to my disgrace

[dizzydaz]

as you will probally know some of you will of known i was out on tuesday night at the huegh in hartlepool whislt i was fishing i seen a couple young lads fishing a couple yards away from me we started chattin to each other and getting on fine i turned to check my rod and noticed a crackin bite but missed it i then walked back over to the lads and started chatting again when i noticed one of them had just landed a codling for about 1lb if that...so i said crackin little fish i said thats another one to go back and return another day and he replied "no way thats goin in the bag" so he walked over to his box killed the fish and put it ina carrier i looked at the young lad and had to walk away
he noticed i wasnt too impressed as i was cursing and ramling on under my breath at the young lads they soon packed up and left the pier shortly afterwards.
after they had left i was woundering why do people take undersized fish there is no need for it we should be doin our part in tryin to help our stocks by returnin small fish to grow and return another day.
i just hope that i dont bump into those idoits again

 

[RossW]

I introduced a mate of mine to sea angling a few years back on Blyth Pier. He is a coarse angler and was pretty squeamish about sea fishing in general. The sight of two grown men catching a big edible crab and then playing football with it until it was smashed to pieces put him off for life. What can you do?

I think a lot of people aren't aware of size limits too. Having a bit of respect for your quarry makes it so much more fun in my opinion.

 

[dizzydaz]

its rediculas they way grown adults act if they are gonna act like young kids really to be honest they shouldnt be fishing at all it really made me angry to find that people are keepin undersized fish they should have the commen knowledge that a certain size is no good anythin under 2.5lb i catch i always return without fail

 

[Codcodcod!]

B4 jumping on the bandwagon here, if it was 35cm or over then that makes it size. A cod just over a pound is about that size. U'll not know unless u get the tape out. U'll be surprised to see how small a codling is at 35cm! I would have put that fish back pleasure fishing but people who don't catch very often may keep it and they're within there right to do so. The crab incident is appalling mind!

 

[dizzydaz]

maybe they are within there right at the moment this year i have only had 3 codling and not one of them was anymore than 1.5lb and they have all been returned safely i can see what you are tryin to say but at the same time realistically you aint gonna get a decent amount from a fish that size

 

[The Plum]

they keep the tiddlers on roker aswell a wish a ministry bloke wouyld walk along and check there bags one day ,grown blokes last week wi sardines tiny codl;ing

 

[SnaggedUpLad]

i'm pretty much new to fishing (except freshwater as a kid) but fishing to me is about the point where its you and that fish on the line, i've kept 1 so far and the rest returned, but the thought that people get amusment of abusing a animal in any way is rediculious, and as for codling would throw back anything under 2 lb's but never caught one lol. but to be honest you need to respect animals not f**k em over cause its "amusing". anyways i've lost the point i was wanting to say lol (got angry)

 

[paulthespark]

i always chuck anything under 2.5 lbs back ,but sometimes you can hook a small one thats taken the whole hook right down, if you try to get the hook out you are going to kill it anyway, so i kill it as fast and as humanley as possible ,take the hook out and keep it, mabey these lads had to do the same .:red::red::red:

the eternal optomist

 

[Gaverick]

It's my policy to return all fish, the only time I wouldn't do this is if the fish was deeply hooked and it was evident it would not survive. I go fishing for the pleasure value and the escape from normal life, I'm not really interested in keeping and eating fish, that's what the fish shop is for (Of course this only works if the boats are properly controlled and aren't taking more fish than needed).

 

[YoursTruly]

If the fish was of legal size it is for the captor to decide wether or not they want to kill it and take it home.
They may be unemployed and need to take the fish for the table and personally i cant see anything wrong with that.
Others are very quick to judge without knowing the full circumstances.

Please note none of the content in this post is meant to offend, regards
Terry

 

[mick]

A better approach with the young lads could have been to have asked if it was 'in-size', they may not even have known the size limit and then you could have at least educated them, it could even have been in limits! As someone has already said 35cm is not very big at all! Your own choice whether you return 'size' fish, good on you if you do but that does not make anyone more saintly than an angler who does not! However it does not give anyone who does this the right to judge others if they decide to keep 'in size' fish even if they are 'small' but in size. It amazes me how some people are okay with the fact that for competitions its okay though, and in a lot of cases, flat fish, Wrasse etc are not going to be destined for the table, however the fish will be in size/legal and personally I have no problem with that either. I can honestly say if a Codling is in size it will be for the table whether it be in a club comp or a pleasure session and have no problems with that because it will be legal. Yes 35 cm is small, however I have every confidence in my filletting to take ample fillets from the fish to justify taking it. Everyone is entitled to their own views, but if everyone at least abided by the legal size limits then there is no reason for anyone to be upset or get on their soap-box. Its an old debate this one and everyone has there own opinion but as long as everything kept is of legal size then there really isn't anything to say or get bothered about really, if its under the legal limit though and kept, well thats a different story alltogether!

 

[andybuk8]

undersize fish

undersize fish

i have fished all my life on and off, rock fishing and boat fishing and over the years ive seen many people keeping undersize fish to my dismay. a few weeks ago i fished north shields and there were two young boys fishing next to me. they caught a small cod and were going to keep it until i explained to them how long it took for that small fish to grow to the size it was now and how long it would take for it to become a fish that they could keep. they listened to me and were amazed at what i had said to them. so i unhooked the fish for them and they watched with exitement as i put the fish back in the water. you can expect to a certain degree that young anglers will make mistakes as they learn. but there are no excuses for more established adult anglers making those same mistakes. if im fishing and i see a small fish caught i say nice fish when you put it back the next time you catch it, it may be your personal best! i have no hesitation in telling them.

 

[Northumbrian]

Not trolling, honest, but hoping to add to the debate. Is it not worse (in terms of conservation) to keep a 10lb cod which is far more likely to spawn successfully than a 1lb'er? Your taking the bigger stronger fish out of the system and leaving the smaller, more vunerable fish, which may not reach breeding maturity due to natural preadation anyway. It's like going for pike, realeasing all the little jacks, and killing the big breeding females (exteme example I know).

Taking tiddlers is obviously daft and benefits nobody, but smaller "size" fish arefair game IMO. Don't be so quick to judge if you clonking specimen cod on the head and taking them home.

Jut my 2p worth.

 

[paulthespark]

you have a very good point:red::red::red:

 

[YoursTruly]

Northumbrian, i take on board what you say and yes it makes more sense to return the bigger fish.
How many anglers will put a double back these days, not many me thinks.
You will of course get some who will say they would and some who actually would.