Keepers?

[Safetyman]

In most fishing reports the authors talk about keepers but what does this mean to everyone?

How do you determine what a keeper is? By weight, by length, by species or a combination of all three?

 

[kayos]

In most fishing reports the authors talk about keepers but what does this mean to everyone?

How do you determine what a keeper is? By weight, by length, by species or a combination of all three?

Determined by whether they keep it or not!

Actually we keep Cod, Ling, Pollock, Mackerel and any Haddock(ie one ever!). We have also kept whiting and a Pouting, but wouldn't keep a Pouting again. Just keep if it looks big enough, or ask skipper.

Off the shore, just if it looks a size worth eating.

 

[Kartonkel]

In most fishing reports the authors talk about keepers but what does this mean to everyone?

How do you determine what a keeper is? By weight, by length, by species or a combination of all three?

Legal size?

 

[lingking]

Legal size?

minimum requirement,and of couse do you want it:question:,lot of legal size fish kept then chucked at end of trip

 

[lead chucker]

agree there mate sometimes its more satisfying to put a good sized fish back as long as its healthy, keep it if you want it and it fits in the freezer

 

[canman]

Keeper to me is a fish I chose to keep for the pan and not feel embarrassed to show anyone, unless it's a fish too injured to return.

 

[northeast1]

For me a keeper is a cod over 3lb and a ling over 5lb, a decent pollack and the other species considered "fish" i.e coalie, mackerel etc

 

[Prof Peach]

I'm the same as Canman. Big enough for the pan but most go back.

 

[Davey1970]

av alway's been amased how us shore/pleasure boat angler's are governed by legal sized catch.

but because the e u introduced "qoater's", our fellow fishermen on the trawler's have to chuck perfectly fine fish over the side, dead.....!

 

[Ankle.Biter]

Ofen if we have half a dozen good size fish, we release everything else. I've seen people with bags of Mackeral. I ask the question what are you going to do with all them and usual replies follow.

If you freeze fish for two long it's not great anyway.

On a different note we had the boat out yesterday and got two, one cod, one Ling, both released.

 

[Kartonkel]

Ofen if we have half a dozen good size fish, we release everything else. I've seen people with bags of Mackeral. I ask the question what are you going to do with all them and usual replies follow.

If you freeze fish for two long it's not great anyway.

On a different note we had the boat out yesterday and got two, one cod, one Ling, both released.

Mackerel we freeze for bait...also hard to see any point in releasing mackerels if there are millions down there...I sometimes feed the left over mackies to the seagulls.

Ling I hardly ever return...they are usually baro-traumatised. They also freeze well and I also have no trouble giving them to friends. Ling is a treat.

 

[The Great Wallsendo]

A keeper is a legal sized fish

No angler should be made to feel guilty for keeping a few either

 

[The Plum]

A keeper is a legal sized fish

No angler should be made to feel guilty for keeping a few either

spot on ,

 

[mark]

A woman that can gut fish, has her own boat and can breathe through her ears is defo a keeper in my book

 

[easyfish1]

A woman that can gut fish, has her own boat and can breathe through her ears is defo a keeper in my book

And her mam and dad own an off-licence.....

 

[northeast1]

Ofen if we have half a dozen good size fish, we release everything else.

I am the same, only keep ling if they cant go back and i only keep 1 or two cod a trip for the table, if i have mates on that want a few to top the freezer up i give mine to them but i would say 80% of my catch goes back each year...the cat and the people down the street who often only speak in the summer time can get there fish from Tesco

 

[big sid]

Fish from Tesco, isn't that the catch the trawler men throw back.
I keep legally size fish for myself and family and if I don't catch it I know a man that can

 

[Codfather]

Keeper for me is usually around 3 - 3 1/2 lb and over for cod, keep what I need / will use and put the rest back if they're alive and kicking.

Main thing is that nothing goes to waste.