Thread: How many people would throw back a 13 incher

Originally Posted by kazualobzerver

Have tried to analyze my own feelings here and maybe it's about priorities. Realize it may not be backed by scientific fact but to see a fish swim off of any size is my small gesture to split the bounty with Mother Nature or share with a future angler. It's more important to me than seeing it in a skillet. We eat fish on average of once a month, 6 make us a meal. Have difficulty comprehending folks that thrash the same area repeatedly for a week straight or measure their success by how quickly they can push the stopwatch on catching a limit. The guy that says "we had our limit in 45 minutes, back on the trailer and headed home" is a mystery. What did he miss by not turning back his last fish and staying to enjoy the day or learn more about his body of water. To me the joy is the hunt, I'll leave fish to go find other fish. Maybe not smart but it's what I live for. About anyone with a Snoopy Rod can catch fish once located but to me the measure of an angler's skill is the ability to find fish or find better quality fish doing something different. Have a good spring everybody.

Maybe I'm going to buy a snoopy rod then maybe I can catch some. Well said Steve

Originally Posted by brobrash

Check the release area after a major summer tournament, most of the floaters are well over 13 inches.

I think that is a little different. I don't think the OP was talking about after he's been in the live well all day b/c of a tournament. Maybe I'm reading more into it than was intended, but I think they meant right away. A live well is a lot of stress on a bigger fish like a 13" crappie.

Originally Posted by keyser_soze

I think that is a little different. I don't think the OP was talking about after he's been in the live well all day b/c of a tournament. Maybe I'm reading more into it than was intended, but I think they meant right away. A live well is a lot of stress on a bigger fish like a 13" crappie.

There was talk of preserving the fish for future anglers, and egg counts in larger fish, but Mofishmgr said once you catch that fish, it's more then likely going to die anyway, from stress, etc. Plus the fish is probably at the upper end of the age limit. Crappie just don't live long enough to worry about it. When in doubt, just eat the darn thing. Thumbs Up

I won't throw them back if I know it's one of your honey holes.....lol

My 17 1/2 incher went back to his xmas tree.

First I don't care what the fish bioligst says, I release many big crappie all year long, never had one belly up on me when I release them, now if I thought he was going to die on me before say maybe a tournament 4 days later then maybe I could see the reason to put the knife to him, if he only lives a couple more months that is fine with me, if I was catching 50-60 crappie real easy, no way would I keep all the big ones and throw back the little ones, it is up to each what they do, it is your fish do as you wish, I just about as fine with a hot dog as a crappie filet and they don't cost near as much.....

And that's the bottom line cause OSS said so ! :D With lower water temps in particular I question that a majority of quality fish die after release if returned quickly. Spend a few hours in a live well, agree that could be different. Been lucky enough to be on some good big fish bites on occasion and don't see dead ones floating when back in the same area in following days. Do all dead fish float? Maybe not but enough you should see a trend. The argument that they are going to die anyway cannot be substantiated amply it seems to me but everyone has to draw their own conclusion.

The real bottom line is just do what makes you feel good. My real point was you don't need to feel guilty if you put a big fish in the livewell and the skillet.