# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Fishing >  Catch and release or catch and eat?

## Teotwawki

When you fish - do you catch and release or catch and eat?

My son and I love to fish... but a mercury warning was issued for several species of fish in the big lake near us (reportedly one of the cleanest in the U.S.).

As catch and eat fishers it took a lot of the fun out of it for us.

Thus... the pontoon boat is for sale to fund the purchase of a land-toy.

Thoughts on catch and eat vs. release and polluted waterways?

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## dragonjimm

its either catch and use for bait or catch and eat i didnt go through the trouble of getting the fish to the bank to turn it loose.

several of our largest and most popular waterways are also polluted. most with pcb's although i'm syre mercury is also on the list.
most fishing for meals is done on private ponds or smaller lakes where the quality of the fish and water are better monitored.

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## Sam Reeves

I won't eat anything that comes out of the big rivers in the South. Too many sewage treatment plants upstream.  :EEK!: 

I like brim but hate to clean them so it all depends on what mood I am in. Trout always ends up in a pan. I usually keep the best catfish and bass.

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## jrock24

catch and grill, same day! I love going to the local streams, picking out a few trout and taking them home and grilling them. I have even grilled some stream side, but its a pain to haul in the grill and pans.

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## wareagle69

we have the same warnings in the ontario fishing guide about what type and how many to eat each month, i rarely fish but when i do its to eat..

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## Teotwawki

We still fish for trout in the streams but have abandoned the lake.

First big fish my kid caught - he was really proud - not for catching the fish but because he put food on the table using his own skills.

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## crashdive123

Sounds like you're raising him just fine.

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## Teotwawki

> Sounds like you're raising him just fine.


Thanks - he gets most the credit - he is just a good kid... makes me wonder if I'm actually the father  :Confused:   :Smile:

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## wareagle69

lets ask maurry for the test results

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## buttercup

> Thanks - he gets most the credit - he is just a good kid... makes me wonder if I'm actually the father




he is a marvelous kid and I claim him as his 'honorary' aunt (well, probably great-aunt) if I'm allowed. 

Very smart, funny, and all around nice.

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## Rick

I guess it depends. I like to fish but some places I won't eat the fish so I fish and release. Other places I'll catch and eat. I fly fish mostly so around here it's usually Redear and Bluegill.

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## Jericho117

Depends, when I bow fish I obviously eat whatever fish I put an arrow through, I hate to waste anything on an animal, but when I fish with hand line ( I don't use poles) I catch and kill only ones that bite quickly when I cast out, and if im hungry in the woods and don't feel like walking back miles to my house to just eat something.

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## Teotwawki

> he is a marvelous kid and I claim him as his 'honorary' aunt (well, probably great-aunt) if I'm allowed. 
> 
> Very smart, funny, and all around nice.


You're allowed.

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## Sarge47

1st, I don't fish a whole lot, unless it 's fly fishing, or Survival.  Either way, unless it's too small or a carp,( :Mad: ) it hits the skillet!  Some Wise-en-Hiemer even went so far as to invent a "barbless" hook for fly-tyers to tie their flies with to aid in "catch & Release"!  Go figure!  :Mad:  Where's Smok when I need him? :Confused:

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## canid

i'm used to living near areas which only allow catch and release, and/or only allow the use of barbless circle hooks.

i don't fish there. i wouldn't go fishing if i wheren't looking for a meal, and since i'm always hungry, it dosen't stifle my ability to engage in that sport and past-time i love so well. there are many waters i wouldn't fish in for the pollution, many more i just wouldn't fish in more than a few times a year, but then there are brands and types of canned fish i wouldn't eat for the same reason.

i never had much time for catch and release, i don't see a need to torture the poor critters needlessly.

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## Sam Reeves

Eat 'em or let 'em go? 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/s...toryId=5542199

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## BraggSurvivor

Catch and release for me in the summer. All the Rainbow, Brookies and Browns you can catch two minute walk down my driveway. In the winter is different. I catch and pan fry at least 6 a week.

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## sobeit

Depends big Cat fish (25lb and up), and Bass, I let go. Smaller Cat fish, Crappy, and sand Bass get eaten

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## nell67

If I catch it,I eat it.

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## crashdive123

Agreed.  If I catch it, it's food.

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## Sunshine

Definitely catch and release.  The two big lake systems above and below Charlotte are so polluted, I don't even like swimming in them, much less eat out of them!

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## marberry

the only really polluted waters here are lake winnipeg and the red deer river and i still catch healthy clean fish every time. but if it was really polluted i might just give up on fishing alltogether

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## Ameriborn

I live where people from all over the US come to fish for Walleye. It is definately cath and eat. (Maumee River in Ohio)

However, it really depends on the type of fish
Catfish, Perch, Walleye, Bullhead = Eat
White Bass, White Perch, Sheephead = Crap
Trout, Bass, Carp = Depends (On my mood of the day)

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## DOGMAN

In Montana it really depends on the fishery. Many of the rivers here are wild fisheries. That means they are not stocked by fish hatcheries, and so the rule is predomnatly catch and release for Trout. In the lakes, if they are stocked, then its "hook 'em and cook 'em"...again this is for Trout.
Other species are mainly keep and eat.

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## cheshiregriffin

I usually fish out of the waterways surrounding the Gulf of mexico.  Either way, if it's edible it ends up getting eaten.   Although I rarely fish out of the Mississippi river because of the pollution levels, yet at times i do.  I've seen 60 lb catfish pop out of those waters.   

Normally I go for Garfish or Redfish depending on the area, but I almost never throw anything back.   I dont even think there are catch and release streams anywhere around LA state.

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## klkak

I usually only get to fish a couple of times in the summer. So I keep every salmon I catch. It helps to offset the cost of meat during the winter. I try to freeze about 50 lbs of salmon for the winter.

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## catfish10101

I mostly fish for catfish around the house, but I do make a few trips a year for redfish and speckled trout. If I don't eat it, I don't wanna catch it. If it is legal size, I will try to fill my limit. I don't care to eat bass, so I do not fish for them. So for the most part, it's catch and release.......INTO THE GREASE!!!! LOL.

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## crashdive123

> I mostly fish for catfish around the house, but I do make a few trips a year for redfish and speckled trout. If I don't eat it, I don't wanna catch it. If it is legal size, I will try to fill my limit. I don't care to eat bass, so I do not fish for them. So for the most part, it's catch and release.......INTO THE GREASE!!!! LOL.


Now who would have thought tha you mostly fish for catfish :Big Grin:  :Big Grin:  :Big Grin:  :Big Grin:

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## Beo

catch and release here because Ohio's waterways are in bad shape, that and I hate fish.

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## Ole WV Coot

Catch & release unless caught in three local lakes, then I clean & give away to older folks that can use the food.

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## Riverrat

Catch and eat, either ourselves or give them away.

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## wildWoman

We catch and eat. I find catch and release disrespectful to the fish; guess the equivalent for humans would be when bears or alligators start catching and handling humans because they find it fine sport and then release them. Don't think anyone would find that fun.

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## Rick

That's a perspective I hadn't considered, WW. I appreciate the post.

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## trax

I don't bother dropping a hook in any water that I think might produce fish that I can't eat. Catch 'em and grill 'em as someone mentioned a couple of posts back.

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## Beo

> We catch and eat. I find catch and release disrespectful to the fish; guess the equivalent for humans would be when bears or alligators start catching and handling humans because they find it fine sport and then release them. Don't think anyone would find that fun.


You say patatoe I say potatoe, and I'm on the top of the food chain for a reason, God gave man dominance over the beast of the field, foul of the air, and fish of the water.  :Big Grin:

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## canid

i think her point was why torture it if one is not inclined eat it. i consider food need and fishing a fair means of aquiring it, and otherwise i'd never stick hook or point in the water.

on the otherhand, if a bear decided to eat my a@# i'd fight back like anybody, but i wouldn't hold a grudge.

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## Rick

I printed this thread and I'll just show the bear the post and tell him I agree. That should settle the score.  :Big Grin:

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## Beo

I was joking, I do very little fishing because I do not like fish, and man is not on the top of the food chain just the top of the list for killing everything in the food chain.

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## Eagles Talon

There are men who spend a weeks wages on a rod, catch a fish, throw it back, then go and spend more on a fish from a shop,
And there are others who make a rod from a sapling, catch a fish and eat.
Which one do you think is the better man?

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## danmc

Pretty much catch and eat for me.  I typically don't fish in waters that have warnings about eating anything at all (like lake hartwell).  The places I do fish don't have populations which are really going to suffer by me having dinner and I don't have enough time to fish to be in the situation of catching more than I know what to do with.  While I've never had a problem with eating fish I always felt a little weird about specifically planning on just catch and release fishing so I rarely do that.

-Dan

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## canid

you don't always need the posted warning to know if a body of water is too sick to eat from. i suppose i'm picky.

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## Fargus

Several states had issued fish consumption advisories a few years back. From what I recall, they were mainly a caution to women under the age of 45 (child bearing years). Very similar to this but more strongly worded. I know the State of Florida has issued warnings about specific fish and specific locales from time to time. The big scare for me is from Ciguatera. I know two people who have been affected by it and it isn't pretty.

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## canid

the reason it's a risk to women of child bearing years is that many pollutant toxins such as PCBs are boiaccumulative, and high levels can cause serious harm to a fetus even years after consumption. such pollutants are still highly toxic to the first hand consumer, and will build up over years untill they cause problems like cancer, organ damage, etc. i just try to stay away from them, i'm exposed to enough toxic and carcinogenic substances on a day to day basis that i will certainly limit the exposure i can avoid, such as dietary intake, improper handling/storage, etc. i'd rather have cancer or chronic renal failure at 80 than at 30-40.

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## danmc

fargus:  yep.  I think most states publish something.  The fish in GA tend to be fairly good but there are notable exceptions.  Lake Hartwell for example has had enough industrial pollution that the recommendation is no one should eat hybrid bass period.  

canid:  and that's why I don't mind cleaning 25 bluegill so the whole family can enjoy a fish dinner that's at the high end of the "clean" list.  Besides thats about the best tasting anyway.

The frustrating and disturbing thing is some of the lakes that should be the most pristine and isolated from industrial pollution fall victim to mercury in the rain.  By all outward appearances they look wonderfully clean.

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## canid

yeah, young bluegil are prime, and i never minded cleaning a grip of them either, when you can pull 25 out in an hour on a good day and a good lake/pond.

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## Bibow

i always go with the goal of catch and eat but if its something not so tasty its usually thrown back although i'm pretty open to anything

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## fitfisherman

I catch to eat.  But I'm picky about what I keep.  Larger fish are going to be older thus having more toxins.  With the exception of salmon that only live 5 years anyway.  I release all my large walleye because they just taste fishy.

Large lake run trout are also very toxin rich and poor tasting.  Large stream run trout are going to be thinner fish and taste fine typically.  Panfish of any variety are excellent eating and typically do not live long enough for the toxins to build to an unhealthy level.  

There are some bodies of water that I totally avoid and some species of fish I totally avoid.  In general selective harvest is a good tool to use if you want a good tasty meal.

You can also minimize the toxins by removing the belly meat and excess fatty tissue from the filets that typically are found on larger game fish.  This is the area that holds the toxins.

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## Gray Wolf

I love my Brook Trout... Breakfast of champions, yummy! When I'm up in northern Vermont, I catch and eat it "every" morning with my eggs. I have a stream that runs by my cabin, that's just full of Brook Trout. I guess part of the reason is my nearest neighbor is about 5 miles away, and he doesn't have access to it. I've offered but he hates fish. For those that aren't familiar with Brook Trout, their small, have no scales and when you fry them in a pan, the bones just lift out in one piece, some of the sweetest fish you'll taste.

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## fitfisherman

> I love my Brook Trout... Breakfast of champions, yummy! When I'm up in northern Vermont, I catch and eat it "every" morning with my eggs. I have a stream that runs by my cabin, that's just full of Brook Trout. I guess part of the reason is my nearest neighbor is about 5 miles away, and he doesn't have access to it. I've offered but he hates fish. For those that aren't familiar with Brook Trout, their small, have no scales and when you fry them in a pan, the bones just lift out in one piece, some of the sweetest fish you'll taste.


I agree 150%  awesome fish!

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## laughing beetle

catch em, eat em, though I will pass on carp...they look like big goldfish...oh, yeah, they are aren't they?

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## aflineman

It depends, if the small mouth are biting steady I get tired of eating them after awhile. I don't get tired of catching them though. My MIL and I are about the only two that can eat a lot of fish in the family. Everyone else will eat some of it, but it does not agree with them much of the time. 
Salmon and Steelhead though, they do not get thrown back (unless the law says that have to). Same goes for Sturgeon.

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## your_comforting_company

depends.. panfish we usually bring home and eat. If i'm wading for bass they all get released except for the whites and hybrids (smallmouth bass).. they are just too darn tasty. bluegills, crappie, sunbream, etc, they are usually still wiggling when they hit the grease.. yum!

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## your_comforting_company

there are regulations here on how much fish you can eat per week and some per month because of mercury poisoning

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## LowKey

Most of the inland fishing I do is catch and release. Except for maybe a trout here and there.

Surfcasting is all catch and eat, if legal sized and edible.  :Smile:

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## Rick

> there are regulations here on how much fish you can eat per week and some per month because of mercury poisoning


That depends on where you live. The lake I live on has no restrictions. The DNR takes flesh samples for testing and, so far, the lake is clean.

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## Beo

I catch and release, cant stand eating fish, stinks to high heavens and makes me wanna projectile vomit.... hurrrrp, see I might have done it a bit in my mouth just thinking about it. 
Trooper on the other hand would eat anything placed on his plate. Loves catfish, and salmon, and white fish.

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## canid

catch an release is just shameful Beo.

you should just take me fishing with you. that way when you have all the luck, i can just take them off your hands for you.

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## Rick

In case anyone doesn't know by now, Canid is a cheap date.

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## Beo

> catch an release is just shameful Beo.


Why is that shameful? If it hurts to get hooked the stupid fish shouldn't try stealing my bait!!!

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## canid

oh sure; in an ideal world.

in an ideal world they should all just hop into my skillet.

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## aflineman

> catch an release is just shameful Beo.
> 
> you should just take me fishing with you. that way when you have all the luck, i can just take them off your hands for you.


Sounds like a good friend of mine. He was a "pretty boy" and women flocked to his side. He also happened to be married. Worked out well for me as I was not married. I used him for "bait" many a time. Worth every drink that I bought him for all of the dates I got with his "rejected ones". :Innocent:   :Big Grin:

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## FVR

If that fish gets on my hook and I get it to shore or in my net, it's lunch or dinner.  I'm talking trout fishing in N. Ga.

Now if I'm fishing for stripers (I'm dreaming) and I catch one in the Etowah, depending on above the treatment plant or below, taking into consideration the size of the fish and age will depend on if I eat it.  Young ones are okay, older big ones are not rec.  But then, when am I going to have the time to go fish for stripers on the Etowah and there is a year round trout stream RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET!

What am I doing here?

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