FS Digest

I like catch and release fishing. I used to use heavy, powerful rods but it made reeling in fish too easy and I needed monsters for any challenge.

Started using extremely light rods and now even panfish put up a fight!

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by FG1442

OJdidit Loc: Oak Creek Wisconsin

Not a great idea as many fish will not survive a long fight. They may swim off after release, but may be too exhausted to survive the battle.

Chuck56 Loc: Texas

No. As a catch / release guy, I try to end the fight as soon as possible. There is no point , in catch and release fishing , to putting any fish under more stress than necessary ....My 2cents.

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

I agree with Chuck and OJ. You gonna wear em out like that, you need to keep em and eat em or give em to someone who will.

agatemaggot Loc: iowa

What OJ said, a severe lactic acid buildup will kill a fish as well as a sharp blow on the back of it's head !

Anybass Loc: Pa.

Good point AG re the lactic acid danger to fish.

forrest r Loc: NE ohio

Don't know about all that. But I only fresh water fish for bluegill, perch, small/large/white bass, catfish, walleye, crappie, sheephead (drum), carp, suckers.

95%+ of my fishing is done with ul equipment. I don't catch and release unless the fish are too small or a fish I don't eat (carp, sheephead & warm water suckers).

Never had any issues fighting with those fish to the point they died from being caught.

Most of my fishing is done in 2 inland lakes 25 miles and 40 miles away. I put the fish I catch on stringers/back in the lakes. When leaving I put them on ice for the drive home. Then I put the equipment away, get something to eat and then start cleaning fish. Takes me a little while to clean the fish, the fish at the top of the strings were caught last. 1 hour + later after being pulled out of the lake and put in the cooler they're still moving around.
I keep the 24" baseball bat around to thump the live fish (most of them are) before cleaning them.

It's steelhead fishing time in NE Ohio, it's nothing to catch a 2 fish limit and then keep fishing catch and release. It takes +/- 10 minutes to land the +/-5# steelhead. I have yet to release 1 that didn't survive the fight of being caught. I'm just clad they don't talk, I'd be washing their mouths out with soap!!! Actually more often then not I have to thump the steehead before cleaning them. This is after a +/- 10 minute fight, then sitting in a cooler for a couple hours (no ice or water), they're still alive. The gill is open on the bottom trout because it's still alive.

Couldn't even begin to count the number of walleye we caught over the years trolling on lake erie in 60'/70' of water with the lines stacked 135'/165'/185' back and +/- 10' off the bottom. Trolling speeds are +/- 2mph & when it's fish on the walleye are being brought up 50'/60' in a hurry fighting a 2mph motor pull along with the person reeling the fish in. The motor speed & reeling speed combo totally overcomes the fish with exhaustion. The only way to loose these walleye is from the mouths tearing (too soft in hot weather) or the combo of a soft mouth and getting ther fish in the props backwash. Toss the walleye in the cooler and when there's a couple in there we cut their throats (bleed them out). Those walleye are still alive & not only recovered from the fight of being caught. There's only ice in the cooler and they flop around banging the sides of the cooler.

Gary Northrop Loc: Richland WA

I guess your choice of rod action and tackle strength depends on
what gives you the most jollies when you go fishing. I went through a
phase of liking ultralight, but then I realized what I enjoy most in catching
a fish is the strike; consequently, I now go for quantity, not quality. For
example, I gave up fly fishing for pike and now use regular tackle.

Once you get the hang of it, landing a good fish just takes more time and
isn't all that challenging.

Catfish hunter Loc: Riggins idaho (Paradise)

I just match the gear to the sport. I don’t need to think a fish is bigger by using gear lighter than appropriate for the species. There’s a certain element to being ethical to the fish as well. I probably would rather have someone tie a tough rope around my neck and kill me quick vs tie a piece of 4 pound mono around my big toe and drag me around till I suffered to death. Just my opinion.

bobber22 Loc: Ocala, Florida

My thoughts precisely. For sure increases the mortality rate.