Bob C

I keep more fish than anyone I know and yet I keep very few. I support the DNR even though I don't always agree with some of their choices. Last summer I had my 8yr old grandson out fishing. He caught his first bass. He wanted to keep it so bad to show his parents but when we measured it, it was 1 inch short. I almost kept it anyway but didn't. I explained the rules to him. He had tears in his eyes when we let it go. The worst part is we never caught another the rest of the day. Now he understands when I release them and he is becoming a real good sportsman.

Why isn't hunting and fishing the same thing as far as being a sportsman. The DNR makes the rules and I follow them. If they say it's ok to keep some fish, then I will do it. I release most but not all. I still say, if you're concerened for the fish, then don't catch them.

I keep some legal fish for the frying pan. How does that not make me a sportsman. I don't practice shoot and release when deer hunting either. I've seen some crazy stuff from so called catch and release guys. I've seen bass with half their face ripped off by draging them through brush and around dock poles, and I even saw one bass dragged into a running trolling motor. If you're really concerened about the fish, why do you catch them? That seems like a lot of stress for the fish. A true sportsman will obey the laws. If they keep legal fish, that's their business.

I agree with you 100%. It doesn't matter to me if you release them or keep them for any reason. It's the guys that say they all must be released but they don't have a problem catching and damaging them. I won't release one if I think he won't survive.

There's nothing to retract. I didn't say anything. I asked a question. I don't care if you keep them or not.

I quess no body wants to answer my question. I don't want to seem like a smart a**. I'm serious. If you're concerened for the fish, why catch them? I can't imagine spending thousands on a boat and gear, and not keeping a few legal fish. Why do you fish? Is it for the fight. If that's the case, tie a pork chop on your line and cast in the back yard. Your dog will give you more fight than any fish ever could and you will be guaranteed a strike every cast. I'll be fishing this weekend and I'll be bringing home dinner. 8-) Yea!!!! I love self righteous posts! Why I fish is my business, as is yours. I don't judge you, why judge others? I mean, if you are going to feed your family, why bother with bass fishing? Seems a bit counter productive. It would be a lot easier to set some rat traps than to try and catch fish, LOL. Oh, that's right, you said you keep SOME of what you catch, what was the point of catching the others? Sport? C'mon dude, give us break. I'm not judging anyone. It just seems that some are very concerened about the fish and yet they have no problem with putting them through the stress (or posibly death) by draging them out of the water. I keep some. It depends what I want for the next fish fry, and I only keep legal fish. Bass here have to be 14" to keep. They are the ones that are good to eat. I've let some big ones go because they don't taste very good any way.

I quess no body wants to answer my question. I don't want to seem like a smart a**. I'm serious. If you're concerened for the fish, why catch them? I can't imagine spending thousands on a boat and gear, and not keeping a few legal fish. Why do you fish? Is it for the fight. If that's the case, tie a pork chop on your line and cast in the back yard. Your dog will give you more fight than any fish ever could and you will be guaranteed a strike every cast. I'll be fishing this weekend and I'll be bringing home dinner. 8-)

Are any of the die hard release guys concerned with the stress they put on the fish by hooking especially when it goes down deep, or when they try to pull their head off when draging them through the weeds? Isn't that like shooting a deer, then pulling out the bullet and letting them go? I enjoy fishing and I usually take a couple home for dinner. Most are released. The bigger the fish, the bigger the pan. 8-)

My first cast last week end with a rattle trap, I caught a Blue Gill smaller than my lure. I don't what he thought he was going to do with it, but it sure was funny. They were on such a feeding frenzy, that my grandson lowered his hook in the water with no bait and caught one instantly. We did manage to catch a few LMB. Gills can be a real pain sometimes. Bob