Wasted/discarded Sport Fish...

[Guest Sundancefisher]

I used to see a lot of guys wasting fish. When icefishing I would see guys culling perch and whitefish, trout and pike all the time. I have not been icefishing for a few years outside of Calgary so I can not say if that still goes on.

 

When I fished the Crow all summer one year I saw a ton of guys throwing whitefish into the trees.

 

I pointed out to a fish and wildlife biologist a few years ago that fish are not respected in our system. At the time it was really bad/illegal to shoot a deer, tag it and leave it to rot. I pointed out however that I could go to a lake or river, kill my limit and throw them in the bushes and that was legal.

 

The regulations are changed now.

 

"The edible flesh of legally kept game fish must not be wasted, destroyed, spoiled or abandoned."

 

I was startled that it was never picked up on before I mentioned it! Does anyone still see this going on? I can also say I for one have wasted fish that have been in the freezer too long. I try to be very careful these days. I remember one year a local fishing in Maligne Lake had over 500 trout in his freezer with many being spoiled. He was charged and found guilty. Combination of poaching and waste.

 

Cheers.

 

Sun

[toolman]

It's still happening... some people will toss Pike into the bushes that they caught on the Bow, because they eat the trout.

I think that is BS, as Pike are a natural part of the river system.

[SilverDoctor]

I have seen it a good many times. Often it is a result of people whot do not understand the placement of various species in the environment, or their intrinsic role. This leads to dis-respect of species and the environment in general.

 

Negative comments about sucker's or whitefish etc. Shows a shallow understanding of the important role of all creatures in the system. There area bodies of water that surly have been overrun by a distinct species but a bit of research will show which and culling should be reserved for the professionals. I treat all that I catch with respect and value and always try to educate stream side.

[Maximum]

INegative comments about sucker's or whitefish etc. Shows a shallow understanding of the important role of all creatures in the system.

 

Exactly! I've heard guys whinning about whitefish and suckers and how they do/should toss them in the bush if caught but can't seem to connect the dots that the big trophy Browns or Bulls they are fishing for need to eat.....

[Hawgstoppah]

Yeah... same. I'd say 90% of a big bull trout's diet is suckers / whites. The only time I think they can get a trout is when it's injured, big bulls are just too slow to catch a darting little rainbow or cutt.

[Guest Sundancefisher]

Yeah... same. I'd say 90% of a big bull trout's diet is suckers / whites. The only time I think they can get a trout is when it's injured, big bulls are just too slow to catch a darting little rainbow or cutt.

 

 

Sadly many fishermen do not realize the predator/ prey cycle and how important it is. That is one of the main reasons I feel the foothill streams are not as productive as they were 100 years ago. So much biomass has been removed along with over exploitation and waste of whitefish and suckers which are the primary food for many predators.

 

Protecting the trout and continuing to devastate their prey is crazy.

 

When I worked in fisheries, many of the consulting companies would kill suckers and whitefish before tossing them over board when electrofishing. Some of them guys were pretty poor stewards of the resource they were studying.

 

Cheers

 

Sun

[wingshooter]

Back before bull trout got the royal pardon from King Ralph I have heard stories of anglers (if we can call them that) throwing bull trout in the bush because they like catching cutthroats and people killing walleye just for their cheeks. This made me sick. But if people don't have respect for the resource and feel they know what is best for the whole and start this waste soon the masses think it is ok. People a still throw ling on to the ice because they are ugly; little do they know they are delicious. If I see anybody doing this I have the mind to assault them with the frozen carcass.

 

Whitefish are also a maligned species and I don't know why? I have heard knowledgeable fly fishers say they hated whitefish or "rocky mountain suckers". This too gets my dander up, they are a part of an ecosystem that we have changed so much in 100 years and we should respect them for their will to survive. I still hear the old-timers say back then you could catch a fish every cast well if you fish the right location now this still holds true even after their poor management practices. In Montana the limit on Whitefish is 100 can you believe that? That tells me that the law makers find them to be a lesser species that compete for trout food. This mentality has got to change.

[lonefisher]

I think wasting any edible fish is BS. UNLESS it is a situation where the regulations advise/demand you not release an invasive species or something..... in this case if you can eat it you should (my opinion) but if say you don't eat fish and have no one who will eat it then I see no other option. If your not sure then call the number in the regs and find out what they reccomend

[DonAndersen]

And it isn't just fishermen!!

 

Recall one fall when fishing the Oldman below the damn. F&W were electroshocking the big bulls that migrate up river every fall to spawn and hauling them above the dam. Asked the young guy whether or not they were putting any whitefish in with the bulls. He looked @ me dumbfounded till I explained to the youngun that any farmer knows you can't grow cows on summerfallow. When I suggested about a 1/100 ratio of bulls to whitefish, he still didn't get it. So, tain't only fishermen who haven't a clue.

 

catch ya'

 

Don

[EdB]

I am one of the guys you speak of that has said i was dissapointed about catching a whitefish. Do i kill it..absolutly not. Am i happy about catching it. Probably not but a whitfish is better than getting skunked. I go out there to catch trout if i can. It's just more fun. Most whitefish are like dragging in a log. I sure wish they would fight like a trout because i caught some pretty big whitefish and suckers this winter. I also don't eat any fish i catch. I don't think there is a flyfisherman or women out there that would tell you that they went out trying to catch whities on there fly rod, they just happen.

[DonAndersen]

TroutSlayer,

 

Since I was a boy, my family and I have targeted whitefish. Raised in Turner Valley, it was on the Sheep or Highwood, later when I was in Pincher, the Oldman and Waterton. Now I'm in Rocky, the fall>winter trips to the tailwater of the Red Deer for whitefish keep me barely sane.

And I'm not alone. I don't think that I've ever been on the Red Deer w/o seeing @ least a couple of more guys with some days upwards of a dozen or so.

The not so secret whitefish fraternity are out there.

 

catch ya'

 

Don

[OneMoreLastCast]

I am part of that exclusive Club too Don. I've been hitting the fall runs for over 30 years and am happy to have introduced my kids to it too, (although, their membership is still pending review....)

There is nothing like being able to take kids, or new anglers out to the Sheep, Highwood, Crowsnest, Michelle Creek (before being classified)etc., and know you were going to catch at least 100 fish in a day.

I've definitely noticed that the numbers have dropped dramatically over the years though, obviously because of people not realizing that whitefish are better suited for the ecosystem Mother Nature meant, more so than feeding maggots in the trees.

 

I will say that I agree that wasting fish is completely wrong, but I have been involved where it was necessary and encouraged. I am talking about a few sponsored Brook Trout culls in the foothills.

 

There have also been places where illegally introduced Perch have also been the target. They are in still waters though, so they give people a chance to fill their freezers up before doing a shock to remove them. They've stopped doing this because of the waste of money and resources. They can take the illegal fish out and put the desired fish back in and it doesn't take long for the Donkey that did it the first time, to repeat his brainless introduction back into the water....

[EdB]

I agree with you both Don and MTB about some of your points. I have taken an old girlfriends son out to a spot that i new you could allways catch a whitie because he had never caught a fish b-4. I guess i meant that i think most of the fly people on here are not going out to target the whities, especially the newer guys. I am NOT for killing them or any other fish in our streams and lakes. As i stated b-4 a white fish is certainly better than no fish and i guess if someone wanted to take me to a place where we could be into 100 whities on the fly in a day i'd be all over that.

Ed

[Tako]

There are some pretty whacked out accusations in this thread. Stupid biologists, unethical consulting companies being two of the big ones. I see lots of speculation.

 

And I am one of those anglers that will specifically target whitefish on the flyrod. They fight better than most fish in the spring. A 3lb April whitefish is nothing to sneeze at around here. Most days you're lucky to land them. I don't understand the disdain.

[DonAndersen]

Tako,

 

The electrofishers I talked to were not stupid at least as far as I could tell but they were ignorant.

 

Definition of ignorant is: stupid refers to lack of ability while ignorant refers to lack of knowledge

 

As far as consulting firms - heard stories - have no first hand knowledge.

 

catch ya'

 

Don