Undersize Bass In Your Possesion

If you have an undersize Bass in your possession only if the fish will not go back alive what should you do if the fisheries people come along.What would happen in this case would someone have to suffer the consequences ?

put it back in the water for the rest of the marine ecosystem to use/consume!

I have often wondered about this, especially when the fish is deep hooked they are no more good. I kept the last one he was 38cm, I spent about 10 mins trying to get him to go but he was finished and there was alot of blood, I was actually a bit nervous as if I was caught I would not be believed, it seems like a waste to leave a fish weighing about 1.5 pounds floating in the water waiting for the birds to eat him, is it not more humane to kill the fish fully and not let him go to waste. It is a tricky one

the foxes around here love fishes like that

I have often wondered about this, especially when the fish is deep hooked they are no more good. I kept the last one he was 38cm, I spent about 10 mins trying to get him to go but he was finished and there was alot of blood, I was actually a bit nervous as if I was caught I would not be believed, it seems like a waste to leave a fish weighing about 1.5 pounds floating in the water waiting for the birds to eat him, is it not more humane to kill the fish fully and not let him go to waste. It is a tricky one

Someone had asked what i would do and i didnt know. I guess just putting it back is the best thing to do but it is a tricky one for people

I have often wondered about this, especially when the fish is deep hooked they are no more good. I kept the last one he was 38cm, I spent about 10 mins trying to get him to go but he was finished and there was alot of blood, I was actually a bit nervous as if I was caught I would not be believed, it seems like a waste to leave a fish weighing about 1.5 pounds floating in the water waiting for the birds to eat him, is it not more humane to kill the fish fully and not let him go to waste. It is a tricky one

Someone had asked what i would do and i didnt know. I guess just putting it back is the best thing to do but it is a tricky one for people

It is a tricky one as I am a keen believer in the catch and release for bass and all fish really. Saying that once people are obeying the bass laws I am happy enough, but in this case if the fish is too injuired to swim off and you have tried everything to get it to go I think it is ok to keep it even if it is undersized, but it is a huge risk to take and one that could ruin you name.

This is just my opinion but an undersized fish is an undersized fish. Getting caught with a bass under 40 is against the law, doesnt matter what your reasons are for keeping it.

There really is no excuse for keeping a fish under 40cm, whatever your motives. If you could keep a fish just because it wouldn't go back alive it would give carte blanche to every Tom, Dick and Harry to keep any fish they catch under 40 and claim it was only because they wouldn't go back. If you can't get a small fish back alive, leave it in the water, don't give the poachers any excuse to justify their own actions.

You're also liable to a €150 on-the-spot fine and confiscation of all your gear if you're caught.

There really is no excuse for keeping a fish under 40cm, whatever your motives. If you could keep a fish just because it wouldn't go back alive it would give carte blanche to every Tom, Dick and Harry to keep any fish they catch under 40 and claim it was only because they wouldn't go back. If you can't get a small fish back alive, leave it in the water, don't give the poachers any excuse to justify their own actions.

You're also liable to a €150 on-the-spot fine and confiscation of all your gear if you're caught.

I've seen a number of posts similar to the original one in this topic concerning small bass and seatrout, Bradan has answered the "dilemma" perfectly.

There really is no excuse for keeping a fish under 40cm, whatever your motives. If you could keep a fish just because it wouldn't go back alive it would give carte blanche to every Tom, Dick and Harry to keep any fish they catch under 40 and claim it was only because they wouldn't go back. If you can't get a small fish back alive, leave it in the water, don't give the poachers any excuse to justify their own actions.

You're also liable to a €150 on-the-spot fine and confiscation of all your gear if you're caught.

I've seen a number of posts similar to the original one in this topic concerning small Bass and seatrout, Bradan has answered the "dilemma" perfectly.

Yep he has, well at least people are thinking along the right lines.To be honest i never take one over or undersize something my son will do everytime he gets a bass is say get him back in fast his first ever bass he caught he kept that was about six years ago .So now he just enjoys the sport of catching them.Maybe the best way to instal this kind of fishing is to educate the kids i have seen it works with my son.Thanks for your views on this more are welcome .

I have found if this happens especially in a group of around 4-6, if youve consumed the best part of 2 gallons of the cheapest alcoholic drink on offer in your local aldi/lidl and you have a total disregard for the English or Irish language or law, the enviornment,the local people, the economy, your fellow angler, Ireland North/South or the future then you can basically keep what you desire without fear of reprisal

Tight lines
Aaron

Quiet simple really if its wrong and against the law dont do it! No discussion required, there is a law in place respect it or else you're no better than those who knowingly do not!

snip off the line with the hook still in the fishes belly, nobody is going to catch undersize bass and start a surgey operation throwing hooks down a fishes neck to get away with it, seems an awful waste to just throw it back in, bit like the case down in kilmore quay with the trawlers bringing in tonnes of fish to the harbour for the locals that were to be thrown overboard because the quotas were filled. ye cant just throw good tucker away . Im all for the bass law and think its only logical to put back fish undersize and any other fish for that matter but throwing it back in doesnt seems logical if it cant survive

It's the law. Logic has nothing to do with it. Or rather, it has a logic all of its own.

snip off the line with the hook still in the fishes belly, nobody is going to catch undersize Bass and start a surgey operation throwing hooks down a fishes neck to get away with it, seems an awful waste to just throw it back in, bit like the case down in kilmore quay with the trawlers bringing in tonnes of fish to the harbour for the locals that were to be thrown overboard because the quotas were filled. ye cant just throw good tucker away . Im all for the Bass law and think its only logical to put back fish undersize and any other fish for that matter but throwing it back in doesnt seems logical if it cant survive

So are you saying you would keep the undersized fish and risk the fine IF caught.... Leave the fish back into the sea and yes its not nice to think of the death its going to have but at the end of the day any one who takes an undersized bass is breaking the LAW

Dave

well thankfully it hasnt happened yet and ive returned all undersize bass, but i bloody hope it doesnt happen might have to ring joe duffy up .

snip off the line with the hook still in the fishes belly, nobody is going to catch undersize Bass and start a surgey operation throwing hooks down a fishes neck to get away with it, seems an awful waste to just throw it back in, bit like the case down in kilmore quay with the trawlers bringing in tonnes of fish to the harbour for the locals that were to be thrown overboard because the quotas were filled. ye cant just throw good tucker away . Im all for the Bass law and think its only logical to put back fish undersize and any other fish for that matter but throwing it back in doesnt seems logical if it cant survive

I have to agree in one sense, it does seem to be a waste to let a fish floating in the water, on the other hand I wouldnt like to see people using this an excuse if they were caught. I think everbody has their opinion on this topic, its not a clear cut as some people say, yes the law is being broken but common sense plays a big part, like we all know that if we kept 2 fish over 40 cm everytime we caught a few bass then the stocks would also be in trouble, but by the law we could keep them but common sense says put them back even though we are allowed take them, in this case if the fish is no more good then I would have no problem with a geniune angler keeping the fish. Honestly and common sense is whats required, I dont think a guy should get his head bit off for telling his opinion here, nobody wants healthy bass taken out of the water regarless what size they are.

its not a clear cut as some people say, yes the law is being broken but common sense plays a big part,

I dissagree. Common sense has nothing to do with it and its very clear cut. Its black and white. A bass less than 40cm is under sized and illegal to have in your possesion. A report from here was deleted a few years ago because it had pictures of undersized bass on a ruler even tho the fish were returned alive. I didnt exactly agree with the report being removed but i understood the reasons for it.
If your way of thinking was deemed ok, whats to stop a lad from manually inserting the hook in deep just so he could argue that it wouldnt have gone back if he was caught with the fish in his possesion?

its not a clear cut as some people say, yes the law is being broken but common sense plays a big part,

I dissagree. Common sense has nothing to do with it and its very clear cut. Its black and white. A Bass less than 40cm is under sized and illegal to have in your possesion. A report from here was deleted a few years ago because it had pictures of undersized Bass on a ruler even tho the fish were returned alive. I didnt exactly agree with the report being removed but i understood the reasons for it.
If your way of thinking was deemed ok, whats to stop a lad from manually inserting the hook in deep just so he could argue that it wouldnt have gone back if he was caught with the fish in his possesion?

I never mentioned anything about leaving a bass deeped hooked, that was another member but I hear what your saying thats why I said common sense and honesty plays a huge part of it, I still believe the law is correct and a fine should be issued for any undersize bass caught in an anglers possession. My point is I would have no problem in an angler taking that fish if there was no way it could survive, I feel it is more humane to take the bass out of the water and put it out of its misery also. Finally I also believe we should use common sense thats all as I said earlier the law is there to protect bass but if we didnt use common sense we would take 2 bass over 40 cm every time we caught a few decent bass in a session, we would not be breaking any laws but we would ruin bass fishing. I am not looking for my way of thinking to be deemed ok, I am simply only expressing my opinion, I am not looking to change any laws or rules, "USE COMMON SENSE"

its not a clear cut as some people say, yes the law is being broken but common sense plays a big part,

I dissagree. Common sense has nothing to do with it and its very clear cut. Its black and white. A Bass less than 40cm is under sized and illegal to have in your possesion. A report from here was deleted a few years ago because it had pictures of undersized Bass on a ruler even tho the fish were returned alive. I didnt exactly agree with the report being removed but i understood the reasons for it.
If your way of thinking was deemed ok, whats to stop a lad from manually inserting the hook in deep just so he could argue that it wouldnt have gone back if he was caught with the fish in his possesion?

I never mentioned anything about leaving a Bass deeped hooked, that was another member but I hear what your saying thats why I said common sense and honesty plays a huge part of it, I still believe the law is correct and a fine should be issued for any undersize Bass caught in an anglers possession. My point is I would have no problem in an angler taking that fish if there was no way it could survive, I feel it is more humane to take the Bass out of the water and put it out of its misery also. Finally I also believe we should use common sense thats all as I said earlier the law is there to protect Bass but if we didnt use common sense we would take 2 Bass over 40 cm every time we caught a few decent Bass in a session, we would not be breaking any laws but we would ruin Bass fishing. I am not looking for my way of thinking to be deemed ok, I am simply only expressing my opinion, I am not looking to change any laws or rules, "USE COMMON SENSE"

Dexs i get what you are saying about common sense and its true if people were to take every oversize fish they catch we would have a big problem.Everyone here has given good points on this and it was only if the fish would not go back alive but i know people who would take every fish they catch under or over. which i think is a bigger problem than the odd bass not being able to be returned alive.Now this is only talking for myself and no one else.Its rare for a bass not to go back for me but not rare to see undersize fish been taken by a new crop of anglers a shame really......