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| I'm slightly troubled.....
If catch and release is better than catch and keep, what's better than catch and release? Don't try to catch 'em at all? I've been giving this some thought this past year or so. The more I learn about Mr. Musky, the more I respect the critter. The more I respect the critter, the less I want to be a party to jamming it in the face with keenly sharpened hooks, and then fighting the beast back, hopefully, to the boat, where I'll temporariy suffocate it while I pull the hooks with my pliers and then snap a couple pictures. I help it recover from the shock and then watch it swim away. My last big fish, a 42" phatty, was a very quick, intense fight after a figure 8 strike, and hook removal was easy, but it took over 30 minutes to revive the brute. If the fish would have died I would have felt that the fun I had was not nearly worth the demise of the fish.
Hmmmm......some delima, eh?
You know, I don't respect kitty cats nearly as much as big muskies. What would be the right line type and test for casting for neighborhood cats? Seems barbed hooks are mandatory for cats, eh? And welding gloves to get 'em off the hook? (I threw this fake cat thing in to show I'm not a sneaky PETA Pete, trying to plant subversive anti-fishing posts on this site.)
Really, anyone else ever consider this issue, what's beyond catch and release? How will respectful anglers behave 100 or 200 years from now?
Rod tips up, gents,
Ranger |
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| I agree that this is a moot point. As they do call it "Fishing" a sport in which the goal is to CATCH FISH....
Seems to me that Catch and Release is about as good as it gets. If you are trully being troubled by the catching part, I will be more than happy to tie up a bucktail or two for you with no hooks in them. Just think, you can still fish for them with no chance of catching one. Also, you can fish a lot better in the weeds with no hooks, thus you can get strikes that you never had before. I even know what this new form of fishing will be called, "SEE and RELEASE". You may even become famous for new See & Release craze that will sweep the Musky world. Just a little toungue in cheek humor from a fellow Musky "CATCHER", sometimes at least.[:devil:] [:devil:] [:devil:]
See Em...Release Em.....Mike |
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| Ok, I see your points. I love the "see and release" ditty, that's very clever. All I would need for deep water is one of those cameras. More accurate would be "see and if caught woulda released".
I guess fishing has become, for me, a little more, well, "spiritual", than "recreational". I'm a loner fisherman. I head to the water, usually remote, to get away from the maddness. I can reconnect with what I find to be important "stuff", the beauty of nature, the mystery of time passing, etc. Actually catching a fish isn't too important anymore, though it's always exciting.
I once heard of this guy who gave up his gun and now he still hunts (stalks) in full camo trying to hit a deer by throwing a tennis ball. I always liked that tale.
Hmmmmm........no, I think I'm on to something here, even if I'm wrong. Besides, it is always worthwhile to ask "What will they think of this issuec a hundred years from now?" I'll consider it deeply as I sharpen all my hooks sitting in front of the tv this winter.
Here's to safe ice and SOON,
Ranger
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