[wetline dave]

At one time or another all of us has or will be caught up in the numbers game. Or in other words the number of fish caught.

At what point do YOU say enough is enogh!

So this doesn't come across as being a loaded question I will share my idea of what is personally right. Though there is no right nor wrong reply.

I seldom fish a C&R lake but do fish C&R rivers. Any bleeding fish is considered a kill. If the waters have a good population of fish the second bleeder is the end of the game. Regardless of how the fish swims away and how it was handled 10 fish is the end of the game for me. Probably half the time a bleeder is the end of the game for the day. If it is a fragile fishery the first bleeder or possible over taxed fish is the end of the game.

When it comes to put and take I pretty much use the same philosophy. If it is a bleeder or doesn't respond after releasing that is a kill. Five is the limit and I respect that. I also respect the fact that many fish perish that we don't actually see. With that in mind I stop fishing when in my mind I feel that I COULD have possibly killed the limit.

Dave

 

[Lugan]

If you pinch down the barbs on every fly in your arsenal, you'll very rarely get two bleeders in a day...or even one.

 

[SpeySpaz]

fortunately my short-term memory has devolved to the point where I have trouble remembering a tally on a good fishing day, which makes it a moot point in my world.
The other piece, about bleeders and likely backstrokers, that's a moral question one must wrestle with alone, at the riverside. One bleeder is enough to mess up my day.

 

[shankbone]

Man, five bleeders in a day?

I have put my rod down because of the number of fish landed once. I mean, I have called it a good morning and headed home to watch a game, relax with family, enjoy Thanksgiving, recognize Valentine's Day, drink beer with friends, etc. The only time I ever stopped fishing due to the number of fish landed was three years ago, during winter steelhead season, when my brother and I landed a ridiculous number of steelhead while indicator fishing. We finally went ahead and filled the box, stowed the rods, and enjoyed the float out.

In ten years of guiding in Alaska and 20 years of fly fishing for trout, I can only think of about three trout I knew I/we killed because of hooking them. I am sure the mortality rate was higher, but not readily apparent at the time of release and revival.

I feel like I just ate troll bait.

 

[shotgunner]

Agree with SpeySpaz.

There are places with catch & release limits enforced. Not a bad way to fly in my opinion.

I can only recall one 18" Brown that literally bled out in our hands. Hook was in an acceptable looking area. Depressing but reallity.

 

[Old Man]

I don't count fish because I only stay out for a little while. And even when I stayed out for a whole day I didn't count them. I fish for enjoyment, not counting how many fish I catch. But if I was catching fish and they were bleeding, I would stop and see what I was doing wrong.

 

[Gary Thompson]

I never stop fishing, I'm never going to stop fishing.
When I head for home I'm just in between casts.
If I do get a bleeder and it is in a place where I can keep a fish for the table, I'll keep that fish, if not I feel a bit sorry for killing a fish, but "ashes to ashes, dust to dust"

 

[Dan Page]

There is an old adage written by a famous fisherman years ago. I can't recall who it was, but it described the growth or evolution if you will of fishermen. It was something to the affect that when you start fishing you just want to catch a fish, after you have caught a fish or two you get to where you want to catch allot of fish, after you catch allot of fish you get to where you only want to catch the biggest ones there are to catch, after you catch the biggest ones there are you then just want to be out there and it does not matter how many you catch or if you catch any at all. What "allot" of fish is or what "big" is is of course relative.

 

[Tim Lockhart]

Dan, whenever I see that I always believe there's a fifth step...teaching or helping others to catch fish. And of all the "stuff" we could accomplish with a fly rod in this life, the ultimate is inspiring another to be a FF lifer...my mom is ahead of me on that one. >> Oh, and Jim, you don't count fish because you never catch any.

 

[Old Man]

Dan, whenever I see that I always believe there's a fifth step...teaching or helping others to catch fish. And of all the "stuff" we could accomplish with a fly rod in this life, the ultimate is inspiring another to be a FF lifer...my mom is ahead of me on that one. >> Oh, and Jim, you don't count fish because you never catch any.

If this is pointed at me.:rofl::rofl: I guess that I deserve it. But I do catch fish. I'm just so fumble fingered I don't waste time taking pictures. After I catch a fish it goes right back into the water. I'm not into hero shots, I go for the fun in it. :thumb:

Jim

 

[Dan Page]

Ford,
You are absolutely correct, that along with working to protect the resource.