Catch And Release

[Mike Fox]

I attended the recent BASS presentation in Broadstone, hosted by Paul Jennings, where the conservation messages of this group were clearly explained. Very few members from PBSBAC attended unfortunately.

 

They confirmed that bass are not sexually mature until 40-45cm in length, and wanted the minimum landing size to be increased from the current 36cm to allow them time to spawn at least once.

 

They also pointed out that with such slow growing fish, any fish over 10lb would have spawned many times, and contributed well to the future gene pool of the species, and above this size their fertility starts to decline.

 

There was a lot of discussion about the best size to keep for the table (because bass is a superb eating fish - and happens to be my personal favourite), and the comment was that keeping one or two "trophy" fish per year did much less damage to the future fish stocks than keeping a large number of medium-sized fish, due to the relatively higher fertility of the smaller specimens and much wider genetic diversity of a larger number of fish. What a logical argument!

 

I've returned a large number of pan-sized bass this year already, as have many members of this club, and I hope to have the opportunity to do so many times in the future.

 

However, I reserve my right to make an informed judgement call with each and every fish, and I intend to continue taking a limited number for the table. We never waste any fish we keep. Similarly, I would applaud anyone who decides to return their fish to preserve future stocks.

 

What I would ask, is that club members do not criticise others, in public or in private, who keep the odd fish for themselves. We all have different views, and we are all entitled to them. Should anyone want to persuade me otherwise, I think the best way is over a friendly pint (mine's a Stella), not via written comments.

 

Apologies to any club member who criticises this stance. All I would say to them is, "I hope you catch a 30lb cod". Similar arguments apply, and commercial pressures are even tougher!

 

Would you put a 30lb cod back ?

 

Mike

Edited October 20, 2007 by Mike Fox

[Swainiac]

Mike, I know excatly where you are coming from, I was umming and ahhing as to release or knock my specimen Bass. I recall wise words from Adam, and there was no question to answer here. She went back. Some fish do, and some fish don't, indeed Adam DID try and release a massive Cod, caught a while back, which unfortunately did not go, so it was taken for the table.

 

It horses for courses, and it is a personal descision, but folk will mutter about it, as that is human nature. As long as you can stand up and be counted at the gates, thats fine. I'm no marine biologist, but it is fact that older fish are generally less fertile, so it does make sense to take a larger one, although I have been told that the flesh is not as nice as a younger specimen. I generally take fish of around five pounds, all others above and below this are released, that is my choice....although it would be nice to actually have caught bigger bass this season!!!

 

Everything else apart, a truly superb fish, well done.

 

Rich

[Gruffy]

Hi Mike, it's all about personal choice as you rightly say. Whilst I might personally hope for all 8lb plus bass to be returned by recreational anglers, and commercial fisherman as well for that matter, I will defend the right of anyone to take the cccasional fish for the table, whatever the size. I can understand why some people may have written to you expressing interest / surprise / even disgust that you have taken a 14lb 6oz bass for the table, and I'm glad that people feel they would have returned such a fish.....but we should all still respect an individual's choice to make their own decision about whether or not they should kill their fish. If the commercial pressure on bass was less than it is, there'd be a lot more big bass out there for us all to catch and it wouldn't be so unique to catch such big fish.

 

My own desire to return big bass is threefold - firstly, because I think we need to set an example, and every time we do it we have an opportunity to turn the release event (via photo's / publicity / lessons to our juniors etc) into something beyond the mere release of a fish. Secondly because a big bass is still a fish of a lifetime for most anglers and the longer they live, the bigger they get, and the more chance there is of another one of us catching it again if it is still alive; and thirdly to support the stock, long term.

 

A big bass of the size you caught may not be the most prolific egg carrier anymore, but such fish do possess the genes that helped ensure her longevity. She was (hopefully) caught a few times in her life and released to be caught again....a nice thought, and a scenario that is becoming ever more likely I'm glad to say. I know of almost 20 double figure bas that have been caught and released by BASS members this year, most from the shore. Many were probably caught and released when they were smaller fish as well, a sobering thought.

 

In the BASS presentation that was given to PBSBAC last year, it was mentioned that the biggest bass are not necessarily the most fertile of fish, but this should not be taken to mean that BASS supports the killing of large bass as a preference over the killing of smaller fish. A I mention above, there are other good reasons to release big bass...but at the end of the day, you still have a choice.

 

BASS actually don't preach or promote either viewpoint (kill big or small), partly because we still defend an individual's right to make their own choice on such things. We do encourage members to retain no more than ten fish a year, simply in response to our members requesting a guide as to what is most acceptible to the majority of our members. This was what they came up with when we asked them for their views, and for the same reason the majority of members also suggest that a 4lb - 5lb fish is probably the best size to take as it is big enough to feed the average family, and it is of a size that means it has already bred at least once or twice in its lifetime. This size of fish is also reasonably abundant.

 

I hope that PBSBAC members don't take it upon themselves to criticise the choice you personally made to keep that 14lb bass. If those same people would have released it had they caught it themselves then great, that has to be a good thing and I would be first in the queue to applaud them....it would be a big queue as well I suspect. But it would be sad if we didn't also recognise and applaud you for having caught it as well, it was a magnificent fish and it had lived a good and full life already - I probably caught it when it was an eleven pounder (I wish!). Enjoy it, and get back out there and catch and release another whilst your luck is in

 

Allan

 

 

[djredrupp]

i think that it is a acceptable to keep a fish, providing you are going to eat it in the near future! not just piling it up in the deep freeze! and that you are only keeping what you are eating!

 

though i respect the anglers choice as to what they keep, i find it worrying when you see articles in angling magasines, where the final shot is a group of fishermen holding a large number of small inediable rays and dogfish!

 

IMHO, as long as it is going to be made use of in the forseeable future, its okay to keep! this policy stops the above, and means that there is some taken home! (providing you can atchully catch something... unlike me... )

 

Dan

[Adam F]

As others have said - personal choice....but its a hard one.

 

A big fish has had a good life and done its fair share of re-population, however it is big for a reason (avoiding hooks!)

 

Personally, I like to take enough food to feed me and I like to take 'pan' sized fish, so for example, 3-4lb bass.

 

I try to put the biggies back for someone else - I have returned half a dozen double figure bass, as rich said I tried to put my 32lb cod back and I NEVER keep any rays from our shore line as IMO they are pretty thin on the ground.

 

I also enforce this rule on my boat - I'd never let a Blonde ray be killed for food for example.

 

Adam

[Mike Fox]

Some good, considered views here chaps, and some very impressive releases, much more than I ever suspected!

 

I feel much better now I know I can take another 7 bass for the table in 2007 without feeling guilty (or could that be 27? ).

 

If I add up all of my fish in the last 20 years in the 4-5lb category I had a grand total of three.

 

Sounds like the bass stocks are actually much safer from me than most imagined!

 

Mike

Edited October 21, 2007 by Mike Fox

[Swainiac]

Not really Mike, if you consider that the MLS is currently set at a fish length that has not had time to procreate.

I am confident that the Recreational Sea Angler is a tad more conservation mided than the commercial sector, and with this in mind, due didligence should ensue to conserve our best chances of retaining our own sporting fish stocks.

This club boasts an excellent history of C&R as far as Bass are concerned, and as Adam quite rightly stated earlier, other slow growing species such as Rays should be offered their chance of survival.

I'm afraid to admit that Ray is perhaps my favorite fish, and I do take some for the table, but I do set myself a limit each year.

 

If all fishing clubs follow the good practice encouraged by the PBSBAC, then at least we are comfortable in the fact that at least the RSA are doing their bit towards conserving fish stocks, but then we are not the ones taking tonnes of fish per annum, or discarding similar tonnes of undersized fish that generally have little chance of survival. As Al and a fair few others have stated, conscience plays a huge part in this, and if we are happy with that, then so be it.

 

Rich

[Paul J]

Mike,

 

MY pb is 12lb 100z which i kept 5 years ago so i understand the elation experienced with such a catch- what a feeling.

 

When this high wore off the remorse set in and i still regret it today but hey thats history.

 

If only we could spend a little more time with catch before having to release them, but you have to decide on the spot which is difficult.

 

I don't feel comfortable criticizing anyone for retaining fish as it's a personal choice but do feel a little sad at the same time.

 

" before you criticize a man walk a mile in his shoes, that way you're at least a mile away and have his shoes"

The Catch and Release trophy is still up for grabs

 

PJ :

Edited October 21, 2007 by Paul J

[Gruffy]

What is the heaviest bass that has been released so far this year?

[great white]

Hi Mike

 

I had not realised that you had been critisised for keeping your big fish

 

I think I asked if it was kept but only out of interest regarding the catch and release trophy and the new Club record

 

Alan I believe the biggest is a double figure fish that won the bass only comp for Alan Mc

 

I am very keen on conservation but do not expect all fish to be returned providing those taken will be used and not wasted/ killed for no purpose

 

Its the anglers choice and we should respect it.

 

Charlie

[Paul D]

Can confirm that the biggest released bass reported to me was the one Alan McAvoy caught during the bass only comp. I am 100% sure it was released as I saw him doing it at the time !

 

[Gruffy]

That man Mr. McAvoy again eh? He's good isn't he?

So exactly how big was the fish do we know?

[Paul D]

10lb 14oz.

 

( Was also witnessed by Paul J as well if my memory serves me right ).