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Originally Posted by piemma
It is a fact that, except in very rare instances, 50 and 60 pound fish don't have viable roe. In fact, I can quote a number of sources who have documented the fact that the roe in older fish is grey, not alive and viable (white or pink) as it is in younger breeding females.
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Could you please support this information with a link. It is the opposite of what I understand to be true.
[QUOTE-piemma]The second point, and of equal importance, is that regardless of whether the fish were surf caught or boat caught, they would have built up huge amounts of lactic acid and would most certianly die if released.
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Wrong, for the same reason runners don't die when their muscles are fatigued. It is the rare fish (bass at least) that can't be revived if appropriately handled, though I acknowledge that many fisherman do not do the latter and that undeniably some fish that appear OK on release die later.
That many people need to rationalize killing them indicates that at some level they are uncomfortable doing it (or perhaps they are comfortable doing it but uncomfortable being adversely judged by others for doing so) and are looking for reasons to feel better about it. At the end of the day, at least IMO, all ethical arguments about this become a bunch of intellectual masturbation. My only point is that if you like to keep fish to eat, sell, or mount, then I have no problem with it. If you like to keep fish to for the primary purpose of showing them off, well that's your business as well, but it is hardly something to admire.