live-baiting

[Old Smoothound]

As I have said in previous posts...its a personal thing.
And its up to you as an indivdual on how you choose to fish, i'm not de-crying live baiting...merely pointing out why I choose not to live bait. Individuality, freedom of speech and free will is the essence of a democracy...isn't it?

[salar]

I'm new here, but I'll just add a few comments in this thread - as it's grabbed my attention - before I post some sort of introduction.

Originally Posted by Old Smoothound

As I have said in previous posts...its a personal thing.

I think you've also said somewhere that you think it's a good thing that livebaiting's banned on your local waters. You see, it's not just a personal thing; it's about one group of people believing they're right and imposing their will on the rest of us.

Your main objection is based on the fact you believe it's cruel... what is cruelty? To cause unnecessary suffering? What is necessary or unnecessary? If you're down on Chesil and 6" pout keep scoffing the bait, do you pack up and go home? How many 6" pout survive after getting a mouthful of 4/0 and being dragged a 100yds across the sea bed and up the beach? Is that necessary? The cruelty card is a sticky wicket as far as fishing is concerned. Is it necessary for match anglers to stuff a keepnet full of silverfish, for example? Have you ever walked a river after a match? How many dead fish do you see? i hope that illustrates my point. I respect the wishes of those that don't livebait, but it gets me very annoyed when people start telling me what to do, not that you're doing that, but my local waters are also yours.

As far as the spread of disease is concerned, that's not a reason to ban livebaiting. Firstly, pike anglers have been moving bait fish around for... well... about as long as people have been fishing. If you do accept it is a risk, then you ensure anglers catch bait fish on the water they're going to use them. Or, you provide disease free fish from a licensed supplier. Hey, wouldn't that be great, an endless supply of my favourite bait fish .

[fishypaul]

hey salar,there's enough material there to debate for weeks,i agree,i have also given it some thought about the suffering fish endure,it is a grey area and probably only serves to give the anti's more ammunition to fight with.
you are right,of course,i suppose all we can do is to keep the fishes suffering down to a minimum,by doing that,my conscience is clear, i think !.
if we are considered cruel,then what do the antis think of commercial fishermen,they just let their catch slowly suffocate to death,at least most of us dispatch our catch as humanely as possible,
i think i'm getting too deeply into this, i will leave it at that,nuff said

[Old Smoothound]

Frankly the debate on Live baiting will go on forever, I don't care too much for livebaiting, but it's a fact that we have to live with it....for the time being.

I have my own code of fishing practice that I stick too. I could not give a toss what people think of it or me ...or why I have chosen it. Its my way of fishing as a sportsman not as a "fishmonger", what others do is up to them, because I still believe in democracy and freedom of speech, and will continue to.

And as for having things imposed on us...check out Mr Tony Blair and his lackies.....and what has happened to us "citizens" in the last few years...now thats "real" imposition in the truest sense, where's the democracy in that then?

People can keep livebaiting and I'll keep fishing the way I do and I'll keep catching and returning my fish...where it is allowed, nobody is going to change that because I imposed it on me!

[Old Smoothound]

Oh and I used to be a match fisherman for 15 years ...until I found antis chucking rocks and groundbait in my swim before a match and I can honestly say...with hand on heart....that ALL my fish went back safely...because I knew how to handle them properly

As for Pout...I walk down to the waters edge and lift them out not drag them up the beach like some numpties do on Chesil...thats because they have no respect and no idea about how to handle fish.

[Fishing Forum Admin]

Lively post this !!

Well I think that the great thing about the forum is that many different pionts of view are shown. This is great and the fact that many pionts of view are given means that it will help other anglers reach there personnel opion

Myself the reason I do not live bait for pike anymore is one the desease thing is a fact , and I for one am not into transporting fish from one water to another - let nature take care of that one . Plus I see no piont in it when a plug or a well placed dead bait will do the some. But yes live baiting can be deadly on the right day

Like many above have said every fish that goes back should go back in alive and if I see someone miss using fish I will have a little chat and suggest how to handle fish better ( i.e unhooking and holding ) I find that 99% of people will thank you for your time , espiecailly the young ones

Well my 2 cents and hope the above makes some kind of sense

[Fishin'Widow]

Originally Posted by Old Smoothound

People can keep livebaiting and I'll keep fishing the way I do and I'll keep catching and returning my fish...where it is allowed, nobody is going to change that because I imposed it on me!

Each to their own is the best advice in this debate. I know it seems silly to some, and no I'm not overly religious, but I try not to kill unless there is no option because of Karma! As i've got older I have learned never to seek revenge knowing that Karma always seems to kick in at some point. It'll take a while some times but it does in the end. It concerns me that if I caused some creature unreasonable suffering it'll come back and bite me in the ass at some point!

But then again maybe I'm just a big fearty.

Whatever others believe I will continue to instill in my girls to respect and admire the beautiful fishes that we are lucky enough to spend that special wee moment with before the release. After all it's a non preachy way to let them appreciate the beauty in the world and thank whatever deity that may have had a hand in it.

[Old Smoothound]

Originally Posted by Fishin'Widow

Whatever others believe I will continue to instill in my girls to respect and admire the beautiful fishes that we are lucky enough to spend that special wee moment with before the release.

Well said Fishin'Widow that's THE fishing moment for me oh and my bacon and egg sarnie

Long may you continue to seek true Karma

[kiwimarty]

Im deeply moved guy's, truely I am.....I love this forum, sniff!

Kiwi.

[salar]

Originally Posted by Old Smoothound

Frankly the debate on Live baiting will go on forever...

True enough. We've all got our own system of values we've arrived at through our own experiences. Who's to say who's right? As for 'fishmongers', even us ardent livebaiters return all our rays and even some cod when we're out in the channel . Hey, I even put most of my trout back on Blagdon!

And Tony Blair you mentioned... [salar pictures Blair liphooked on a 16/0]... jeez, don't get me going on that