How do you feel about using dead and livebaits?

[Dick Dastardly]

And whats the difference in using a live worm to a live fish?

 

Spot on Brian! But of course we both know the answer and that's simply that we dont want people to kill fish because we want to catch them ourselves! Its the only reason we really "care" if we are brutally honest cause if we cared that much for the fish themselves (rather than just catching them) we wouldn't fish!

[lutra]

Spot on Brian! But of course we both know the answer and that's simply that we dont want people to kill fish because we want to catch them ourselves! Its the only reason we really "care" if we are brutally honest cause if we cared that much for the fish themselves (rather than just catching them) we wouldn't fish!

Maybe I'm lucky in that most of the fishing i do is on waters that are perfectly self-sustaining and farming a few fish off if done sensibly would have little to no effect.

 

I think unless you are removing the biggest most prized fish from a water then most waters (maybe not a tiny pond) will stand quite a lot of farming off and show little or no negative effect. In fact i can think of a few waters that would benefit from having half the stock taken out.

[Dick Dastardly]

Maybe I'm lucky in that most of the fishing i do is on waters that are perfectly self-sustaining and farming a few fish off if done sensibly would have little to no effect.

 

I think unless you are removing the biggest most prized fish from a water then most waters (maybe not a tiny pond) will stand quite a lot of farming off and show little or no negative effect. In fact i can think of a few waters that would benefit from having half the stock taken out.

 

 

Totally agree,

[Phone]

lutra,

 

I too agree.

 

Our problem is that predators and prey aren't taken in the same proportions. The prey fish over populate in an explosion and then are "blamed" for ruining the fishing. Without some interviening management it would take nature years and years to balance out again. Left totally unattended nature eventually gets the upper hand but in the meantime we have some real messes.

 

An example, the one I know best, is common carp. Not introduced as a "sportfish" in the 1800's but as a food fish. It has become naturalized and is a prolific spawner. Native fishes can keep carp well in check without angler intervention. But if you (we anglers) catch 75% of the walleye (zander) for the pot the remaining 25% can't control carp populations. Not the carp's fault.

 

My comment is only slightly off subject. I can't tell you how many times I've seen "left over" live bait dumped into the venue. Much worse, IMO, than lip hooking or killing a fish for bait.

 

Phone

[Ken L]

"Why do people think its ok to live bait if you hook them in the lips only and not the body?surely the lips are more "sensitive" than the rest of the body? or am I anthropomorphising?"

 

As you know, I don't do a great deal of livebaiting but when I do, I tend to use fish in the 4 - 5" range. Lip hooking these works just fine from the standpoint of hookup rates for predators and ensures that the baitfish stays livelier longer.

I don't have any qualms about mounting a live fish on a big single in the tropics but don't tend to do it much here.

 

The only downside of lip hooking is casting distance but that's not really a problem where I tend to livebait.

[Guest Chris Perch]

I have used both live and dead and killed fish for use as bait but always felt a little guilty when I did it so no longer use live or dead baits.

If you have moral issues with using lives or dead baits you should consider weather you think its right maybe find other methods to catch that specimen.

I used to feel that twinge of guilt when killing or injuring a fish for bait when live baiting so no longer do it but felt ok using dead baits bought from the tackle shop.

At the end of the day its your decision and if you feel its morally wrong or you feel bad about it maybe consider another method.

Its up to each individual to make that decision.

[Dick Dastardly]

Its up to each individual to make that decision.

 

 

And accept that others decision may be different to yours.

[Guest Chris Perch]

And accept that others decision may be different to yours.

 

Yes sure (Its up to the individual)

[lutra]

Its up to each individual to make that decision.

And long may that be the case.

[Dick Dastardly]

And long may that be the case.

 

But sadly I doubt that will be! Even sadder (IMO) though is it will most likely be "fellow" anglers who deprive me of this choice and not the "anti's" or Joe Public