Morality Questions

[Broc]

I'd say this has to do more-so with fishing in general but certainty applies to bass. 

 

1)The age old question, you catch that monster trophy fish/bass from your dreams... do you keep it/mount it?

 

2)What if you gut/gill hook it and it has absolutely no chance of survival.  Do you keep it/eat it?  what if it isn't within the slot limit, but at the same time have ZERO chance of being caught if you do?

 

 

1 - Personally if i could afford to mount a fish, i would go with a replica....  but really depends on the lake.  If im muskie fishing on a smallish lake (less than say... 25,000 acres.  like Cass lake) i would always release because i know how genetics play a role in a trophy fishery.

 

2- If i could afford it and its a monster fish i would certainty mount it.... But last summer i was walleye fishing up in LOTWs Canada and gill hooked about a 35.75 inch pike.  Slot limit says 1 over 36 inches... but it was bleeding out badly and I literally spent 15-20 minutes trying to revive it.  i was in very remote with very slim chance of being checked for fish, so i filleted it on an island and ate its delicious steaks.

 

So theoretically if you legally catch a big fish?  is there a certain size you would kill it to mount it???  or if you accidentally kill a fish, do you mount/eat it?  even if breaking the laws but with no chance of being caught?

 

 

[Loop_Dad]

1. Replica mount. (Used to be my answer was not to keep it.)

 

2. If absolutely no chance of survival, I'll keep it to eat it. That's absolute no chance meaning it is practically dead already. I will not keep it if it is not legal to do so. Hope some turtle will benefit from it.

[martintheduck]

1) When it comes to saltwater fishing, I keep every legal fish and eat the hell out of it.... I will only mount a monster redfish... say like above 20 pounds. NOW - When it comes to bass, I'm pretty firm on the idea I will ONLY mount it if it's my state record fish. Currently our record is like 15.97lbs which was pulled out of my home lake in 94'. If it's anything smaller , I just want the picture... I just really want some evidence to corroborate my story that "the fish was THIS big..." So - I'll mount the fish only if it's some kind of record. I don't even care enough to get a replica because no matter how good they CLAIM the replica looks, they end up looking nothing like the fish and it's a fake plastic fish that looks stupid hanging on the wall in my living room.

 

2) I have yet to lose a fish by gut hooking it and NOT being able to save it. You can get a gut hook out pretty well with fingers through the gills. I'll say, if I really butcher it up bad and it's bleeding everywhere I will just cut the line and use a "styptic pencil" to stop the bleeding. SO - No I don't keep it because I don't take chances like that when fishing or hunting. With my luck I'd get caught and they would take my house, boat, truck, dog, refrigerator, and my left big toe.

[Bluebasser86]

I'd much rather have a picture of a big fish than a skin mount. I'd like to get a replica made if I ever catch another largemouth over 10 or if I ever get a smallie over 6.

 

The only mount I have is a 6 1/2 pound largemouth that was gill hooked on a small crankbait on light line. The combination of the long fight, blood loss, and high water temps were too much for her and I didn't want to waste the fish. It was well within my rights to keep it, but I wouldn't have if she wasn't dying. 

If a fish is dying and it's not a legal fish I'm not keeping it regardless if I feel I'll get away with it or not. I know some guys that say it's a waste if a fish is dying but nature will take care of it, isn't like it's just going to rot away and nothing will get any use out of it. 

Even if I caught a record fish I'd rather put it back and get a replica made than keep it for myself and prevent someone else the chance to have the same thrill that fish gave me. 

[Bankbeater]

Replicas and a couple of gigs worth of pictures if I catch a healthy record fish.  If I catch one that I know won't make it I would still take pics and get a replica, but I would turn the fish back into the water.

[jeb2]

1) Pictures and release. I doubt I'd even get a replica. I just don't have any desire to have a fish hanging on the wall. I've seen some nice mounts, though.

 

2) I don't care if I have zero chance of getting caught, I follow the law.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

Im going to get a replica for sure when the time is right.. 

 

On the other hand if i catch a fish and its dying due blood loss like blue said i  think would keep it and get a mount...I've only seen one rotten bass head at my uncles pond which is about an acre or so..  it has turtle , Bullhead ,which i think they did a number on that thing when it died..  id much rather have a big  bass on my wall then letting the turtles or catfish eat it.. they have plenty of food in the pond to gorge themselves  on.. Seeing a bass like that up here is rare and deserves to be cherished by someone who knows the odds she went through to get that big..

 

If i catch her and she is fine after you best bet she'll be swimming around to fight another day!

[SirSnookalot]

I don't view this as a morality decision, it's a personal choice and people may differ.  My view is a legal fish becomes personal property and it's up to the owner what to do with it.  If a fish is not legal I would not keep it even though I know it won't live.  It isn't worth the risk of getting caught, some critter in nature will benefit.  Is the extenuating circumstance being in a very remote area with little chance of being caught?  If survival were the issue I certainly would eat the fish, most likely that would not be the case.  In all likelyhood whatever I chose to do would remain totally silent, things have a way of jumping up and biting ya in the butt.

[MarkH024]

I'd only do replicas on a DD LMB, 6+ Smallie, or a 50"+ Musky/Pike. Everything else is a photo for the memory book.

 

Regarding gut hooked bass, I'll let nature serve dinner. Plenty of turtles and birds that could use a free meal. Bass just isn't good tasting to me, so I'd rather it go to better use. I can't remember the last time I've hooked a bass to where it is actually bleeding out, which is a good thing! 

[jaybird71]

"Morality, like art, means drawing a line someplace" - Oscar Wilde

For me, that line is my conscience however big or small. I haven't drank in almost 8 years and have taken heed to the following question..

"Will she still be pretty in the morning?" Chances are, if you answer honestly, you will wake up alone but with a clear conscience .

[awefvawervwae]

IF i mount any fish its a replica. Take the pictures and measurements. I do keep fish to eat but not bass. Either stripers, catfish, or salwater fish and all within the legal limits. No way I keep any fish outside of the legal limits even if I know I am not going to get caught. Back in the water goes to become food for something else.

[J Francho]

1.  Depends on the species.  Trout, salmon, or panfish, I'm more likely to take it.  Bass, Esox, or other top predator, probably not.  A big walleye, I'd be torn.

 

2.  If it's legal, I'm eating it or feeding it to my dogs.  If not legal, it's turtle food.  I consider it a minor loss due to attrition.

[Missourifishin]

1. Release it.

2. If legal, definitely eat it. If not legal, well it's a tough call for me honestly. I'd rather eat it than leave it to die in the water. But I'd still probably play it safe and abide by the law.

[ww2farmer]

1. Nothing is going on my wall.... Ever. I am happy with just a picture.

2. Back it goes. Only god knows if it's going to make it or not. Zero fish have ever survived the knife and hot oil. If it doesn't make it in the water, it will be food for turtles, bugs, etc......

[tomustang]

A picture takes up less room on a wall and you can carry one with you to show it off easier.

[Hyrule Bass]

1. if i catch a fish i want to have mounted, im mounting the real thing. I like the look of a skin mount much better than a fake looking replica. replicas just dont do it for me, i can get a replica without ever having caught a fish in my life.

 

2. if its an illegal fish, im throwing it back regardless of if its dying or not. i dont eat fish anyways, so its no loss to me. nature will run its course and take care of the dead fish...

[bostonsox2904]

I don't view this as a morality decision, it's a personal choice and people may differ.  My view is a legal fish becomes personal property and it's up to the owner what to do with it.  If a fish is not legal I would not keep it even though I know it won't live.  It isn't worth the risk of getting caught, some critter in nature will benefit.  Is the extenuating circumstance being in a very remote area with little chance of being caught?  If survival were the issue I certainly would eat the fish, most likely that would not be the case.  In all likelyhood whatever I chose to do would remain totally silent, things have a way of jumping up and biting ya in the butt.

SirSnookalot, nice picture. Looks like the top of a fish behind you in the clouds!

[SirSnookalot]

thank you

[bigbill]

I personally would measure it and take a pic of it. Then have a replica make of her. I did nothing with my PB but my neighbor and my fishing buddy did show up to see it.

Now I take a few smaller bass each year to feed my abandoned kittens that I find while fishing in the wilds. Some of them just fit in the palm of my hand there so small. I'd like to meet the people who do this. I put my new 7' whooping stick to work. The kittens who are dumped are traumatized when compared to the kittens I adopt normally from the ones who don't want then. No animal deserves this. Sorry.

[einscodek]

I do what I always do (unless its a state record fish.. prayin')

1) Handle it gently without rubbin off its slime

2) Take a video of it on the weigh scale and measuring tape pulled .. and a video of releasing it as soon as possible

 

(I used to take a video of fightin it in too but lost too many good fish doing the action shot myself) 

 

That's good enough for me as far as the memories.. no unnatural mounts for me and no killin' the fish.

 

I love those fish!

[bigbill]

Now I forgot to mention about the winter kill that happened during the winter when the ice was on. I talked with some ice fisherman and they told me that the ice was full of bass. And bigger bass too. I guess no one really fishes these places for bass like we do. There is a handful of guys and practically no boats. Since its rowboats with electric motors. There is no boat launch too. This is the largest place that I fish at. Now the question is do I remove bass or release them knowing the place was over populated once already do to the winter kill? I do take the 1 1/2# to 2# bass once a year maybe once a year.

At my two other spots one has no boats allowed while the other one a row boat only no motors at all.

Overall the bass are growing and not being really targeted or caught. Since my two buddies practice catch and release we'll have an overflow of bass again.

Our government did a survey about the bass population and how to keep the numbers up without restarting up the bass hacheries again. They said to release the larger bass so they can breed to keep the population numbers up and take the smaller ones to eat. I say eat the crappies because they taste better. Ever roll a gutted catfish across a wood fired grill? Camping does have its perks. God bless, bill

[Walleye2Bass]

1)  Picture says a 1000 words, if it was large enough (8+ pounds) I would consider having a replica made.  I release everything I catch, who knows I might get lucky and catch it next year when it's even bigger!  Plus Facebook makes it so easy to brag if that's what you are after...   

 

2)  Slot limit is a law, plain and simple I abide by the law (I might question the law through working within the system, but it's still the law).  As for throwing a gut hooked fish back:  Gators got to eat too!  

[martintheduck]

 

Even if I caught a record fish I'd rather put it back and get a replica made than keep it for myself and prevent someone else the chance to have the same thrill that fish gave me. 

 

 

And give em' a chance to break your record!

[hoosierbass07]

 I'm a newbie fisherman and I'm into catch and release.  I'm not into hunting but I will admit I would love to have a bass hanging on the wall in the living room.  If I catch a giant bass some day I might take it and get it mounted if I can afford it.  Aren't there millions of bass in the U.S. alone?  So what's the big deal if I LEGALLY catch a monster and get the real thing mounted?  Granted, I wouldn't do it every time I catch a big bass.  I only want one or two bass mounted sometime in the future.  

[Grizzn N Bassin]

if it is a state record im keeping the bass and its going on my wall.. im pretty sure that's what id do....