At 04:22 PM 4/9/02, you wrote:
>Dear lister's,
>In my progression of fishing, I am finding myself
>wanting to catch bigger fish on lighter tackle.
>my question is this, lighter tackle means longer
>playing time. Thus the fish must get tired,and face a
>chance of dying.is it more ethical to use heavier
>tackle with fewer chances of harming the trophy or if
>done properly can a concious angler use lighter
>tackle. Im looking for more challenge in my angling
>the landing isnt as important to me as the battle
>itself but the most important thing to me is the
>welfare of the fish
Ethics are a system of personal beliefs..... if the most
important thing to you is the welfare of the fish, you have answered
your own question...... you can take this to the extreme of not fishing
at all , or to some modification of fishing that limits the sport and the
challenge, yet suits your feelings about the sport and the
endgame involved....
Some folks think the sport and the challenge is all in the take of the
fly, the deception..... they are able to fish with flies that have no
points, and forgo the battle of wits and the adrenaline of the fight, the
closure of "counting coup" received by landing the fish (in whatever manner)
For me, this is simply not possible........ the fight and the
conclusion of that fight are the biggest part of the sport..... hell, the
fish can manage to hook himself through no skill of mine, half the time.....
I find, however, that there is a balance in the progression of
improved skill with lighter tackle.... you should reduce the "weight"
of your tackle only as you become skilled enough to land your fish without
overstressing him....... how you fight him is how you fight
him..... If, during the fight you decide you wish to land the prize at ANY
cost, and you mickey mouse around with a fish on light tackle , you stand
the chance of overplaying him......
If, however, you decide while fighting him that you will do every
thing in your power to bring him in under the least stressful conditions,
then you have made the choice between overplay or not to over
play.... the tackle doesn't do this..... you are either skilled enough
to bring him in efficiently with the light tackle, or you are not skilled
enough to do so, and he breaks away, and is free.
Understand that even heavy heavy tackle doesn't insure a quick and
effortless finish to the game.... little Tunny will tear off so fast
and so far as to be a serious threat to slicing your hand with the
flyline. Yet their excellent fighting instincts is often their downfall,
as the intense effort changes their blood chemistry, and they can be a
challenge to revive after the fight.
One thing you do need to accept is that from point zero, from impaling
the fish, you are stressing him, and putting him at risk..... releasing a
fish upright and breathing doesn't insure his survival.... C&R is
less successful than most zealots think, and it is often times something
that they use to assuage their wounded ethics. It is a blood sport you
participate in, my friend.... at some level we all need to accept that.
you might consider changing the structure of your ethics..... I
come from a management background, and although fish are revered and
honored creatures to me, deserving of my respect..... I do not lose
sight of the fact that they are animals, a resource to be treasure and
maintained, but a dead fish is often part of the game.
Perhaps you got more rhetoric here than you wished, but I believe your
answer can be found here, and is a matter of degrees....
Splinta
