If you catch a really big fish - how do you feel?

[bigmack]

Guys & Girls - just wondering how you all feel when you catch a big fish and after - If for instance it is a really big snapper or huge spaniard or AJ ..............after the initial elation do you feel sorry for the fish beacuse it was just doing its thing and having breakfast to stay alive? And do you recognise it for breeding stock and release ?

On a couple of recent trips I caught a very large cod at Currimundi - about 40lbs and as soon as I saw it I said no way I can keep that; have to release him or her and let swim again. On another trip - I caught a very very nice knobby and I actually felt a bit sad when I put him in the fish box and he thumped a couple of times. I rationalised keeping that fish because I hadnt caught a really big one for such a long time; all the fish usually being in the smaller school class. On another trip - my dad caught two beautiful knobbies one after the other (he said his dad was watching over him and put him on to two special fish) he kept one and felt like releasing the second and I think that gave him more pleasure in seeing it swim away.

Do you feel different about different fish - ie when the spotties are about and there are plenty around I dont feel the same as if its one of the bigger trophy fish mentioned earlier.

Is fishing an emotional sport for you ? Inetersted to know

Cheers
Phill

[Panasonic]

bigmack

nice topic

i think your going to get a few different answers on this one
comparing a big knobbie with a huge toadfish is a little difficult, i would guess that most will see one as a rubbish fish and the other a desirable catch.

i'm sure all fishermen put different fish into catagorise and my answer would be limit your catch, dont catch your limit

[fish2eat]

What the ???????????

this is not a CWA forum, this is for fisherMEN !!!!!

snap out of it man, get a GRIP!!!!!!!

next you'll be reviewing chick flicks for us

Its the way God designed the food chain

Phill...........mate........get help NOW!!!!!!!!

[jimbamb]

I get more out of releasing any fish than i did out of ever eating one.
Maybee i'm gettin older and more edumacated ,but i really get a kick out of seeing a fish swim away after i've decieved it into taking a lure,bought it alongside and taken its pic.
Sometimes I recon I can see them say "You won that round"
Actually it was my son who introduced me to c&r.Well done WAMJAM!!!certainly taught the ol man something..

[nonibbles]

Big fish usually make me feel stuffed!

I generally keep a few good sized for the table and let the big ones go. If I have a camera with me all the better I get to prove it when I get back. Generally if its going into the freezer it hasn't got much chance of being thawed and then cooked (too much time) unless its been filleted (if its been a long day on the water, I don't like to spend too long filleting) so I don't bother. Bigger fish are usually lesser table quality anyway.
The quandry usually occurs when the big fish is the first for the day and a long time coming. I usually opt for the esky in this case.
Yeah, I feel a bit sorry for them but only briefly. I believe someone wrote on this forum last year about saying a prayer of thanks or similar (was that you kingtin?) and that was meant to make it all better. Never tried it but sounds good.

[MIKOS]

Bigmack,

Something Ill never forget was when i caught my first mac tuna.

I picked him up while trolling inside the pin bar even knowing that he was only good for bait gee he put up a fight.This went on for about 10 mins and seemed like an eternity.He was ripping the line off my reel so fast that i had to also chase him with the boat to retrieve some line.Other boats were coming over and asking me what i had on.I replied I dont know,but i knew it was something pretty good.Anyway you arms are getting sore and your heartbeat is racing.
Finally the fish tires and you first see him coming up to the side of the boat and you feel and say to yourself this is what it is all about when you catch the big ones.Once I had him on board one fella who was close to me come over and i held up my catch.Bloody awsome thats how ya feel

Mike

[Canoedle]

I can't explain it or I might be in danger of having my post deleted.

[The_Walrus]

I feel great and whether I release or keep it to eat I still feel great.

90% I'll release but every so often, I go out to catch a feed.

Luc

[bidkev]

I don't think I've ever looked on a fish as a "rubbish fish". I get annoyed at the little toadies that are prevalent round the piers and estuaries here, simply because my line is out of the water unhooking them when I could be catching better things. I stiill return 'em though. No, on 2nd thoughts, there is one fish that *really* annoys me and that's those bloody moray eels. had one climb rught up me line once, wrapped it'self round me rod tip and bust the eye. That one got a real good flogging I can assure you

I get a kick out of most fish (vermin) that I catch. I'm a sucker for the brute stubborness of the big shovellies and now let most of 'em go as I've learned to respect their struggle. The last noah at the pin was another example. Pulled me around for 90 minutes and I've *never* had a fish fight with so much balls. I'm glad it broke me, 'cause I know I would have felt dismal if I'd used it for crab bait.

Hate catching turtles though I feel really miserable when I do that....one of the reasons I don't fish Chain or Amity banks anymore. I used to catch one nearly every trip

I don't keep anything under 40 cms and couldn't tell you what a bream tastes like. Even the big toadies look beautiful to me and I try not to dwell too much on how beautiful a fish is otherwise I'd never keep one. When I last got on the spotties I just focussed on the teeth and was telling myself what a nasty vicious looking bugger they were, in order to justify them being dumped into the esky and bled.

Feel a real bastard sometimes when the yakkas are kicking as I put 'em on the hook.........and squid......... straight out of the water..............with all those colours.......?how do I manage to use 'em as bait?

Nah! Can't think too much about it or I'd be in danger of becoming a catch 'n release man

kev

He who sees the calamity of other people finds his own calamity light

[MIKOS]

KIngtin,

[bidkev]

<snip>

Yeah, I feel a bit sorry for them but only briefly. I believe someone wrote on this forum last year about saying a prayer of thanks or similar (was that you kingtin?) .

Nah? Me? Say something soppy?

I often say, "Thank F***" when the line breaks after an hours fight with a manta, but that's as close as I get to praying

kev

[ssbayguide]

Hmmm...

A good topic indeed

I've often caught numbers of nice cobia off Townsville (around the 8-10kg class) and have only ever kept one or two for the table. Whilst I dream of landing the 20kg plus model, without doubt I would let it go.

With reddies, I always try to balance getting a nice feed against the ability to catch a bag limit. 4 or 5 X 3kg fish is more than enough for me.

I feel stronger about barra. They are great to catch at any size but my table needs are more than met by a single 65-85 cm fish.

I guess quite a few of us set and apply bag and size limits a little more vigorously than those we are required to obey by law.

So long as you do what you do with a clear conscience.

Peter

[revs57]

I must admit catching that 100ish lb Black Cod at Minnie Christmas time was a blast...but there was this right kinda feeling to return it and swim it off...had it at the boat for 1/2 hr or so before he recovered enough to go to the depths again so had plenty of time to enjoy him...(they're protected down there anyway)...but I must admit flicking 4kg Snapper after bagging out at the Banks a couple of weeks ago was too hard!!!!

but I must admit a sence of satisfaction with an XOS catch...THE HUNTER LIVES AGAIN!!!!

cheers

Rhys

[Fishinmishin]

I'll usually keep the 1st catches. If I plan on releasing, then I'd probably not aim to catch anymore of them in the 1st place as not all fish wear up too well after being caught on lighter gear anyhow. Good to see everyones opinions and releasing breeding size fish is always a good idea but to be honest....I don't get enough whoppers that I feel bad taking a few. When I do, I'll just give the spot or species a rest until I hope on catching some more.
Cheers, Jay

[DICER]

I usually feel like eating it.....