Catch and Release

How many of the waters you fish are catch and release? if not, why not?

i went to one of the local fisheries this morning with my dad, and we could've got our limit in five casts - and thats only as i missed the first one...on the dry fly as well! great, but it would've cost us £36 for approximately 20 mins fishing (2 fish each) as it was we were trying to get fish to rise but miss them unless they were the bigger fish....it would've been much better if it a catch and release venue

i know theres an argument about fish mortalities after being put back, but a basket system like they (still?) use at tenterden fisheries in kent will sort that?

The debate regarding catch and release v kill all trout waters has been going on for decades. The problem on many C&R waters is that a large percentage of the anglers tend to treat trout like coarse fish. You see many netting trout, letting them bounce around the bank, weighing them on scales and then posing for photos.

Trout will not survive this sort of handling, especially in the summer months.

Personally I prefer waters that are a combination of both styles. That is they allow you to take say 2 or three fish and then release the rest up to say a limit.

There is also another way on kill all waters. Catch a fish first of all on the going method. Then experiment with some other method or fly.

Or you can sit for a while and admire the scenery. Or like me, go back and sit and drink tea with the bailiff for an hour or two.

I think it is also important to consider the ethos of trout fishing. It's not all about bagging up and getting so called "value for money".

[GrahamM]

I'm with Frothey on this one. I don't like to eat trout for one thing and always put them back. If the water isn't catch and release then I don't fish it.

I understand the arguments for C&R but I think the arguments against it outweigh them.

we ended up stripping one of my bass shrimp imitatations - seeing if we could outstrip the trout...it was just one of those mornings that the trout were going mad....they were coming out on nymphs, wets, lures....at least mine were the "purest" (small hopper type dry).

tried to stalk a low double mirror that i found tail up in the the shallows....have to take a "cornfly" next time.....

and like graham says, i've got 8lb of trout fillet in the freezer now that my wifes going to have to eat.....!

Get them cold smoked Frothey.

I am fortunate in that I like eating trout. I bring home just enough for my own needs plus a few to give away.

And all the browns I do catch these days go back.

And I'll be blowed if I am going to take sides on this one.

I'm happy to sit on a dirty great fence.

do you reckon it (having to take fish) puts people off - i know it does me. i'd fly fish far more often if i could put them all back.

thats why i like fishing for bass on the fly....i catch ****** all so dont have to worry!

[Ric Elwin]

I know I'm going to get slagged for this, but I just can't get my head round put and take fisheries.

A truck rolls up at the fishery with a hundred or two pellet-fed Trout with no tails. Anglers start catching them and killing them 20 minutes later.

Why not save yourself the bother, and just go to Sainsbury's??

I guess it's different on large waters where the fish might overwinter, perhaps be caught and released a few times, learn a thing or two and become quite a challenge.

Am I missing the point?

That's why I spend most of my time on reservoirs and larger lakes these days. The fish are generally stocked small in good numbers and have chance to grow out.

Thrybergh to me is the perfect fishery. Plenty of grown on and overwintered fish plus you can realease them all day if you want, all for £2.40 a day!

I have now got sufficient photos, I'll do a picture feature on this place shortly.