Catch and Release... A Gnarly Subject

Jerry Puckett, Editor, Yamamoto's Inside Line

Editors Note: Recently while checking messages on the Bronzeback message board (www.bronzeback.com) I came across this posting concerning how to respond to other anglers you see harvesting smallmouth. There were a quite a few responses to this question, all of them excellent. The one published here by the angler known as ``Bubba" (actually Jerry Puckett) was representative of what many others had to say. I regret that I lost the name of the angler that posed the original question, but thanks! Its a good question.

The Question:

While fishing on the Mississippi near Genoa, WI last Friday, I had the disappointing experience of witnessing numerous smallies between 15 and 18 inches being tossed into fish baskets. Myself and two others I was with were catching a wide variety of fish, as is often the case around the locks, and we kept a nice bunch of panfish for the table. All bass were released,

These other folks were doing likewise (panfish, white bass, etc.) and it's beyond me why they felt they needed to add the favorite fish of those of us on this board to their take. The sad thing about these spots on the big river is the catch and take mentality.

Now, I'm leaving myself open to your shots, because I didn't say a thing to those keeping smallmouth. Has anyone else had a similar experience, and how I might have made a statement? Or was I right to keep my mouth shut, since the fish being kept were legal?

The Response:

Hey man, don't fall on your saber for the lack of saying something snappy. The guys you saw were in the right in the eyes of the law and operating ethically from their viewpoint (although not well advised in our opinion). And, what you described was a potentially volatile situation. Old habits die very hard and while not necessarily defending those folks, I'll have to admit that I've never personally seen a hungry day. Broke, but not hungry. However, that's not the case with many of my buddies that have me bested by just a couple of years. Those depression and post-depression years are still vivid memories in their mind's eye.

Going fishing is still mentally connected for some with their ability or duty to feed their families. In the ten years I spent as a full-time guide I had several opportunities (about 2500) to hone my salesmanship techniques for catch and release. I was usually successful (about 2498 times) but in the end it was always the client's decision. It had to be, I was depending on them for return business. But, I had some real good results, mostly by kidding the folks (particularly during the spawn) about the fish being "too good to waste" on one meal. That USUALLY resulted in a question from the client, to which the answer was, of course, that one fine specimen can pass their superior genes on to 25,000 offspring, or more, during the spawning cycle each year.

You might consider this type of approach. It has worked well for me, is very non-confrontational and is offered solely as a possible tack you might take when you feel stumped for a response. You win most, you lose some.

At any rate, relax just slightly, don't let your disagreement with what is essentially a personal decision rob you of the opportunity to open lines of communication and educate others about the advantages of catch and release. Who knows, in the process of leaving that door of communication open, you may succeed in getting them over to your side of the street. I think the key is, they'll have to make that move voluntarily. After all, you and I did.

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