Eat or Catch & Release?

[chanquetas]

Im curious to know what the majority of fresh water fishers do with their fish. It seems to be frowned upon for people to take home/eat fish from Impoundments, even though most species allow a bag limit. I can see reason to this as the fish have to be stocked.
However, I personally like to fish for a feed, and it would seem odd to me to go fishing with the sole intent of throwing them ALL back. Having said that, I only take home what I need, which is 1 or 2 fish, and I usually only fish in estuaries or the Bay.

So if I were to fish in an impoundment and you saw me (legally) take some home would you all frown at me?
Cheers,
Jake

[shappas]

i find
it is ok if you take home what you need.
i dont usually take any home but i somtimes take 1 for the my grandparents.
but i always put the real big 1s back and only take the 1s that are just legal.
the big 1s are gthe breeders and i dont take them

cya mate :D

P.S i wouldnt frown if u took 1 or 2 but i might if say u had 5 and above

[fishingnottake]

i'm the same, i love my fish fresh so i'll only tak enough that i'll eat that night, and i find the flesh is sweeter on the medium sized ones, that being said in some holes they all go back soley cause there's so few good ones around, gotta give them a chance to replenish
ash

[gunna]

the big 1s are gthe breeders and i dont take them

cya mate :D

P.S i wouldnt frown if u took 1 or 2 but i might if say u had 5 and above

I thought the stocked fish didn't breed in impoundments ??? So taking a few for a feed shouldn't be a problem - thats why they re-stock every year ???

[TheBream]

yeh i do a bit of both but as i fish river i maily release my sweetwater fish however like everything i will take a few home at times

as for impoundments i will take a fish home more readly form them and will also keep bigger fish as they are comeing to the end of their lives and allows other to take it's place ;)

[Kelbob]

I would be lucky to eat one fish a year, so i more than often put em back. Its all good to one home if your gunna eat it soon, but dont stock em up in the freezer just to show em off to your mates when they come around - thats what cameras were made for.

[scuttlebutt]

I'm no expert on impoundments, but I know barra can't breed in dam situations, where there is no salt water (such as Tinnaroo). Hence the ongoing stocking program.

Also, an argument put forward in the past is that the really big barra tend to eat the smaller barra, so you end up with a few big fish instead of lots of medium sized ones. Therefore it's good to take out a few big ones occasionally.

Lastly, from all accounts, big impoundment barra taste like mud and are full of fat.

One day I hope to get to an impoundment with the goal of catching a big barra to have made into a fish mount, and I certainly wouldn't think twice about taking a large fish in those circumstances.

PS: I'm only talking about impoundment barra here, other species may be different.

cheers,


steve.

[scotty]

mate i dont mind taking a feed but i only ever take what i no will get eaten

[yellahunter]

dont really take freshwater fish to eat, basiacally catch and realese,

only take fish from the sea for eating
;D ;D ;D

[Daintreeboy]

you all know what I think ;)

[chanquetas]

you all know what I think ;)

No. Thats why I asked the question...... :-/

[shappas]

i know a small farm near the logan river that has a fairly large dam and some of the bass in there breed.
but this dam has circulation pipe pumping the water from the river so it is a bit salty

hmm anyone else heared of this? :P

[Reidy]

Hi mate
I love to see my fish swim away I get the most satisfaction know I have had my fun without causing harm to anything, but for those that do want to eat there capture by all means eat it, As practicing release fisherman I have nothing against those who keep fish as long as they eat what they catch and not just a method of proof of capture. Its has been a topic of conversation at many of comp and I think most would agree with me. Anyhow tight lines hope to see you on the water. :)

[still_water]

Jake,
It is a personal thing , some 99% of fisho's will release as they just love fishing others will take 1 home for a feed. Any client who rings me and hints at taking thier bag will be sent packing thats not how I fish. I will take a big Barra home approx every couple of months as this gives our family a good few feeds. As far as Big Barra tasting like mud , it is all in the preparation , if you know how to clean them and have a good recipie they taste no different . Most fishos I know will only take Barra from 70cm to 90cm.

[chanquetas]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I should reiterate to you all that I only ever take 1 or 2 fish myself at a time, and usually from saltwater.
I throw back many more than I take home, but I always go home with a feed.

I just dont think I should be looking over my shoulder the one day I DO take a freshwater species home, providing its legal and Im going eat it lovingly.


Cheers,
Jake

[McCod]

the big 1s are gthe breeders and i dont take them

cya mate :D

P.S i wouldnt frown if u took 1 or 2 but i might if say u had 5 and above

I thought the stocked fish didn't breed in impoundments ??? So taking a few for a feed shouldn't be a problem - thats why they re-stock every year ???


Some fish do breed in impoundments and the fork Tail catfish is 1 and there breed like flys.
Murray Cod do breed in closed waters and the big ones 70 cm plus are the breeders and in my view these fish should not be slaughtered. And the same goes with East Coast & Marry River cod with thr later two being protected...
except the Marry River Cod witch can be taken in several impoundments...... Why i don't know [smiley=huh2.gif]
As for taken a few other species home.... not a problem.
But i do get pinged off when i see people hell bent on taken there bag limits home ecpecally 5-10 bag limits and there is a fair few in a fishing party. Just my veiws :)

Cheers Les

[speckly]

we go cod fishing down at the condamine and we get a few cod, out of 5 usually would take 1 or 2 but we let go our females so when we come back they'll be bigger and better and they'll hit your line harder.

but don't get me wrong cod taste the best,
speckly ;D

[quinn]

I kept one australian bass once, I felt like the biggest arsehole and never did it again. They put up a good fight I think its only fair to let them go. (I hope anyone who takes more then they should gets poked in the eye by one of there spines)

[dasher]

Jake,
It is a personal thing , some 99% of fisho's will release as they just love fishing others will take 1 home for a feed. Any client who rings me and hints at taking thier bag will be sent packing thats not how I fish. I will take a big Barra home approx every couple of months as this gives our family a good few feeds. As far as Big Barra tasting like mud , it is all in the preparation , if you know how to clean them and have a good recipie they taste no different . Most fishos I know will only take Barra from 70cm to 90cm.


Jake, if and when I do actually start catching the buggas and get them into the boat, what is the best way to handle one you want to keep for a feed.

[chanquetas]

Hey Dasher, that was actually still-water said that.....and going from my 1 freshwater fish that I have ever caught and eaten which was only 2 days ago....(sorry to disappoint you quinn but I didnt get poked in the eye ;))....

I reckon the best thing is to treat them like anything else. Kill them as soon as possible, I always brain spike my keepers, and bleed them straight away, regardless of the species.
I keep an ice slurry in the esky and they go straight into that. Clean and gut at the ramp, fillet at home.
If you eat them that evening then really I dont see anything else that you can do.

The Bass we just ate was beautiful by the way. But my missus and I like all fish, we eat sardines, whitebait (Chanquetas is Spanish for deep fried whitebait), you name it we eat it. So the freshwater fish was no problem, although it seems a lot of people have trouble departing from the usual white flesh salt water fish.

Anyway, Im sure you already know all the above mate. Cheers,
Jake

[dasher]

Ooops sorry Jake :o buggered up the medication again I think. :o I'm sure it said 22 standard drinks. ::) Thanks for the info mate, appreciate it. ;)

[S.S.]

I don't see any problem with taking fish home from the dams for a feed. Most are put and take fisheries after all.
Plus, if you live out west and love to eat fish, why not eat them from the local impoundments? No different to anyone hitting the saltwater and taking a flathead or whiting home for the table.