Hey Virgil- What do you think?

[uncljohn]

Shawn Kimbro posted a thread on the main board about "Slush Fishing". He posted a nice picture of his dog licking a pickeral, to which I replied:

"Is it really good to let a dog lick the slime coat off a pickeral? There was a lot of talk earlier in the winter about making sure to preserve the slime coat by handling gently & not using certain types of nets. I'm sure noone considered domesticated pet tongues as a potential hazard.

Sorry, I know dogs like to lick things, but you should really consider the pickeral's health."

To which Shawn responded about how I could obtain a PETA application. Does anyone else think he's in the wrong? Am I just being overly-sensative? Are pickeral less-fragile than I think? :confused:

[Shawn Kimbro]

Let's diffuse this before it turns into any kind of a fude.... I appreciate it that you have a strong desire to look out for the welfare of the fish. I share that concern, I just don't think letting my dog sniff or maybe quickly lick a fish harms it. If you do, then I understand and I'll try to be more sensitive about it in the future. I respect nearly everyone on the board and in this group, so I don't see any need to broaden the argument. -Shawn

[uncljohn]

Shawn-

Thanks for the response. I'd like to hear what Virgil or Rick Holt have to say, b/c they're the ones who have promoted the 'safe-handling' of these fish. They are a lot more fragile than a perch.

There's a reason there aren't any 30" pickeral around, and that's b/c there aren't ANY in the Bay tribs that are old enough to be 30+". Us SRRKC'ers had discussions at length on the perilous situation that pickeral in a brackish estuary face. And it seems clear that ALL the pickeral were wiped out within the past 10 years.

Thanks again and keep on pluckin',
John

[goose70]

Lost in this is the more serious concern about whether it's good to be licked by a dog that has licked a Pickerel that had earlier licked a Perch, which, just moments before the Pickerel licked it, had licked a Mummichog that, for reasons unknown, had licked some fecal matter that had emanated from a sewage spill that dumped thousands of gallons of raw sewage from people who have licked who knows what.

[goose70]

And it seems clear that ALL the pickeral were wiped out within the past 10 years.

It's hardly coincidental that Pickerel licking gained popularity around that same time.:D

[uncljohn]

Lost in this is the more serious concern about whether it's good to be licked by a dog that has licked a Pickerel that had earlier licked a Perch, which, just moments before the Pickerel licked it, had licked a Mummichog that, for reasons unknown, had licked some fecal matter that had emanated from a sewage spill that dumped thousands of gallons of raw sewage from people who have licked who knows what.

Something tells me the dog is probably licking fecal matter off his own rear every morning. So he saves many many steps in your drawn-out flow chart.....

How about those people who let their dog take a few licks of their ice cream cone? "But my dog loooves ice cream!"
:eek:

[goose70]

True enough. And I agree with the original concern. Pickerel need to go back in the water lickedy-split. (I'm on a role...someone stop me!:clap: )

[uncljohn]

Goose-

Its readily apparent that you have been working toooo hard and fishing tooo little. :helpsmilie: I've never seen such a flippant attitude from you......

[Big E]

Goose, now that's funny I don't care who ya are.:D

-E

[FishingRod]

What if the Pickerel had a wound due to a fisherman handling the Pickerel and removing the slime? Would the dog licking the Pickerel help the Pickerel heal faster?

Scientific evidence;)

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/ScienceForum/ASF12/1234.html

shows that dog saliva kills harmful bacteria such E. coli and Streptococcus canis.

My concern is that the dog may experience the rumored dangerous psychedelic effects of Pickerel licking similar to toad licking.:wacko: