ethics question

[RRocket]

Personally? 

 

If you aren't running afoul of any laws or regulations, it's fine.

 

Most hunting and fishing regulations have ethics built into some of the rules.

 

But if it's one of your personal ethic things? Well only you can decide that! In effect, "You do you."

[Zcoker]

16 hours ago, Buzzbaiter said:

 
100% agree. This is why I don’t really understand when people say it’s cheating.

Live bait can be cheating, espeically in CPR tournaments, which don't allow live bait. But there's really no way to enforce that, either. Just gotta go by the word of the angler to follow the rules. 

[TOXIC]

Personally, I don’t use live bait.  When I was guiding, I would use shiners for Crappie trips since the catch rate went up, I had inexperienced anglers and they were keeping the fish for table fare.  I see the guides on Headwaters in Florida spend a lot of time with shiners for bass.  Client pays for the bait at $35 a dozen and a good starting number is 6-10 dozen for a half day trip.  My theory is all these guides gather in the same spots and turn them into feeding stations for the bass.  The bass aren’t smart enough to become live bait shy.  My theory was proven when one of the guides posted he caught a largemouth that has 3 circle hooks in its mouth.  

[TnRiver46]

No ethics violation in my eyes, that’s a legal bait in TN as long as its keeper size. My buddy got a striper pushing 50 lbs with a 12” brown trout as bait 

[RRocket]

36 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

  Client pays for the bait at $35 a dozen 

Talk about unethical...

[TOXIC]

10 minutes ago, RRocket said:

Talk about unethical...

That’s bait shop price.😱

[RRocket]

17 minutes ago, TOXIC said:

That’s bait shop price.😱

My comment remains the same! 😃

[T-Billy]

On 5/28/2024 at 3:24 PM, king fisher said:

  I am curious what members here think.  Is it unethical? 

You said it's legal. I say go for it if you don't have a moral issue with it. I certainly don't. Who gives a crap what other people think? I can count the people on this planet who's opinion truly matters to me on both hands, and have a couple fingers left. 

I'd recommend making a quick strike rig like muskie guys use for suckers, but use stout mono. No need for wire with bass. 

Looking forward to pics of your results. 😉

[rboat]

If they do not want the bass, could you catch some and legally transport them to other lakes that may need some stocking? That way it would be a win -win, you get to catch bigs, however you want and help out other fisheries.

[Zcoker]

18 hours ago, TOXIC said:

Personally, I don’t use live bait.  When I was guiding, I would use shiners for Crappie trips since the catch rate went up, I had inexperienced anglers and they were keeping the fish for table fare.  I see the guides on Headwaters in Florida spend a lot of time with shiners for bass.  Client pays for the bait at $35 a dozen and a good starting number is 6-10 dozen for a half day trip.  My theory is all these guides gather in the same spots and turn them into feeding stations for the bass.  The bass aren’t smart enough to become live bait shy.  My theory was proven when one of the guides posted he caught a largemouth that has 3 circle hooks in its mouth.  

 

The guides have conditioned the bass like one of those pellet feeders. When they draw up on a spot with a boatload of clients the fish are there waiting. It’s all about the bounty on that lake. 

[WRB]

The current 22.312lb world record LMB caught legally in Japan’s Lake Biwa by Kurita was on a live bluegill.

Ethical? Depends on your moral compass and beliefs what is right or wrong.

Tom

[JackstrawIII]

My personal rule is that I only use live bait to catch fish I want to eat. Live bait is certainly effective… but if I’m fishing for sport, it’s lures. 
 

Also, how sure are you that using a sport fish as bait is legal? It’s certainly not legal here. 
 

But, if it’s legal and it’s acceptable to your community, then by definition it is not unethical. 

[king fisher]

3 minutes ago, JackstrawIII said:

Also, how sure are you that using a sport fish as bait is legal? It’s certainly not legal here. 
 

But, if it’s legal and it’s acceptable to your community, then by definition it is not unethical.

In Mexico as far as I know there are zero fresh water fish classified as sport fish and I am sure it would be legal.  Dynamite would be an excepted method of fishing in the local community.  

 

I don't have time to go back before the rain comes and floods the lake.  By then fishing with live bass would be a waste of time, and the opportunity will not come again until this time next year.  I probably wont ever get the chance to give it a try, but I am interested to hear what members here think about fishing with live bass, is it right wrong, or who cares.  There have been many interesting responses.  So far most members wouldn't do it themselves, but don't seem to think there is anything wrong with doing it.  I did forget to mention I had fished the exact place the bass ate the small bass many times through out the day with a variety of lures and never got a bite.   

[Skunkmaster-k]

I’d do it. Then I’d eat both of em. HA HA !

[JackstrawIII]

1 hour ago, king fisher said:

Dynamite would be an excepted method of fishing in the local community.  

That illustrates my point perfectly. Many in my community would say that dynamite fishing is unethical… but in the community you describe it is regarded as ethical. Since ethics are based on a community’s shared perception of morality, it is therefore ethical in that community… unethical in mine. 
 

As far as using bass as bait, it would be unethical for me to do it in NY where I live, but I would have no “moral” problem it if I were in a community where it was legal and perceived as ethical. I have no moral problem with using bass as bait (I don’t think it’s intrinsically “wrong”) but I think it would be “unethical” for me to do it because of where I live. Hence the distinction I made in my first post: if it is legal and considered ethical in your community, go for it… as it would not be morally or ethically wrong. 
 

Ps. For what it’s worth, my point is based on the understanding that ethics are based on our sense of morality, but ethics and morality are not the same. Not sure if I’m explaining myself well, but I’m enjoying this discussion. 
 

It reminds me of the inner dilemma that Steve Rinella described during the Amazon River episodes of Meat Eater. He was with a tribe that harvested fish via poison. While this is largely considered unethical in the States, he had to admit that the natives were able to utilize this method in a way that was ecologically sustainable and culturally acceptable. Therefore he couldn’t pass ethical judgement on the practice, tho it felt uncomfortable to him. 

[king fisher]

47 minutes ago, JackstrawIII said:

made in my first post: if it is legal and considered ethical in your community, go for it… as it would not be morally or ethically wrong. 

I understand you point, but there are also things that would be considered normal in a community, that I would not consider ethical because of where I am from or how I was raised.  I consider Bass Resource my community, therefore, greatly appreciate the opinions from members on this forum.

[JackstrawIII]

7 hours ago, king fisher said:

I understand you point, but there are also things that would be considered normal in a community, that I would not consider ethical because of where I am from or how I was raised.  I consider Bass Resource my community, therefore, greatly appreciate the opinions from members on this forum.

That is a very good point. Interesting conversation. 

[MAN]

The moment I go to the part where you said "it would be legal for me to use bass as bait on the lake I fish"  I was wondering the the heck is the argument here??

 

Some people get so caught up in "ethics" that they forget to just have a good time. I actually think its a great and rewarding challenge to catch a small bass and then inturn, catch a larger bass off of him.