FS Digest

Hey guys,

I’m sort of torn on fishing as a whole. I enjoy being out there in nature and getting on some fish, but in the back of my mind I know its not the most ethical thing to do.

I pretty much only practice catch and release (don’t like preparing or eating fish), and even that entails jabbing a hole through a fishes mouth (or jabbed in the eye, gutted, or worse) and dragging the fish with all of its weight on a hook through its pierced flesh, while it fights to be free. Let me tell you, I’ve had a hook stuck in my finger, and it hurts pretty damn bad, and thats not even including having my bodyweight held by the hook in my skin.

I’ve heard the whole argument for fish not feeling pain, whether that be from an apparent lack of nerves, or a lack of brain capacity in some manner to truly process the pain as most other mammals do. Not sure if I buy that, there are many contradicting studies claiming they do infact feel pain, and from my experience, it sure seems like they do.

I guess what I’m getting at here is (TL;DR), is there some other way of catching a fish with a rod thats hookless? I was thinking in place of a hook, something like a clip, magnet, (maybe even a net) that would somehow snap shut on its mouth to hold it in place and not wear out the fish nearly as much. Maybe I’ll try a DIY, does it seem feasible to ya’ll for smaller fish?

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by caploon

FS Digest

I don't know of any alternatives but honestly I don't see using a hook as all that unethical. You should look into fly fishing and smaller, single, barbless hooks. That's probably the safest (and most challenging!) way to catch them.

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by sashazuke

FS Digest

Any method of capture causes stress and injury. Some are better than others, but all do damage and a certain level of mortality. If you wish to avoid causing any harm, find a different hobby.

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by jswledhed

FS Digest

Yeah the alternative is a spear. Either get over it or don’t fish those are your options.

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by Schmidttitty

FS Digest

Yeah maybe just don't fish then.

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by walterh3

FS Digest

Seems like you are a beginner fisherman who isn’t sure he wants to fish. Just figure that out, spears or nets are often illegal to use to catch fish so hooks are your option if this is the sport for you.

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by hawkster1961

FS Digest

Spearfishing, it's what I do. Shoot them in the head and it's lights out immediately. Any other form of fishing is going to cause pain. If you're not interested in eating fish, and you aren't interested in causing unnecessary pain and stress, you probably don't want to go fishing.

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by lawlawlandrover

FS Digest

Oh man, I struggled with this early when I first started. Consider hookless fly fishing. You don't get to land the fish, but you go through all the motions of fishing dry flies. Trying to get perfect presentation, a great drift and watching it all come together when a trout rises on your fly. Completely harmless and great fun. My prefered way to fly fish tbh.

Other than that, were pretty much SOL unfortunately.

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by Habbard

FS Digest

Even if you did net them or do a diy way of not piercing their lip or hooking them in the eye, it’s still going to cause them stress because your taking them out of the water and pulling them in, so honestly I would just stick with hooks, yeah sometimes when I hook them in the eye I feel a little bad, but I honestly don’t care, I forget about it lol, so just stick to hooks

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by itsbento

bugeye Loc: North of the gnat line in Georgia

But, but, but, that could harm them psychologically.

GlennMc928 Loc: Tualatin OR

Try going barbless it is much better on the fish and as long as you keep a tight line you will not lose a fish.

Ron620DVS Loc: Guntersville Alabama

Try using a rubber coated fishing net..

Graywulff Loc: Cortez,Co.

I have been catching and eating fish my whole life. I am a confessed carnivore. Fish are a part of the food chain. Catch and release, sure, no problem, because the catching is fun and if you don't want to eat them it is the best way. IF YOU WANT TO FISH. However, if you feel bad cuz it gives the fish a boo boo DON'T FISH. It seems rather silly to fish just to have an excuse to be outdoors.

plumbob Loc: New Windsor Maryland

Caplon, to quote you " I pretty much only practice catch and release (don’t like preparing or eating fish)".

Question for you is why are you even out on the water doing C & R when that is bringing stress upon the fish no matter what method you are using?

You relate being hooked in your finger, well relate to being yanked off of that seat you are on by way of a net and being dropped back on the floor a couple of times.

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

Your best option is to find another hobby. We all enjoy fishing and do it in a lot of different ways. You might need to find a different web site that doesn't involve harming fish. Not trying to sound mean.