Feeling Bad For Killing A Fish?

[C0lt]

(if this is in the wrong category let me know, Im not sure if it would be under experiences or not)

 

Today while fishing the pond in the woods behind my house, I decided to use my pad crasher that I had just gotten at dicks. I had to use my brothers surf pole since my rod did't have very heavy line. On the fourth cast a pretty large fish took the frog. When I set the hook, I quickly discovered that the drag was almost off (not sure why he would have turned it down so far, but I should have checked anyway), I quickly tightened the drag and set the hook. When I got the fish in it was about a 4 and 1/2 pounder. The problem is that he had the frog too long and got hooked in the lower gills near his spine. Took a while to get the frog out, and from the blood I wasn't sure if he would make it. He swam off half assed and im more than sure he died within a few minutes (too many weeds to see if he floated up).

 

For some reason I feel really bad that this happened. Am I just a strange guy? anyone else had similar experiences?

[BuffaloBass716]

I have gut hooked a few in the past... I tried my best to get the hook out quickly, some live, some don't. I feel bad when they try to swim off, then turn on it's side.  At that point I wish I could just put the fish out of its misery.  Don't let it bother you to the point where you think about it after you get home.  Clearly nobody purposely tries to harm the fish while practicing C&R, mistakes happen.    

[Long Mike]

Everyone, and I mean everyone, has a fish die on him occasionally.  It's just part of the sport of fishing.

[PondHopper96]

With the good comes the bad! No one likes it but it does happen

[everythingthatswims]

Just learn to clean & cook fish, I don't feel as bad when I put a dead fish to good use. Although a dead fish left in the lake definitely doesn't go to waste, mother nature takes care of all that pretty quickly.

[flyingmonkie]

Agreed, all around.  I'd say most of us on this forum have somewhat of a "strange" relationship with these little green fish, and we want to see them thrive... but it's part of it.

[Missourifishin]

No, that doesn't make you a strange guy. I'd feel the same. I've had some fish that I worried about after releasing too.

[Tylertut]

I feel bad if a fish is even bleeding. I have had a few fish die and feel terrible. It's just part of the sport though. You have to take they joy for catching a huge fish along with the pain of a few dying.

[Fish Murderer 71]

If it were me, I would have hung on to that fish and had "a plate of shame".  I dont go fishing for eating bass, but I have no problem frying up one that I know is going to die when I put it back in the lake...  As for you feeling bad, just means that you have respect for the game you hunt.

[hoosierbass07]

I throat hooked a small bass in ealry spring and could not get the hook out. I tossed it back I the water but felt bad. I think it was someone on this forum that said - get over it, fishing is a blood sport and those things happen. I try to keep that in mind.

I figure I could make up for it by simply following the law and buying my fishing license every year, practice leave no trace fishing when I'm bank fishing, and trying to get the hook out quick and releasing quick when I catch a bass. Really, I think it's part of fishing and happens to almost everyone who fishes.

[roadwarrior]

Fishing is still a blood sport. I suggest keeping legal fish and either eating them yourself

or giving them away to someone that will appreciate the gift.

[Crestliner2008]

Remember this also, nothing goes to waste in nature. Snapping turtles, gulls, herons and other fish will make good use out of whatever doesn't survive on it's own.

[speed craw]

To some extent we all feel bad but , like Crestliner2008 said its the circle of life nothing goes to waste . 

[HeavyFisher]

Snit happens, circle of life nothing is wasted. 

[Hyrule Bass]

i dont feel bad one bit if that happens. its fishing, its going to happen some point in time...

[Mumbly]

Everyone, and I mean everyone, has a fish die on him occasionally.  It's just part of the sport of fishing.

 

Totally agree with Long Mike. It still sucks when it happens and I feel terrible.

[WVbassin87]

Sucks when it happens, but it's unavoidable sometimes. had something happen this morning i felt bad about, even though it didn't kill the fish: was running a lipless crank and a smallie hit it so hard the back treble nailed the side of his lip and the front swung around right into its eye.

[OroBass]

I don't feel anything either. I respect nature and am thankful for the harvest of fish, deer, and fowl.

[FrogTosser88]

I hooked a small striper right through his eye a cpl weeks ago..... He wiggled kinda wierd when I pulled that barb through...... I felt bad for him... he swam away but who knows if he made it... Maybe he will seek revenge some day.......

[Nepatizz]

Super old post but I hooked a bass through the brain once. I got the hook out relatively quickly  but it didn't have the mental capacity to swim away and died trying. Sad **** but it happens its a part of fishing. 

[Spankey]

I’ve had the same scenarios as the rest of you guys. He/she did not go to waste. Got cleaned up and hit someone’s frying pan. I don’t eat fish but the other persons were grateful so that makes you feel a lot better.

I have not had this happen in quite some time. It bugged me in the past and I will bug me in the future if it happens again. 
 

What gets me the most is when you have what appears to be a good hookup, didn’t by any means over play them fish and the fish gets hurt. I can’t comprehend that. I have a live well and it comes in handy to get and keep fish healthy. Gets good oxygen back in them.

 

Don't over think it. Don’t let it get you down. 

[Captain Phil]

Years ago when bass tournaments first started, our bass club would have a huge fish fry after the weigh in.  Our club even owned a fryer.  If you look at photos from the earliest BASS tournaments, you will see dead fish on stringers being hauled to the scales like bananas.  Part of the reason bass fishing still exists is because catch and release caught on with anglers.  Killing a bass once in a while is not going to hurt the fishery.  If I inadvertently kill a bass, I put it back into the lake where it can be recycled into the environment. 

[TnRiver46]

I get excited and call my friends when I kill fish! Who’s bringing taters???

[Bankc]

Such is the circle of life.  Feeling bad is a good thing.  It means you're not a sociopath.  But don't let it bog you down for too long.  Everything dies at some point.  And fish aren't smart enough to comprehend things like death, dying, or what they leave behind.  They don't fear death so much as they instinctually try to avoid it.  

 

And if it did die, it's body will serve it's role in the circle of life of the pond, just like it was meant to.  Part of playing our part in being good stewards of the environment is to ensure the survival of the species as a whole, not necessarily ever single member of it.  

[Ravox]

I always make sure my hooks are barbless i remove on all of my hooks to raise the chances of a fish survive and to make it easier to remove the hooks out, i also feel bad, have a strong love and respect for nature and sometimes i think to myself if is is right that i continue to practice fishing since there is always a risk to harm or kill a fish or any other by catch.

 

its something that really make me feel bad to harm a fish to the point that a stop fishing for several days until i go back, and i am strictly catch and release.