Taking fish for food?

[Errrm]

Hi,

 

Once of the clubs I'm a member of allows me to take 2 grayling and 2 trout from the river each day, what do people think about this? Should I embrace it and kill fish to eat? If so how is is best to kill them, is there a lower/upper limit for the size of fish you would take?

 

Errrm

[Newt]

Do it or don't do it is pretty much a matter of what you prefer since it is allowed. Hopefully the club is aware of the fish population and is confident that sort of pressure won't harm the fishery.

 

As to what you take -

- Males better than females if you can tell the difference as it requires very few males to fertalize the eggs.

- No matter if you are taking males or females, fish toward the lower limit of 'keepers' will be better since larger females lay many more eggs and the percentage of viable eggs is much higher than with smaller fish.

- Dispatching them with a sharp blow to the skull top right above the eyes using a priest or similar is by far the fastest way to kill them.

[bingo]

Personally I don't get any extra pleasure in killing a fish after I've caught it so I put them back. Trout are so easy to catch on coarse gear that it seems unsporting to knock them on the head. It just seems like killing for the sake of killing. Sure I COULD take some but its not why I go fishing. Just my opinion.

[Errrm]

Will a vicar do?

MC

I heard a Pope is no good because it damages the fish and make it more the head all hole..y.... :-)

[Ken L]

No problem, as long as it's done legally, sustainably and there are guidlines such as slot limits and maximum takes designed to protect the ecology of the fishery.

[peter mccue]

Don't really see why you shouldn't if it's allowed. The only criteria I would make is if they're good sized Wild trout I'd put them back, if they were stockies take what you're allowed if you wish.

 

Again if they're big Grayling put them back, but as long as you have a decent population in the stretch you're fishing, a couple of medium sized fish every now & then make a very tasty dinner!

[Errrm]

Don't really see why you shouldn't if it's allowed. The only criteria I would make is if they're good sized Wild trout I'd put them back, if they were stockies take what you're allowed if you wish.

 

Again if they're big Grayling put them back, but as long as you have a decent population in the stretch you're fishing, a couple of medium sized fish every now & then make a very tasty dinner!

 

There are none stocked Rainbows in there and I think the brown trout are stocked every closed season. There are quite a lot of graylings in the stretch. How do you tell the diference between a stocked trout and a wild? I vaguely remember something about the fins, maybe stock trouts have a staunted fin perhaps?

 

Thanks for the advice everyone, I still haven't made up my mind but I'm atleast getting more of an idea about it.

 

Errrm

[Guest Rabbit]

How do you tell the diference between a stocked trout and a wild? I vaguely remember something about the fins, maybe stock trouts have a staunted fin perhaps?

 

 

 

Errrm

 

Wild trout have vibrant markings, and yes the deformed fins of a 'stockie' is a giveaway too

[dant]

This has proved to be a contentious subject on here in the past with many wide ranging views.

 

I personally echo Ken L's views..If it's legal, done with intelligence and in moderation I see no problem in taking the odd fish that you definitely intend to eat.

Theres only really a few British freshwater fish that are a worthwhile proposition for the table. Trout, Salmon, Grayling, Eels, Pike (if you can stick a mouth full of vicious y shaped bones) and Perch. With Perch you would have to have a fish of 1 1/2lb's to make it worthwhile and when they get to that sort of size I couldn't personally knock them on the head.

Eels, I think are much better smoked and then it's easier to source them from a high quality fishmonger.

A pike of anything upto 6lb's if you can stick the bones and it's been caught from a clear, fast flowing water can be ok but is it any better than a £3 farmed Bass from Sainsburys?

Stocked Trout are fair game so to speak...

Grayling I have eaten in Wales and I must admit, it was good. But similar to Perch, you need a largish fish to make it worthwhile. Is the joy on your palate equitable to the joy of seeing a mini Sailfish shoot off back into the fast water?

 

I fully support our right to take fish for the pot if we chose too but only if it's definitely going to be used...

[Errrm]

This has proved to be a contentious subject on here in the past with many wide ranging views.

 

I personally echo Ken L's views..If it's legal, done with intelligence and in moderation I see no problem in taking the odd fish that you definitely intend to eat.

Theres only really a few British freshwater fish that are a worthwhile proposition for the table. Trout, Salmon, Grayling, Eels, Pike (if you can stick a mouth full of vicious y shaped bones) and Perch. With Perch you would have to have a fish of 1 1/2lb's to make it worthwhile and when they get to that sort of size I couldn't personally knock them on the head.

Eels, I think are much better smoked and then it's easier to source them from a high quality fishmonger.

A pike of anything upto 6lb's if you can stick the bones and it's been caught from a clear, fast flowing water can be ok but is it any better than a £3 farmed Bass from Sainsburys?

Stocked Trout are fair game so to speak...

Grayling I have eaten in Wales and I must admit, it was good. But similar to Perch, you need a largish fish to make it worthwhile. Is the joy on your palate equitable to the joy of seeing a mini Sailfish shoot off back into the fast water?

 

I fully support our right to take fish for the pot if we chose too but only if it's definitely going to be used...

 

Yeah I forgot about the arguments this might cause when I posted it and regreted it a bit after a while but it seems to be ok at the moment :-). The only reason I would do it for trout/grayling is because apparently fresh fish is nice and I assumed that the club felt that there was enough fish in the area to sustain it.