Dick Dastardly]

A bit odd that Budgie, are you saying you back the killers even if you don't approve of them killing

 

Yes at face it would seem so! I will try and clarify (but remember this is how I see things on a personal level).

 

Personally I don't feel the need to kill a great deal as I'm not a great lover of eating fish. But I do still kill a few for the table and of course lets not forget as a pike/predator angler I indirectly kill fish for bait,be they used dead or alive. Also as an all round angler I accept that I still must kill even if unintentionally or unaware. through simply catching fish. However just because I don't like to eat fish then its not fair for me to condemn those that do! Yes I believe that certain restrictions are needed ie size and amount but the "right" to kill must be up held not only out of respect for other anglers who want to kill to eat but also for political reasons as well.

 

I really believe though that there is no need to kill specimen fish as they are lesser in number than smaller (often better eating) ones. But I also believe that the relatively few anglers who want to take fish for the pot (within the parameters) are going to have very little effect on the fish populations or quality of angling full stop.

 

Well those are my rational views.................my non rational one is that I'm kind of sick of the "fish are holy" attitude that has become rife in today's angling! Mainly because despite all the claims its often done mere to be fashionable/look good than for any genuine/commendable reasons! You know what I mean? ie the "I love carp more than anyone else in the world does" type attitude (incidentally insert any species of fish that's in vogue).

 

We seem to have drifted away from reality a bit with our deifying of our chosen quarry! As is often said if we are that worried about fish welfare then we should simply not fish! Perspective has been lost.

 

Sadly I think (and Im sure so do a lot of anti/potential anti anglers) that our love of fish and their enviroment can easily be seen as just selfish ie the only reason we care is so we can catch them!

 

I dislike the way many leap on the soap box of fish welfare just simply to gain the moral high ground. I hate seeing a fish laid on gravel but also equally hate reading the guy going off on one because a fish laid on grass isn't on a mat! I detest people that don't care if they deep hook pike but equally hate the ones who cant accept/admit it still sometimes happens! You starting to understand now? Balance,commonsense are what guide me and I wished all others.

 

I best stop now as I'm sure you now see where I'm coming from without labouring the point?

Edited December 22, 2011 by BUDGIE

[Dick Dastardly]

Harsh, he is the one reason at the moment I log on here, makes a change from the next 'pin thread or the next Harrison rod The guy obviously knows a thing or two, and as he says on other forums his views would be the norm, I should know I am a member of most of them.

Don't want to make an enemy of you mate, just puttin the record straight .

 

I think the reason is that AN dares to differ from the (now) mainstream train of thought! I say this as it has allways had a high number of well experienced, all round anglers as members. Most of the other forums (especially single species ones) are kind of brainwashed where they are all singing from the same hymn sheet and the only variation in opinion/posts are some sing louder than others!

 

A lot of the carp and pike forums are very fanatical and populated by relatively inexperienced/narrow experienced "angry young men" All having been brought up in the same modern scene.They follow both good and bad advice,fashions etc as set by their leading lights.As such all very much the same.................and why I no longer post on most of them as well! (Its a bit like you said even on here we have the tedium of repeated topics) But of course only tedious if you've seen them many times before and I'm sure well gripping for anyone who hasn't.

 

I enjoy the fact that AN has enough experienced and knowledgeable people that we can discuss things without feeling we have to comply with the "new rules" Like minded people tend to stay for the same reasons.We are not all "cliquey" as often some accuse as we often disagree BUT we still respect each others views and want to read alternative views (possibly in fact far more interesting if soundly based than just views that echo our own) Those who cant accept this,have nothing other than boring old rhetoric to add soon return to the "other" forums where they obviously feel more comfortable. And that suits most of us fine.

[Vagabond]

No, but if everybody did then it probably would, that is the point of this side of the debate

That is a common argument, but it really has no substance.

 

Firstly, not "everybody" is capable of catching enough fish to feed themselves, let alone a family. - it has been said many times that 90% of the fish are caught by 10% of the anglers - look at the records of any angling club - the same half-dozen names appear again and again in the prize lists.

 

Secondly, not "everybody" likes eating fish anyway - its many years since I have tasted any cyprinid - I just do not find them palatable.

 

Thirdly, a lot of freshwater fish are eaten in places like the USA, Eastern Europe, and anywhere in sub-Saharan Africa that is close to a river. There is no shortage whatsoever of freshwater fish in those three locations.