I release everything of legal size into lake Crisco.

Plenty of Catfish, Tilapia, White Bass, Striper, Salmon & other northern species go in the coolers.

I am 99% saltwater only, 100% fly only. I only keep a fish if it is not going to survive (rare). I enjoy eating fish and I do grab fresh fish from the markets close to my house.

I've evolved over my years on the water... When I was younger I was all for the meat haul. Then somewhere along the way I became infatuated with the trophy. Currently I simply enjoy being in the environment, being present in the moment and watching the fish swim away after a quick photograph to remember.

I don't harp on others that are meat haulers or trophy chasers. That is your prerogative.

With that said, I did grimace a bit at a conversation the other day... A friend of a friend who fishes LLM admitted to keeping two 30" trout frozen whole in his freezer, his plan was to take an epic stringer photo when he gets another 30+" in the boat. Again, it is his choice and I didn't dare lecture him on his beliefs, as pointless as arguing religion or politics quite frankly, but if I am honest with myself it did bother me.

-Rick

RickSawyer said:

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his plan was to take an epic stringer photo when he gets another 30+" in the boat.

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Example #1348592 why social media is ruining (has ruined) lots of sportsmen. Guys will do the dumbest **** now just to be able to post it on social media.

RickSawyer said:

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With that said, I did grimace a bit at a conversation the other day... A friend of a friend who fishes LLM admitted to keeping two 30" trout frozen whole in his freezer, his plan was to take an epic stringer photo when he gets another 30+" in the boat. Again, it is his choice and I didn't dare lecture him on his beliefs, as pointless as arguing religion or politics quite frankly, but if I am honest with myself it did bother me.

-Rick

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I'm surprised he admitted to that.

FishingAggie said:

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The fly fishermen are hands down the most conservative. The rest kill them all. Big, little all of them. I've watched it for years.

The truth is a lot of the trout you try and release will die. They are hooked deep and it just happens. I wish they would outlaw treble hooks on the coast.

Redfish will survive much better. Any guide who lets you catch and releas trout should have his license pulled.

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I'm sorry but that statement is just incorrect. Have a read of this

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233331888_Catch-and-Release_Mortality_of_Spotted_Seatrout_in_Texas

That paper talks about angling skill affecting mortality rate some which definitely plays into it bc yeah, if a croaker soaking googan is gut hooking fish, then spends 5 minutes trying to pull the hook out while he's holding the fish with a towel in 100 degree heat, it'll probably die. However, if you use good handling practices and don't gut hook the fish bc you have a smidgen of skill and can detect a bite and set the hook before the fish swallows it, they have a very good survival rate. I'll have to try and dig up a different paper that talked about gut hooked fish and showed that even when gut hooked, if you just cut the line and release the fish they have a very high survival rate. Water temp also affects bc of oxygen content but overall just correctly handle the fish and they'll probably be alright.

The only reason why treble hooks may play into killing the fish is they're harder to get out so you probably end up handling the fish more, thus keeping it out of the water longer and rubbing off more of the protective slime on it and ultimately killing it.

I fish 98% saltwater. If it's legal I'll keep it. For the time and money invested in getting on the water back to the dock why not? That being said I have lots of friends that like fresh fish and the rib loves fried trout and grilled drum on the half shell

FishingAggie said:

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elnaco said:

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FishingAggie said:

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The fly fishermen are hands down the most conservative. The rest kill them all. Big, little all of them. I've watched it for years.

The truth is a lot of the trout you try and release will die. They are hooked deep and it just happens. I wish they would outlaw treble hooks on the coast.

Redfish will survive much better. Any guide who lets you catch and releas trout should have his license pulled.

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I'm sorry but that statement is just incorrect. Have a read of this

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/233331888_Catch-and-Release_Mortality_of_Spotted_Seatrout_in_Texas

That paper talks about angling skill affecting mortality rate some which definitely plays into it bc yeah, if a croaker soaking googan is gut hooking fish, then spends 5 minutes trying to pull the hook out while he's holding the fish with a towel in 100 degree heat, it'll probably die. However, if you use good handling practices and don't gut hook the fish bc you have a smidgen of skill and can detect a bite and set the hook before the fish swallows it, they have a very good survival rate. I'll have to try and dig up a different paper that talked about gut hooked fish and showed that even when gut hooked, if you just cut the line and release the fish they have a very high survival rate. Water temp also affects bc of oxygen content but overall just correctly handle the fish and they'll probably be alright.

The only reason why treble hooks may play into killing the fish is they're harder to get out so you probably end up handling the fish more, thus keeping it out of the water longer and rubbing off more of the protective slime on it and ultimately killing it.

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I don't care what that study says. Just like economics. You can find the numbers you want, just get another economists to run them.

I've fished on the coast my whole life. Hardly ever fish freshwater.

So according to you, with some angling skill the fish are unharmed. I agree with that to some extent.
Here's the flaw..... how many times does the average person fish on the coast? 2-3 times a year? Does that make a person skilled? No it doesn't.

The average person doesn't have the skill to keep from gut hooking fish. Especially with shrimp. Why do you think most guides never let you fish for trout once you get your limit? It's to protect their livelihood. Ask one.

Small trout will eat anything. They swallow it deep way too many times. If you actually believe whatever's in that study, you haven't caught many trout.


As for keeping fish. That's your choice. I love fish. Keep what you'll eat or want to. It's a personal thing that no one should feel uncomfortable either way as long as it's legal

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Why are you specifically worried about what the people who only fish twice a year are doing? They don't make any difference.

Is this going to become the next chapter in the OB saga of out-outdooring and out-ethicaling everybody? Whether you are a catch and release person or whether you keep and eat?

schmellba99 said:

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Is this gping to become the next chapter in the OB saga of out-outdooring and out-ethicaling everybody? Whether you are a catch and release person or whether you keep and eat?

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I don't even fish with hooks.

FishingAggie said:

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I don't care what that study says. Just like economics. You can find the numbers you want, just get another economists to run them.

I've fished on the coast my whole life. Hardly ever fish freshwater.

So according to you, with some angling skill the fish are unharmed. I agree with that to some extent.
Here's the flaw..... how many times does the average person fish on the coast? 2-3 times a year? Does that make a person skilled? No it doesn't.

The average person doesn't have the skill to keep from gut hooking fish. Especially with shrimp. Why do you think most guides never let you fish for trout once you get your limit? It's to protect their livelihood. Ask one.

Small trout will eat anything. They swallow it deep way too many times. If you actually believe whatever's in that study, you haven't caught many trout.


As for keeping fish. That's your choice. I love fish. Keep what you'll eat or want to. It's a personal thing that no one should feel uncomfortable either way as long as it's legal

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Yeah it's just like economics, except its a scientific publication... specifically on spotted seatrout....in Texas....performed by our good friends down at Texas A&M Corpus Christi...using that pesky scientific method. I've read it and used my own logic, judgement and experience and have decided it is credible. No offense, but I take it as more credible than the anecdotal evidence and speculation you provided. But I'm just trying to provide some hard evidence of actual mortality rates of trout in Texas is all. If you read the study you'll see they address things like angler experience and methods of fishing.

I can agree with you that certain methods and rigging will up the chances of gut hooking a trout (again they touch on it in the paper). Hell I even know of croaker guides who will tell their clients to wait until the second thump (i.e. the fish swallowing the bait) to set the hook. For those guides, yeah the mortality rate is probably much higher but they're a minority. I'm sure if an economist studied those guides they'd find a much higher mortality rate.

I can also agree that no matter who you are you're going to gut hook a fish every now and then, it's just part of the game. But even when I'm fishing with inexperienced anglers, even kids, with shrimp under a popping cork and we're thick into the ninja trout, we don't gut hook that many trout. No where even close to the majority, so yeah I can believe what's in that paper. But I guess I don't know what I'm talking about bc I haven't caught many trout...

F'n A, a good ole fashioned OB dick measuring contest. IN