To release or not. Some anglers swear by it, while others swear at the thought of it. At times, there is a lot of controversy raging around the philosophy of catch and release. Before we take a look at articles and sites that discuss the topic, perhaps some music would be in order. Pete Huttlinger, a Nashville based guitarist, composer and arranger who also played with John Denver wrote a tune entitled "Catch And Release." This piece is on his album of the same name, and if you have Real Audio, you can listen to a segment now. The amazing finger picking of the artist should soothe the emotions before we get into the discussion! If you do not have Real Audio, download it here.

'Capture and Release' as Captain Ann Holahan, Bonefish guide of Florida, calls it, is becoming a way of angling life for many. Admittedly, I am not a total catch and release angler as I do enjoy eating fish I have caught once in a while. I do think however, that a good balance must be maintained and I personally think it is outrageous that some anglers fill their coolers to overflowing with fish they have caught, even disregarding local limit regulations. Then of course there are the animal rights flakes that suggest that all angling should be banned. I am not a scientist and do not have a full understanding of all the issues that are involved in the controversy. There are some organizations like the Catch And Release Foundation that are actively involved in education and research of C & R issues. The author of a Catch and Release article at the Steelhead Site claims that he has caught the same fish a second time, after releasing it 20 minutes earlier. If it were true that we could all be so lucky to capture a fish a second time after releasing it, why are there so many other opinions on the practice?

One interesting argument against C & R are the reports of studies that show mortality rates of released fish to be extremely high. In other words, there is little point in releasing a fish if the chances of it surviving are minimal. As Outdoors Online Inc points out in Fish For Tomorrow, there are proper ways to release fish which will increase the chances of survival. But how many anglers actually care to learn this? And is it really enough?

James Fulton, Executive-Director of The David Suzuki Foundation, has written an interesting article entitled 'Catch And Release: Fatal Conservation of Pacific Salmon'. Here, Fulton cites studies that indicate mortality rates of 5 to 90%, depending upon where the fish was hooked, and whether barbless hooks were used. He argues that in circumstances such as the poor state of chinook salmon populations on the West Coast, angling should be shut down entirely. No catch. No release. Before anyone accuses Fulton of being among the animal rights flakes, it should be noted that he does not demand that all angling cease everywhere but suggests that where C & R is allowed, "the public should be informed about the safest hooks for salmon, the safest way to net, and the safest way to remove hooks for releasing salmon."

I would go even further than Fulton, and at the very least, encourage education, and consider regulation in extreme cases, about the manner in which fish are caught. Not only do the style of hooks have a bearing on mortality, but so does the tackle being used and the way in which the fish is fought prior to landing. Perhaps a reminder of our own high school sports competitions would be in order. For those of us that have trained and competed in any sport requiring a great deal of muscular exertion, we know the muscle pains and stiffness that often follows. It is my understanding that part of this pain is caused by a build up of lactic acid in the muscles. Fish are also prone to this, and according to Cliff Ageloff in his article on 'Catch And Release of Stripers', acid build up combined with exhaustion will promote death swiftly for fish.

Fly and light line anglers should especially be aware of this. Often, we are involved in situations where we are fighting a fish in such a manner that the fight is prolonged, at least from the fish's point of view. We don't want to break our light lines or leaders, and therefore a large fish may very well be fought to the point of exhaustion. Something to think about.

What about trophy fish? Many anglers want to keep their big fish, not to eat, but to mount on the wall. Again, I cannot in good conscience criticize any who have done or will do this. Even some of our organizations appear to be promoting the killing of fish whether they realize it or not, according to this article by Paul Carpenter about a recent experience with IGFA. There are, however, other options available such as the fiberglas mounting services available from Fintastic. With the right information provided by you, this company and others like it, can produce a copy of the trophy fish you caught and released. Make sure you take your camera along on every trip!

No single article could cover every aspect of catch and release. I am sure that I will receive a few emails from folk who felt I should have included more information on some aspect of the subject (I haven't even mentioned slot limits), or who will vehemently disagree with something else. That's ok too. In fact, if you do have any ideas, suggestions, or theories on catch and release problems, why not post them to this site's bulletin board? I look forward to seeing some interesting and engaging discussion on the matter.

Related Links

Australian Junior Anglers Contest
Open to residents of Australia, 18 and younger. Essay contest on catch and release fishing.

Chris' Fishing Link
An essay by Chris Orth.

Fishing In Alberta - Management Issues
Handle and release fish with care!

Livewell Biology
The Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee's tips for higher success in release of fish kept in a livewell.

Native Fish Australia
Tips on releasing Murray and Trout Codfish.

Selwyn Lake Lodge
This North West Territories lodge requires its guests to practice C & R.

White Mountain Apache Tribe
The regulations this tribe has enacted for the Fort Apache Indian Reservation.

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