does anyone NOT do catch and release anymore?

[Space Toker]

I grew up poor, and a boyfriend of my mom's used to take us fishing and we sometimes caught "cold feet" as he aaid. But sometimes we caught loads of fish, a 5 gallon bucket full or 2 or 3. We kept and ate everything of legal size including at least once "civvers" or "pumpkinseeds". Now everyone seems to be catch and release and I go fishing with my bro and his friend acts as if I am some kind of scum because I want to keep and eat a big fish (we were catching a crazy amount of fish while ice fishing, and seeing 3 eagles at least, it was a phenomenal experience but how I was taught, you ate what you caught if you could and now that seems so foreign to everyone I know it seems).

The point is, what are the limits on freshwater fish these days? I look on the MA site and other nearby NE state sites and can't seem to find how many you can keep and what size they can be. Either they are trying to confuse you or... gasp.... it's all catch and release now. Hell I haven't fished since the 80's so what do I know? You used to be able to get pamphlets on these sort of things, I can't figure out where to find the info now! It would be nice to ice fish and cook the bloody blokes right on the ice and eat them and feed their remnants to the eagles! Help me be more of the primal beast I always dreamed of being even if you ignored my other threads you bastards! Stoned Trout, you have always been there for me brother, I think you can come through big here too... thank you!

 

[Stoner4Life]

C&R is great for lakes suffering from fishing pressure, or for species that don't reproduce as fast as panfish do. We have slot limits on size and/or number for most game fish in Minnesota.

so we do a lot of C&R for trout, walleye, northern pike, muskie.


up here in MN we hunt and fish for the food value, quite often needing to buy an additional freezer to hold the bulk

 

[Betterhaff]

Do a search for your states dept of natural resources or fishing license. Most states require them and usually also have regulation information. The regulation information is what you are looking for.

 

[Jellyfish]

Eat them fish and find new fishing buddies.

 

[stoned-trout]

I sometimes keep my catch... I don't keep trophy fish ..I put them back to breed and for someone else to catch.. I do take pics and measurements......yeehaw...I do a lot of fishing and don't have the room for all that fish anyhow...some species I keep more than others...trout,catfish,crappie,halibut ect I tent to keep more of ..most bass I release...when I was last in mass 2005 or so I watched a lot of Asian types take everything they caught even illegal sized fish....saw a few African American folks doing the same....they even wanted my fish .. I laughed as I tossed them back...I caught 36 bass that day on flyrod and small poppers..a record for me... fish and game should have all the regulations...they can be confusing to read sometimes...there is limits in all states for most fish..some junk fish are unlim ited.. like carp are all you can catch here but not grass carp..bass have limit 5 think 15 inches for black bass..yeehaw..there is almost always a size /bag/possession limit...ice fishing is fun if you cheat... I bring portable fish finder..yeeeehawww...headed out yakking a fter I roll a doob and make my bloody mary....mass fish and game website has all info you can even purchase liscense..

 

[meadowman]

I always let the big ones go. Keep enough for a dinner or 2.

 

[Betterhaff]

I fish a lot of bass lakes here and one of my favorite “cheats” is to snorkel around the beds to see where the hogs are hanging and then the next morning go out and get ‘em. Purely catch and release though, but is good fun.

If I’m fishing for the table I’m usually going after bluegill, perch, salmon, and walleye…each requiring different technique.

 

[StinKyFinGerS]

Catch and release for river run wild fish, the rest is goin in my belly! In the PNW our main runs of steelhead and salmon are for food. If I were to see someone release a bright hatchery salmon, I would be safe to say that person may have a few screws loose, however if one were to catch trout on the river and release them I would think that's normal. We caught 2 Springer salmon yesterday and goin fishin today for more

 

[Space Toker]

At first, I thought catch and release was pointless and idiotic, then came to see some merit in it. Often the fish are damaged and may not survive anyway. This trip was all catch and release and although I got a little used to it, still kind of irritated me throwing back clear "keepers". Of course throw back the small stuff or anything that is rare (those should be all catch and release), throw it back if you are not going to eat it or don't feel like fish... maybe even throw back the giants (although the next guy to catch it will prob put it on his wall, can't see the appeal to that).... but good sized fish in between I would like to keep.

It is more environmentally friendly (providing the regulations in place really ensure a strong population) to catch fish and hunt game and grow your own veggies than it is to buy at the supermarket. I'd like to learn to use the readily available animals (plenty of rabbits, racoons and squirrels and the occasional deer) and be as independent of the supermarket as possible. And bring home "junk/trash/pest" fish for the garden.

Stoned Trout, I do have a license of course, yeah got it online off the website you mentioned, and they have a list for saltwater fish, but I can't find freshwater regulations for the life of me!

 

[Green Squall]

try this site.

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/hunting-fishing-wildlife-watching/fishing/

there's nothing wrong with keeping fish. Just don't keep more than you need. I occasionally keep a striper in the summer. Your allowed to take 2, but I never do.

Next time your bros friends gives you the stink eye ask him where the hell he thinks food comes from.

 

[trichrider]

Catch and release for river run wild fish, the rest is goin in my belly! In the PNW our main runs of steelhead and salmon are for food. If I were to see someone release a bright hatchery salmon, I would be safe to say that person may have a few screws loose, however if one were to catch trout on the river and release them I would think that's normal. We caught 2 Springer salmon yesterday and goin fishin today for more

where are you fishing? the Columbia?

 

[Space Toker]

try this site.

http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/hunting-fishing-wildlife-watching/fishing/

there's nothing wrong with keeping fish. Just don't keep more than you need. I occasionally keep a striper in the summer. Your allowed to take 2, but I never do.

Next time your bros friends gives you the stink eye ask him where the hell he thinks food comes from.

Thanks for the link, that's exactly what I was looking for and couldn't find! And I totally agree with you too, there is nothing wrong with either catch and release OR keeping fish. I can't find the words for how much I agree and how thankful I am!

edit: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/seasons-summary-2015.pdf
THESE are the COMPLETE size limits?! I remember those old pamphlets being a LOT more restrictive, there was a minimum size for even perch then I think!

 

[armedoldhippy]

i release all trout i catch these days for the simple reason i don't like to eat them (besides native brookies). ditto largemouth and smallmouth bass. any white bass, hybrids, stripers, walleye, sauger, crappies & bluegill i catch of legal size i release to do the sidestroke in melted butter...

 

[DrFever]

Its important to realize that catch n release serves its purpose , for one pending on what time of year you are fishing the fish could have harmful parasites i would rather not have due to warmer water ..
Secondly is pollution with higher mercury levels can also pose a health threat t o consumers and that is why also limits are in place
and most importantly the decline of fish population in general so yea catch n release is more then common
we are not living in barbaric times anymore fishing is a sport if you want to catch n kill everything maybe apply for fishing ship job in the berring sea and see if you can survive it

 

[Sisu]

I always plan to bring fish back to eat. I enjoy fishing as sport and use light tackle and artificial lures most of the time. I definitely support C&R as a conservation tool though.

I can't wait because I'm coming home this summer to some of the best fishing in North America and I'm going to fish and fish and fish some more. I'm going to lay some big fucking salmonids in the freezer next to the venison.

 

[stoned-trout]

I did my time commercial fishing ..the dead by catch was depressing..i take my share and release most..i aint into trophy hunting for the wall... I get more pleasure releasing it...I wish there was catch and release hunting...maybe a badass stun gun??? take a quick pic and then let it go lol.....yeehaw

 

[blastfrompast]

Catch and release hunting for me is to get within 50 yards with my 870 and pull the trigger on an empty chamber...

At 50yrds the deer would be in my freezer as I know that I can hit a pie plate at 50yrds every time from my deer blind.

The reason I don't harvest a deer.... my wife hates the smell of cooking venison....so no point harvesting something I can only cook for myself on the bbq...

Now fish...I hate the taste..but my wife has no issues eating some nice perch, walleye or even jack (winter) if I catch and clean them.

Funny how that goes.

 

[Wendull C.]

In that case I do catch and release hunting too, if the antlers aren't big enough they get released.

All fish worth feeding on go in the pan!

 

[Betterhaff]

We used to go to this trout farm occasionally. The thing is if you caught em you bought em. So we clipped hulas on a swivel, no hook, and then would see how long we could keep the fish on.

 

[stoned-trout]

I keep mackerel for bait,halibut ,yellow tail and corvina mostly ,,inshore......if its tasty and I am in the mood I keep it...but just enough for one meal as I like my fish fresh.. I give away extras if its a large fish and also feed the dogs some...yeehaw.. I am due for a big halibut any time now...