Recreational Fishing is Barbaric, amirite?

A lot of times fish are sent back due to weight or size limits, so in your opinion, should we be keeping every fish we keep regardless of their size or maturity, and how is that better or worse for the ecosystem?

by Anonymous 9 months ago

I don't know the answer but I feel like it needs one. Are fish traumatized after biting into a metal hook and dragged above water? How often do the metal hooks leave permanent damage? Do they pierce the brain or jaw often? Are they commonly infected?

by Anonymous 9 months ago

"do they pierce the brain or jaw?" Oh, you don't know anything. Forget I said anything, I don't have the crayons or time to teach basic fish anatomy and fishing techniques. Good Lord.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

they very rarely leave any mark, if someone fishes properly, infections are no problem either since the slime layer protects the wound, and the brain doesnt get pierced since it doesnt go in far enough to actually hit it

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Usually and mostly they die because of it. It is traumatic. Even touching fish without gloves burns the oils on their skins. If we stock humans like we stock fish runs and lakes and rivers we can just have all the fishermen drag us up treasures from stalking around the banks.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

actually, they really dont, if you do it properly, they will survive like 95% of the time. you can wrap a carp in a wet towel and just leave it like that for 3 days and release them and they will be just fine

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Recent studies have shown it's closer to 40 percent that die after release. Honestly I agree with some of what OP says and I fish. If it's under limit, release, but going out with the intent to catch and release isn't right. I'm all for harvesting within legal limits, I fish far less then I used to because I don't fish with the intent to catch and release.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

thats because sadly, some people dont respect the fish, if done improperly, they die, however, if one actually cares about the wildlife and care for the fish, the likelyhood of fish dying because of improper release is near 0. Ive caught the same trout in my pond 4 times and its still swimming around, even though trout are the most sensitive of fish

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Key word is "proper" here. Unfortunately, many casual fishermen don't have that same level of respect you've shown. I've been in many a fishing trip where no such respect is given. I've declined to go with them since then, but they'll still act like fools nonetheless. If anything, I'd hope we'd make some penalties against these folks so we can get closer to that 95% nationally as you've mentioned.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Lol.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

I think the point is that sport fishing is unnecessary animal cruelty.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

This is a none issue, if the fish dies from the physical or.. *mental*.. trauma of being caught and released, it is just becoming food for something else and thus stills contributing to the cycle of life. Find something else to be upset about.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Crabs and crawfish: "this mf spittin"

by Anonymous 9 months ago

They don't throw the fish back in. They gently place them back into the water.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Sometimes they put them in their waistband and let it find it's way out through the pantleg. It helps it to evolve morals which fish are guilty of exhibiting to the welfare of this good general public.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Though there are some idiots out there who throw them in and feel free to call them out on it.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

How on Earth is it less humane to barely harm the fish and return it to its habitat than kill it?

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Not saying I agree but effectively they are saying you are torturing the fish.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Death is an end. If you broke my arm instead of sniping my skull...I would be alive to know you broke my arm thusly you inhumanely forced me into a life of knowledge that you broke my arm. Yeah.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

When you kill and eat it, it serves a purpose. Torturing it in the name of fun is way worse.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

There is another side to this coin, the amount of money licenses, permits, fees go to conservation efforts from fishing and hunting. Look up what all the revenue is spent on. You are going to find out that you would not have a lot of the wilderness that you have now. Also recreational fishermen (and hunters) are the most ethical people when it comes to preserving these areas - for you.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

I've fished my entire life and I can see where you're coming from. I usually only eat about 30%, the rest is catch-and-release. It's a perfectly valid opinion to think it's cruel, because it kind of is, but I am still going to go out fishing because it soothes me and I enjoy it.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

That's perfectly fine and I don't judge you for it. It's just one of the things I do a double take when I see it, mostly when kids are doing it. It just feels weird, hard to explain why.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

They throw it back injured in water.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

They place it back, and if done right it's probably not badly injured.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Hopefully

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Better than watching TV

by Anonymous 9 months ago

How else do you learn how to fish?

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Like anything else nowadays. A Youtube video.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

You can't learn fishing from a video alone, it takes a lot of practice to become proficient

by Anonymous 9 months ago

You are severely overestimating the emotional and cognitive ability of fish. Those fish have more freedom than you do.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Recreational fishing is beneficial since fishermen pay for a license that can go towards conservation. Commercial fishing is the actual problem, it's not beneficial to the environment and causes a lot of harm.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

Omfg, I just woke my wife up from actually laughing at this. >.<

by Anonymous 9 months ago

But they treat their wives and husbands that way so what is so wrong with a little fish?

by Anonymous 9 months ago

I don't know anyone that pulls their wife around with a giant metal hook through her jaw. That kind of domestic violence is unheard of. Excluding police officers, anyway.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

I think my cat Molly, who loves her toys that are sticks with string and bait at the end, would have something to say about this.

by Anonymous 9 months ago

![gif](giphy|SFJE8klA0dFjgmNqRl)

by Anonymous 9 months ago

It's not only barbaric, is an insult to people who are starving, if you don't need it, give ir to someone in need.

by Anonymous 9 months ago