Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

wikelam

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Apr 21, 2003
Messages
543
I keep about 10% of the fish i catch.<br /><br />I mostly eat catfish and trout. everything else is turned back.<br /><br />i believe in catch and release.
 

Snailman

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 23, 2003
Messages
126
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

I'll release almost every freshwater fish except for catfish. I keep catfish over 12" and under 20." I might keep crappie if I'm catching enough to make a meal.<br /><br />In saltwater I release anything that isn't legal. I'll keep almost all the croakers and spots. When they're legal I'll keep stripers, flounders & trout but that's really all I've caught so far in saltwater except for the odd stingray, houndfish, sea robin & oyster toadfish...
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

I keep all of the channel cat I catch from my pond between 1 and 4lb.<br /><br />I keep a limit of walleye each day when I am in Canada.<br /><br />I release everything else, and that is a lot of fish.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,739
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

percent ??<br />Some days I keep 100%, if I only catch 2 crappies, I keep them and eat them.<br /><br />Some days I only keep 5%. What could I possible do with 15 walleyes, 20 northern, 10 whitefish, and 50 perch. That was a great day.<br /><br />I usually only keep enough for 1 or 2 meals.
 

FLATHEAD

Captain
Joined
Dec 29, 2002
Messages
3,165
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

I release 99% of the fish I catch. The other 1% are fish that are hooked so bad that they will die anyway so I keep em and give them to an old lady up the street. At the one lake I fish there is to many carp so on the rare occasion I get one it goes up on the bank for the raccoons supper.
 

LadyFish

Admiral
Joined
Mar 18, 2003
Messages
6,894
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

Flathead, I probably release as many as you do. So far this season (since March), I've only had one slot redfish and 11 flounder. Considering I fish at least three times a month and average about 15-20 fish per outing, most go back. :)
 

catfish1

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 23, 2003
Messages
683
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

i only keep catfish. i took the kids fishing at a friends pond today, they caught and released probably 15 bass and about 30 bluegill (huge bluegill: 1/2-1lb) and two crappie. this friend of mine tells me every time to take the fish, but i dont. he's got a bunch of albino catfish in there that go 3-5lbs, they just look to cool to keep!
 

JRJ

Commander
Joined
Sep 11, 2001
Messages
2,992
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

I really enjoy catching. We release all that are in good shape. Smoked fish is what I like.
 

miloman

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Nov 3, 2002
Messages
1,181
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

I release 99.9 % of the fish I catch but i will keep the odd trout or walleye to eat
 

PAkev

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 9, 2002
Messages
665
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

I enjoy a fresh fillet now and then but I honestly don't like to go through all the trouble of cleaning and packing on ice because it always seems to take time away from my fishing.<br /><br />Therefore, I would echo the comments of some others that release about 99% of their catch.<br /><br />Kevin
 

Fouled Plug

Ensign
Joined
Jun 29, 2001
Messages
935
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

King salmon? Keep all legals. Coho? Keep if chrome-bright and over 10#. Chum/pink? Toss unless I need crab or shrimp bait. Halibut? If it'll take my circle hook, it goes in the freezer. Same with ling cod, snapper, rocks. Trout? If legal size, they all taste good! I generally fish not only for fun but for dinner. :D
 

FSHKPR

Ensign
Joined
Apr 6, 2003
Messages
921
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

I usually keep any perch,bluegills that are decent size. also will keep any northern pike that I catch. any bass i catch goes back in the lake. If i get on the big pond I will keep a smaller salmon for smoking.
 

gonfishn

Commander
Joined
May 16, 2002
Messages
2,390
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

Hookem and cookem here...except those that glow in the dark and the warrior...only keep those that make a good filet...<br />If we don't quit polluting our rivers and streams everything will be catch and release down the road....
 

JGREGORY

Lieutenant
Joined
Jun 1, 2003
Messages
1,412
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

Freshwater throw'em all back.<br /><br />Saltwater, keep everything that is legal, if having a banner day may impose our own limit. Junk fish like sea robbins and oyster crackers get thrown into the crab trap.
 

rwise

Captain
Joined
Jul 5, 2001
Messages
3,205
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

I fish most for catfish, keep enuf for a meal or 2, keep a ..... bass or 2 within the limits. Most lakes here have a slot limit on bass that you must give back! catch and cook! Though I do tend to throw back any carp. Pearch are bait, unless we hit some really big ones.<br />Richard
 

Scoop

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Jul 19, 2002
Messages
1,158
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

I keep ok sized bluegills enough for a few meals.<br /><br />I throw back 99.9% of all the other fish I catch. Once in a while in a while I will keep a bass, or walleye.<br /><br />I am going to fish again for some carp and will keep those for fertilizer. The DNR and local lakes agency is trying to reduce the over population.<br /><br />I have thought about trying to cook one up to try it. I know most people won't touch them. I guess if you keep them in a pail of clean water, then clean them, they taste pretty good. I have had smoked carp which was good. When I mentioned I might try this, My wife about lost her breakfast.
 

roscoe

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Oct 30, 2002
Messages
21,739
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

Scoop, if you can get carp out of a clean water source, they aren't too bad. Afterall, they were imported here as a food source.<br /><br />Got some out of my uncles springfed pond a few years back. Cooked one, and smoked up a washtub full. The area around the lateral line/blood line should be avoided. THe tail section ain't bad. They sell smoked carp in local grocery store. They come from Rogges in the Oshkosh area.<br /><br />We used to get white suckers from the small streams and smoke them too.
 

catfish1

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 23, 2003
Messages
683
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

there is a place outside of yankton south dakota but on the nebraska side, its called bruno's. and they fix some mean carp! its better than the catfish, but there is a trick to do it. what they do is cut thin deep slices across, then cut up in chunks, put it in the deep fryer and the small bones just fry out!
 

jpbaker

Seaman
Joined
Aug 18, 2003
Messages
63
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

Keep only what I know for sure will get eaten.<br />Mostly those caught get reeled in as fast as possible (allowing deep water fish to decompress)and are back in the water within a few seconds. Don't play the fish and handle them as little as possible and their chance of recovery are pretty good.
 

TexSkeeter150

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 3, 2003
Messages
277
Re: Just curious, What percent of fish caught do you release/keep

I release 99.99% of what I catch. Not much of a fish eater, allthough catfish and crappie are not bad. Just love to get out and fish all day long.
 
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