Billy Bob Loc: Terre Haute,IN

NO

audigger53 Loc: Severn, MD

This is like for Deer Hunters, "You eat Bambi?". I quit deer hunting when I movedd to the East Coast. After hunting Mule Deer in Arizona, White tails just look like they still need to grow up. But that's just me.
I never hunted for trophies.
I fish for food and for fun. Too small they go back to grow bigger. When the freezer is full I give away what I catch to others and neighbors. I don't go fish places that are Catch and Release. That's my 2 Cents worth.


I did notice that only 7 of us were "real" posters out of 15. The others have not filled out their locations ect or even so one could seend a PM to.

rls44 Loc: washington state

if i catch it i eat it period

20mules Loc: Chesaw, Washington

If I am putting food on the table, which is often, the only fish I will release is Wild Salmon or other fish that Washington DFW says I cannot keep. Too often, as someone else said, the fish will die anyway so why take the chance and waste a perfectly good meal, fried or smoked. Wasting fish or game is the worst thing you can do.

runandgun Loc: East Texas

When a large fish fights and it takes a long time to land it, most likely it will due due to the build up of lactic acid in its body. Some people like to use light tackle to experience the thrill of the fight from the fish. That's not thinking of the animal.

Its a hard decision to know what to do in those situations. So I suggest that anglers use tackle that allows them to land the fish in the shortest amount of time possible. If it takes a long time to land the fish for whatever reason, take it home and enjoy.

JimCT Loc: Connecticut

I can add my name to the never having caught a trophy fish so I have never been put in this position. But here is my reality. One of the best tasting salt water fish near me is striped bass. They are now slot protected. You can only keep one fish in the 28 to 35 inch slot. Anything bigger or smaller goes back. So no trophy strippers anymore. Trophy bluefish can’t be caught from shore and even so because they are such a fatty fish they go rancid even when frozen. No point in keeping one that you won’t eat in a month. I don’t own boat and I am sure as heck with COIViD not stepping on the Petri dish of a party boat and charters in my state are limited to half the capacity ( which for most is 3 people or less) so the cost is just way out of sight ( 1/3 of 1800 dollars plus tip for the captain and mate) so most other salt water fish are out of consideration for me.

Fresh water fishing? I put the large trout brown and tiger back to make more trout. Stocked Rainbow , as they don’t breed in the wild , I might keep a larger one if it is not C&R season. As for any other trophy size freshwater fish in New England it probably has built up enough mercury from most waters and PCBs in a few waters that you shouldn’t eat anyway so might as well return it to the water unharmed . I stick with pan fish, small to medium trout, stocked channel catfish and if had a boat to fish the deeper larger lakes a walleye for fresh water fishing in New England. Pike, Pickerel, LMB, SMB , brown cats, all manner of bullheads all go back no questions asked.

Able Man Loc: North Coast (Cleveland, Ohio)

As long as it won't get me into legal problems to eat it, I will eat it.

bozokarl Loc: south central Pa

Personally I'd rather see it released but it's their fish so they can do with it what they want. 99% of the fish I keep are bluegills or mudcats I keep to use for bait. The only time I keep fish other than that is if they are bleeding and are going to die any way.

Cubsfan Loc: Destin Florida

I’ll eat every wahoo I catch .or some tourneys have a donation box . If I have too many I’ll give away to the donation box

Jim Buck Loc: Sevierville, Tn

It all depends. I release 99.9% of all the sail fish I catch, but I will keep one just over min size every once in awhile to smoke and make fish dip. If you keep your fish to eat I have no problem with you. The people I don't care for are the ones who keep everything they catch to show off at the docks and then leave them there to rot.

Cubsfan Loc: Destin Florida

yes like jaws. the TAGGER SHACK!

Cubsfan Loc: Destin Florida

ate sword fish last night. damn good really creamy fish.

Jakestake83 Loc: Mooresville NC

There really isn't any right or wrong on this, it depends on every individual situation. I happen to be a catch and release angler. On rare occasions I will keep one to eat and I prefer to take the mid sized fish to eat and save the bigger breeders for my future enjoyment. Many people fish to eat. In those cases its up to the individuals. The big fish are indeed the best breeders so for the future of our sport so releasing them is OK. Todays taxidermists are artists, they can reproduce from good photos and a couple of measurements. Thats a good way to preserve memories.

hemihappy Loc: pawleys island s.c.

My attitude as I have said before on this forum is the fight in the fish I don't care if it is a perch or bluegill or any game fish if it fought enough to impress me it goes free. If it is large enough to be a breeder it goes
free. If it didn't make that much of an effort and it is not too big I invite him or her for dinner.

DrewU Loc: Waterloo ia

I’m onboard Jonny stroking yourself over a fish is just a little unfair to fish they can’t come catch us.. if they could they would be busting records left and right.. as RJ would say just saying