Bass.... C&R or 1 for the Table. Info and debate

You know I put back the vast majority of any fish that I catch, and I see no reason why I should publically state why I kept a particular fish. It seems like political correctness gone mad (which is something that genuinely p**ses me off, but that is for another board*).
jd

I had a quick look at this topic this morning before i went out. I was helping a a customer who was here with me last year, and the year before, to develop his distance fly casting. He has now become a friend and travels to Ireland from Switzerland to fish on a regular basis. During the session he asked me if everything was ok - i was looking a bit distracted. I was thinking about what i read on this forum of course.

To say the least im a bit surprised by the interpretation or rather misinterpretation of the topic by many people. There is always a failure within these forums to communicate effectively so its easy to misread things in comparison to face to face discussion. Many thanks to the people who tried to re-emphasise some of the points made and indeed some made by myself in relation to the photograph. The expansion of the discussion is also very interesting and makes good reading.

If i see a foto of a dead fish on this or other forums i will try and balance that occurence with a counter discussion. Its not an attack on the angler its a measure to offer the viewer an alternative option lest it be considered the norm.

gents - are you going to suggest then that if your taking a bass to take a 3 pounder rather than the 8 pounder - due to the breeding patterns etc.?

not that im likely to ever hook one of these chaps and if i did - he would be swiming away again from me without question!

as regards the thread - regulars on the site appreciate that so much can be lost in the context of a post - the next time a new poster throws up a pic of this nature - hopefully we wont have to go through this discussion again - im sure the new poster will clarify themselves if asked openly or by pm

and only then can an assessment be made

Hi all,

This is some information and debate from another thread on the forum.
http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bull ... php?t=9066

This information was moved to this thread as the topic moved on from the catch report to conservation of Bass in Ireland.

Kevin.

Although this issue is not one the new Irish Bass Protection and Awareness Group is particularly focused on, this might be a good opportunity to direct concerned anglers to [url=http://www.irishbass.org]www.irishbass.org[/url].

:lol: aye thats the answer hide it away in the conservation dungeon :idea: :roll:

Bass.... C&R or 1 for the Table. Info and debate

Is that really what all that was about ?

I think its been stated on numerous occasions

and if you do post a shot of a keeper, at least justify it by saying, as you do, that it is the odd one.

f you post a picture depicting a large bass or any of the above fish (and others) dead then you expect negative comeback, its something that sickens alot of anglers, especially those who have put a great deal of effort into positively promoting our sport, and to question their morality regarding other posts is laughable.

If an angler catches a fish kills it and takes a foto and posts it to an open forum and others like this, then i think he has to expect some response - positive and otherwise. There is a degree of responsibility here in relation to perception especially in todays difficult angling arena.

Imagine the same post if the pic was by the sea, no one would know about the fishes fate and nothing would have been said. Pretty simple really.

Marty

One way to look at the issue of dead fish of any species being pictured on any angling web site is that they are publicly viewable - and indeed downloadable, printable, editable and so forth

If someone, pictured with an 8lb obviously dead bass for example, wants to become that organisation beginning with P's latest poster child, feel free, I say. I'm sure it'll make you really popular with other anglers and an impressionable non-angling public.
.

I've had my say on dead fish pics a long time ago, I think my personal views are well known. I will not be commenting either way in the future. But as JimH mentioned, very shortly and sweetly, if you post pictures that are objectionable to anglers, expect flak.

if its fair to demonstrate a foto of a dead fish on this forum i feel its also fair to express the opposite opinion.

Thanks
Jim

you should expect large amounts of criticism for posting a picture of a mature bass dead

And the last by the man himself

they say a picture is worth a thousand words !!!.

Is anyone getting the message here :?: ive highlighted the common factor in red

I dont have a problem with keeping one for the table, the fish pictured I wouldnt have kept.. why >? because its mature breeding stock. as Corby has posted .. If you are going to keep a fish for the table, then think about what you are keeping ,
To avoid threads like this in the future I would suggest that posters do not post pictures of obviously dead fish

Perhaps the last word to cortaz

hi marty
i,ve been thinkin about this thread and agree that pics. of dead fish that anglers have killed,
can and do offend ppl. and gives the antis ammo. also its not the way forward for angleing/anglers.
and dare i say it from now on shoud be banned/limited/vetoed
you stood up and stuck your neck out to try and show me/us the way forward knowing you were going to get stick,i am also now aware of the good things you have done for your branch of the sport..men, like you are few and far between,continue the good work marty,
i think what i,am tryin to say is that sometimes! a person must take a few steps back before he can 1 forward.
art/

Andy

I don't think I am hiding it away in the

conservation dungeon

:?

This is why this section was created, to discuss and view opinions of this kind without repeatly putting them on angling reports threads. This was starting to put people off reporting catch reports, which is a major part of what this site is about.

Sandman wrote:
and if you do post a shot of a keeper, at least justify it by saying, as you do, that it is the odd one.

Why on earth should anyone have to justify keeping a fish to you, or anyone on this forum, regardless of their opinions

I could post my comments on most of the quotes that you chose, but I did not want to start a tit for tat debate. I agree with some and dissagree with others. I am strongly in favour of C&R, but also strongly believe in keeping the odd fish for the pot, which I do.

Taking fish for the pot is part of angling and the day we move away from this is the day we play right into that organisation beginning with P (and that other stupid group of people that Rockhopper mentioned earlier today) hands.

Remember that organisation beginning with P have already put this point forward in the US
If you only practice C&R, then surely this is cruel as you are not even eating the fish you catch. They make the point that catching a fish repeatly for sport is even more cruel.

Please remember that the support for SACN and other conservation bodies is from anglers. With this in mind, please give some thought to the way you raise your opinions on C&R and conservation. If conservation bodies repeatly frown and chastise Anglers that are taking a fish or two for the pot and post here and elsewhere in such a fashion then they will aggitate and turn off the very people they are looking to lobby for support.

Tight Lines,

Kevin

MAC

Did I not get the point across ?

Its the pictures of obviously dead fish .... thats the point , can you not see the harm that does ?
The quotes are to highlight the common factor in most of the arguments on thsi thread . ??????????????????????????

Andy

I suppose its not to justify a keeper - but just to give a new poster a chance to explain their ethos etc. - before any conclusions are drawn

as was said before - if we knew rodger well - this debate wouldnt have been as agressive and endurable

we are all anglers and we all have differing opinions -but as i was trying to put across earlier - we need context - we need to stick together and not fuel those other groups that oppose us

What harm does a picture of a dead fish Do :?: as long as it is taken for the pot...... That's my point. If someone only has the chance to photograph a fish when they get home.... so what Is there a difference between this and the same fish caught on the bank, before it is killed. No..... to say that one picture is better than the other only says one thing. People who don't want to see the picture of the dead fish are in denial about our Sport or hobby and why a huge majority of people go fishing.

So, if no pictures of dead fish are posted in the reports section,,, are no fish being killed :?:

Head in the sand, is a phrase that comes to mind.

Rather that preaching to the converted and aggitating anglers with similars hopes and goals, perhaps it would be better for angling conservationists (I include myself here) put the effort into lobbying against the Bass poaching epidemic that we seem to have in Southern Ireland.

Kev

Kev

I've spent the last twenty minutes formulating a reply to you
addressing each one of your points in turn etc etc

But you know what ... I just couldnt be arsed anymore

I guess its time for change

Andy

i have read all of the above statements and I don't wish to add fuel to the fire, but from what i have read above it seems that the majority believe in c+r and like to keep a fish for the pot and as for having to justify why we keep a fish I cant see why, its not illegal is it? as with many of you i would be up in arms if it was just a trophy shot, as for the anti's I wonder if they are all veggies and what would happen if someone said that carrots fell pain when cooked, not that they, would we all stare to death.

Anybody got the time or knowledge of how to get everything from this topic into a reader friendly document that could be sent to CFB IFSA Dept of Marine etc..

On another note would it be possible to get a petition done up and try get signatures at the fishing show in Feb from all anglers about Bass Protection Poaching/ etc? You know the guys who take dozens of those 8lbers in nets every day!!


Any thoughts/suggestions? Could IFSA possibly refuse to help? They will have a stand there I'm sure.

Lovely fish rodger, and a great post too , nothing it wrong with keeping one for the table and posting a picture for all anglers to see, as you said yourself you return 99% per cent of your fish, if you get a good one every once in a blue moon and youre proud to show it off fair play to you.

Anybody got the time or knowledge of how to get everything from this topic into a reader friendly document that could be sent to CFB IFSA Dept of Marine etc..

On another note would it be possible to get a petition done up and try get signatures at the fishing show in Feb from all anglers about Bass Protection Poaching/ etc? You know the guys who take dozens of those 8lbers in nets every day!!


Any thoughts/suggestions? Could IFSA possibly refuse to help? They will have a stand there I'm sure.

thats a great idea kstaff - to have something tangiable to be seen by the fishing show public - create awareness etc.

something positive coming out of this!

united we stand, divided we fall

we need to come to an agreement on this and after thinking on it and knowing that I personally only take an odd larger fish for the pot, maybe it would be wise to state this every time I post a photo of a dead fish. This would not be done to prevent offending anyone, but to let everyone know that I enjoy eating fish, believe in c+r and the future stocks. If possible I like to get photo's of fish when they are caught as this is in their best state and if I am keeping one then the fish is dispatched swiftly and before photo's.
I hope no-one will leave this great site, lose friends or stops posting photo's

Some posts here have been bordering on the hysterical. MAC's point is I believe is well made.

Next thing some will have us putting back the mackerel come May. I would say that the silent majority of anglers (and lets remember it is an angler's site - right?) who log on here would have no objection to either the picture or the principal of taking a fish for the pot.

WF Sweeney is like the one eyed balor in a nation of the blind, and he gets stick from someone who prejudges him/her because of the number of posts he's contributed?

I personally gave up posting reports on this site because of the tone of some comments others were making.

Live and let live.

<admin>Removed as comment was too personalised </admin>.

Anyone got some good recipes for sea bass?

I'm afraid I'd need the talents of the Crow, Drew et al to do a proper job but:

Sorted :lol:

Please refer to: http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/bull ... php?t=7634

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

<edit by jd>I removed response to moderated part of previous post</jd>

oh and i should say that its unfortunate that roger has become a scapegoat for this issue as i think people should realise that the main issue is not with the fact that he kept a large bass (although people know my opinion on this matter, but thats all it is, an opinion) but the issue of bass conservation and public presentation of such.

i personally have no problem with someone taking such a fish home for the table, for the simple reason it was caught on rod and line.
it isnt rod and line fisher men that put the population of bass in the state that it currently is..

as for those anti fishing protesters.. they have too much time on their hand if they are attempting to ban angling, they should be pointed in the direction of the cod crisis and see if they can get restricted zones in the sea for trawlers, but that would be too much effort, it so much easier to attack individual anglers with scare tactics to stop them fishing an area of beach..

i disagree with any one that will catch and take home more than they need for the pot though, even if they have the excuse of taking it home for the cat..

i myself am guilty of taking a bass home for consumption.. does that make me a bad person.. and after reading what those anti fishing groups have to say, i doubt that they can complain with that fact either. isnt it better to put a fish out of its misery than let it suffer( i'd hate to see what they'd be like around mackerel season with live fish drowning on the path), but then they'd probably say why kill a fish if it has a chance of survival, which would go against what they were saying in the first place..
i once had a run in with one of those 'save the fish' people.. he tried stopping me from setting up.. i asked him if he was a vegetarian.. as soon as he said no i asked him how could he live with himself with the knowledge that cattle and sheep and other livestock are only reared so that could be slaughtered so he could enjoy a steak or roast ham.. never saw him since...

sorry for going a bit off topic there.. just needed to get that off my chest..

so when it comes down to C & R or one for the pot... i think it comes down to moderation and the satisfaction of either knowing that you released a good fish to live a longer life or that the one you brought home means one less fish for poachers to make money on and you get to enjoy a fresh fish for dinner..