Eating Perch...or any other prized species.

[Guest rabbit]

I fish for thick-lipped grey mullet, so normally I only see tempting glimpses of my quarry. Occasionally I catch a fish, but most days, like most mulleteers, I blank.

 

So it's OK to pull/yank/coax/extract a fish from the water for your gratification? It's a rhetorical question, I think its OK for me so I must think it is OK for you to do the same. There are others who think it to be somewhat bizarre.

 

Just to make my position 100% clear:

 

I've fished for 40 years.

I think its OK to catch fish for fun.

I think its OK to catch fish to eat.

I can't remember the last time I caught a fish and did not release it unless it was a mackerel, but as long as taking a fish is not a crime, I reserve my right to do so.

 

FWIW I never really kept fish behind glass, but I kinda grew up in an aquarium as my father used to breed all sorts of tropical fish. My favourites were the Cory's though. I think it's because most of them don't have a common name that I like them so much!

Well said, Mullet eh? Now thats an elusive fish gotta be the most frustrating of fish to catch. Respect

Its a good thread and has been debated well Cheers..

Off to bed, early start in the morning.

[Paul Boote]

Sheesh! I used to have a smidgin' of respect for you once, but this is just rubbish. Whose 'unwritten law'?

 

 

Yup. No doubt about it. When it turns crabby and rather personal - as in the above and in Gerry Castle's (argyll's) pop at me earlier about tablets (I'm on water and coffee tonight, like most nights, Gerz - I hate to have my terrifying intellect impaired by anything) - it's definitely about Hunting. It's the principle they want us to admit to, you see, guys? Taking a few coarse fish for the pot now, taking out a 'nuisance' otter tomorrow... Slippery slopes. Watch them.

Edited April 11, 2006 by Paul Boote

[corydoras]

Well Peter I aint gonna eat my barbel to blunt the antis weapon ,

I hope not, I'll bet they taste vile. Not even Mrs Beeton could tempt me.

http://thefoody.com/mrsbfish/barbel.html

Edited April 11, 2006 by corydoras

[Guest rabbit]

Sheesh! I used to have a smidgin' of respect for you once, but this is just rubbish. Whose 'unwritten law'?

Bloody Hell Cory I was nice to you then I read this Calm down... Its the way. the new beginning.

 

Can I have my smidgen back?.... please

[Guest rabbit]

I hope not, I'll bet they taste vile. Not even Mrs Beeton could tempt me.

http://thefoody.com/mrsbfish/barbel.html

 

No! No! No! I am not gonna read it.

 

I am really going to bed now, well at least I will be able to sleep.

Edited April 11, 2006 by rabbit

[peter mccue]

Yup. No doubt about it. When it turns crabby and rather personal - as in the above and in Gerry Castle's (argyll's) pop at me earlier about tablets (I'm on water and coffee tonight, like most nights, Gerz - I hate to have my terrifying intellect impaired by anything) - it's definitely about Hunting. It's the principle they want us to admit to, you see, guys? Taking a few coarse fish for the pot now, taking out a 'nuisance' otter tomorrow... Slippery slopes. Watch them.

 

Thats interesting Paul, do you not see yourself as indulging your hunting instincts when fishing?

[Steve Coppolo]

This retaining the right to kill course fish being justification for angling is a total cop out. Angling is a sport. It's internationally recognised as a sport. It's the U.K's biggest participant sport.

 

Have a look in the dictionary at what sport is if you aren't sure.

 

Do people who go shooting clay pigeons and targets need to kill something with their gun every now and then to justify their right to shoot for sport? Of course they don't, and yet guns were designed and built to kill things with.

 

The livebaiting argument is pretty weak too. Livebaiting is a method of fishing, for sport, which involves the use of a live bait. Worms are live, maggots are live, crabs are live. Where do you want to draw the line? How silly do we have to get? Predatory fish eat small fish. Small fish will get eaten by predatory fish whether they are used as bait or not. Taking a small fish from a water that holds predators, and using it as a live bait cannot be compared to killing a prized fish to eat. Livebaits are just that, bait.

 

Things might have been different in the past. Eating course fish might have been the norm years ago but things have moved on since then. Angling has moved into the 21st century and most anglers nowdays are responsible and care about the fish they target and catch. Just look at how the majority of carp anglers care for their fish. Un-hooking mats, anti-septic for the lips, etc. Pike anglers are a lot more responsible now. Minimum line strengths, certain rigs banned, barbless hooks, banning of gags, etc. It's respect for the fish that have given us pleasure.

 

I personally don't believe that the majority of anglers think it's O.K to kill course fish to eat in this day and age. I also think that those who feel the need to retain the right to do so are missing the essence of the sport, or at least what I consider the essence of the sport to be.

[Sportsman]

Yup. No doubt about it. When it turns crabby and rather personal - as in the above and in Gerry Castle's (argyll's) pop at me earlier about tablets (I'm on water and coffee tonight, like most nights, Gerz - I hate to have my terrifying intellect impaired by anything) - it's definitely about Hunting. It's the principle they want us to admit to, you see, guys? Taking a few coarse fish for the pot now, taking out a 'nuisance' otter tomorrow... Slippery slopes. Watch them.

 

Sorry Paul but when I read paranoid garbage like this I just have to get crabby.

I have seen more demands for killing fish predators (cormorants) on the coarse fishing thread than I have ever heard about killing the odd nuisance otter.

Most of the posts on this thread have been well argued, this I'm afraid is just plain silly

[Sportsman]

This retaining the right to kill course fish being justification for angling is a total cop out. Angling is a sport. It's internationally recognised as a sport. It's the U.K's biggest participant sport.

 

Have a look in the dictionary at what sport is if you aren't sure.

 

Do people who go shooting clay pigeons and targets need to kill something with their gun every now and then to justify their right to shoot for sport? Of course they don't, and yet guns were designed and built to kill things with.

 

The livebaiting argument is pretty weak too. Livebaiting is a method of fishing, for sport, which involves the use of a live bait. Worms are live, maggots are live, crabs are live. Where do you want to draw the line? How silly do we have to get? Predatory fish eat small fish. Small fish will get eaten by predatory fish whether they are used as bait or not. Taking a small fish from a water that holds predators, and using it as a live bait cannot be compared to killing a prized fish to eat. Livebaits are just that, bait.

 

Things might have been different in the past. Eating course fish might have been the norm years ago but things have moved on since then. Angling has moved into the 21st century and most anglers nowdays are responsible and care about the fish they target and catch. Just look at how the majority of carp anglers care for their fish. Un-hooking mats, anti-septic for the lips, etc. Pike anglers are a lot more responsible now. Minimum line strengths, certain rigs banned, barbless hooks, banning of gags, etc. It's respect for the fish that have given us pleasure.

 

I personally don't believe that the majority of anglers think it's O.K to kill course fish to eat in this day and age. I also think that those who feel the need to retain the right to do so are missing the essence of the sport, or at least what I consider the essence of the sport to be.

 

How big does a live bait have to be before it becomes unacceptable ?

What has that got to do with maggots or worms

As for carp anglers caring for their fish, thats a joke given the apalling catch and release practices I see on TV from so called experts.

Sorry, too many double standards around for me

Edited April 11, 2006 by Sportsman

[argyll]

Taking a few coarse fish for the pot now, taking out a 'nuisance' otter tomorrow... Slippery slopes. Watch them.

 

Where are you off to tonight Paul...Mars, Venus, Neptune ?

 

'