Virginia Board

[stingray]

I just read "The Man Visited Me" on the VA board. I subscribe to the "live and let live" approach to life, but I feel the need to comment after seeing the pics..

Don't get me wrong, I'm guilty more than most at keeping just about everything that is legal to eat. But, I don't understand live-lining eels for C&R. Seeing all of the blood pouring out of the gills of that 50# fish is such a waste.

If they were comm. hook and line then I take it back, but I didn't see any numbers on the side of the boat.. ..

Sorry, after seeing that fish, had to get it off my chest. Would post over there but don't want to start a big controversy.

[Antman40]

Herb, IT IS WHAT IT IS:(
I felt BAD looking at that picture.....

I'm sure they didn't plan on killing it.......maybe shoot em' a bmail after you calm down and you might be suprised as to their response.

Tony

[Fat Jimmy]

I saw it as well Herb and I agree with you. I haven't been around striper/sportfishing long enough to have a very educated opinion, but it doesn't make sense to me either. I'll take it even one step further and ask why bait fishing is even legal at all during C&R fishing?

[stingray]

I agree with you Tony. I'm sure that they are decent dudes and did all they could to keep the fish alive. No bones to pick with them and I'm certainly not against C&R in most circumstances.

Just not sure about C&R live lining w/eels or most other fresh bait for that matter. The picture is worth a thousand words, as they say.

[LECTRICFISHRMAN]

Just wanted to post a reply since I follow the Va. board & know the guys in the picture . It's Al Bunnell ( moderator ) for the Va. board. He's a great guy that really does care about conservation & fishery issues . He's tagged speckled trout & puppy drum for years . He grew up on the Eastern Shore & still has family over there . I read in their post that they were useing circle hooks to minimize the inpact on the fish they knew they were releasing. I'm sure in hindsight he'd rather not seen the fish bleed either. I too hate to see a bleeder . Al's the kind of guy that will probably hate to see it too. Good luck when you go ....

[stingray]

Lectric, thanks for the reply. No doubt that they are stand-up guys that deserve defending. I'm not faulting them or anyone else who C&R's. I've done it myself (although not w/ live bait) so am probably a hypocrite to a certain degree on this one.I'm glad they had a great day. They were some nice fish!!

I just reacted after seeing the pic of th efish bleeding, that's all. thanks

[LECTRICFISHRMAN]

Stinger , no harm no foul ! Take care & good year to ya ...;)

[Al B]

Hey guys.. I certainly understand the concern, as I was concerned too. However, the fish was hooked in the back of the roof of it's mouth, not in the gills. It took a lot to remove the hook, and a little blood resulted... but, relative to the size of the fish, not a lot of blood (I think I bled more from the scrapes on my hand and thumb!). I felt it was better to remove the hook and cause a small wound rather than leave the hook in... maybe a bad call... who knows. The fish was out of the water for ~90 seconds, and swam away strong. Of all the fish caught that day, this was the only one hooked anywhere other than the lip.

[noboat]

Herb,
I'm with you on the catch and release issue with bait, but a better question might be How in the hell are they catching these hogs? Seems to me we had more swings and misses than hook-ups on our recent trip. Must be a trick to the hook set.
Ed

[Al B]

I found that the hook-up ratio was MUCH better with the reel in gear... no free spool w/clicker. ALL of the fish we hooked were in the lip, except this one.