Whatever happened to “Catch and Release”?

[BigFish]

I keep maybe 2 stripers a year....the first decent keeper.....30 inches....for the table/freezer and I might keep my largest of the season.....that might only be in the 25-30 pound range. If I catch a personal best....it depends on the size I guess.....I might just get a few snap shots and let it go on its merry way....I won't mount a fish....it depends on the certain situation I guess.

[Joe]

They're probably keeping it so they will have a better chance of being believed. Its gotten pretty common within the fishing community for rumors to circulate that somebody's trophy catch was either a figment of their imagination or a commercial by-catch passed off as a rod and reel catch.

It's more complicated than just; catch-and-release is good, keeping fish is bad.

What do I think? My opinion is that long as a person is within the law, what they do with their catch is their own business. More effort should be made toward catching the poachers - a lot more fish are falling to them - they're not smiling for the camera.