You eating that?

I can't keep the fish I catch on the fly most of the time. It doesn't bother me. I can still put fish in the freezer should I choose to do so. I can go other places and fish in other ways. It's not that hard.

But, echoing another post here, I see a lot of folks taking fish from places where it is not allowed.

I don't want to so much talk about them and the conversations I have had with such folk. Some have gone badly and some have gone okay.

I want to say this. I have, in fact, had the mindset a time or two, over the last nine years, to keep a fish that isn't allowed and cook that thing up in foil on the coals of my fire. I have had that thought. I have pulled in fish that I know would be delicious with some butter, salt, and pepper.

Yet, in nine years fishing mostly catch and release waters, despite those thoughts, I can honestly say I haven't done it once.

I would imagine many fly fishermen have similar thoughts? I just know, for me, it will never happen. I can choose to protect a protected water no matter what else I see others doing. Even if I succomb to those thoughts once in awhile.