do the math on this one..

[fishbones]

Originally Posted by Canalman

Thanks for taking me completely litterally

People have lived to be 121... and I still wouldn't run my 70 year old grandmother on the treadmill for 5 hours

I have talked to a few people who have caught 60's and many have said that the fight was short and easy. One strong run, turn and come in, Iron Mike said his came in belly up. Not trying to say that I know any of that for a fact, but you can't argue that catching and fighting that old fish didn't do her some damage.

Still, I commend the angler for making the release attempt.

Dave, I wasn't busting on you. Just pointing out that fish don't neccessarily grow old the same way as people. I've never seen a striper with gray hair or false teeth.

I guess in my mind I'd like to think that she swam away and was fine and I was trying to rationalize that thought. I hate to think that such a fish would swim away few feet and sink to the bottom. Not knowing how the fight went, I have no idea how much damage was done. I do know that the hand up the gill certainly didn't help matters.

I hope you get the opportunity to see for yourself (and let us know)how a 60 or better comes in when hooked by you on one of your plugs this coming season.

[Canalman]

No offense taken my friend

I was just playing. Just a little healthy back and forth to keep everyone thinking.

I always wonder about how well the fish I release fair... I try to be gentle and caring, that is after I tear my hooks out her, fishing is weird that way. You get commended for catch and release and you get trounced for keeping a trophy. Yet we all want to catch a bigger fish. I release (almost) all the bigger fish I catch.

But one time while fishing with a couple other guys on this board we were into some good fish, 25-40 pounds and after the tide bottomed out, I found a 40 and 30-something dead in the eel grass... so they came home with me, naturally. It makes you wonder though.

And before someone tells me we weren't being careful enough, the number of big fish that we didn't find dead was far better than two so I can only assume (hope) that they all survived. who knows?