[ecduzitgood]

There are plenty of sources to find catch and release mortality rates and it really shouldn't be hard to either verify the 8% or discredit my 1 in 12 die statistic.
Think about how much handling and how much time the fish is out of the water for photographs. Is that really conservation of the species? If I catch a fish that won't compete it is released immediately with very little handling. If I catch a fish that will compete I am done fishing not only for the day but for the week.
If a catch and release tournament has no limit on the amount of fish hooked photographed and released then it is indeed causing more harm then having a size limit and one fish per week limit.
I think it is great that groups can get together and initiate change but to look at catch and release as being somehow better for the fish, I don't see it. Remember not everyone is going to agree nor are they required to, not here anyway.
Like I have said before what are the limits on fish caught for catch and release tournaments? When does a fisherman have to put the rod down and stop hooking fish?
Once again I think it is great that some groups can get together and initiate change but I for one don't believe that catch and release is less harmful.
I would rather see some limit on the number and types of hooks that can be used. I find 1 treble on a plug and circles for bait is adequate and causes minimum damage to the fish and/or the fisherman. Also release time is reduced using one treble and circles.
How about a limit on the gear used? One of the things I hated in Mike Laptew's Stripers gone wild dvd was when he said stripers on light gear what could be better....how about stripers on gear that is capable of landing the largest striper swimming efficiently....yeah that would be better.
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