Opinions on Snake Heads

[Gerry Zagorski]

Kill or eat them or let them go and why??

[reason162]

I find it funny when people insist I *must* kill any fish I catch...I don't work for the state, and if I want to release a fish that's what I'm going to do.

It's one thing if they are on the verge of eradicating snakeheads, but from what I understand they've completely given up on bodies of water where they're already established.

My personal opinion is live and let live, but ultimately it should be up to the individual angler.

[Dave B.]

Originally Posted by reason162

I find it funny when people insist I *must* kill any fish I catch...I don't work for the state, and if I want to release a fish that's what I'm going to do.

It's one thing if they are on the verge of eradicating snakeheads, but from what I understand they've completely given up on bodies of water where they're already established.

My personal opinion is live and let live, but ultimately it should be up to the individual angler.

The regulation is quite clear, you must kill them. C&R is not an option in this case. To do otherwise is a total disregard for the law which would then cast a shadow of doubt on one's overall integrity as a sportsman. If you don't like the regs you're free to lobby the Div. to change them.

[thmyorke1]

Where i typically fish, i dont see a population of them (none so far) and if i found one i would most likely take it home. In this scenario, where there's no snakehead population, other than a few that got introduced, Not releasing it could prevent them from growing in #s

If i was actively targeting them,and a snake head enthusiast gave advice to where to go catch them, and i went out of my way to catch them, I would probably put them back. At this rate, the snakeheads in this body of water make their own fishery. If you get what im saying.

[Skolmann]

Originally Posted by Dave B.

The regulation is quite clear, you must kill them. C&R is not an option in this case. To do otherwise is a total disregard for the law which would then cast a shadow of doubt on one's overall integrity as a sportsman. If you don't like the regs you're free to lobby the Div. to change them.

Agree

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by reason162

I find it funny when people insist I *must* kill any fish I catch...I don't work for the state, and if I want to release a fish that's what I'm going to do.

It's one thing if they are on the verge of eradicating snakeheads, but from what I understand they've completely given up on bodies of water where they're already established.

My personal opinion is live and let live, but ultimately it should be up to the individual angler.

this is a terrible attitude. the law is the law. your personal opinion doesn't enter in to it. if you don't like it, make public comments, lobby the council and get the law changed.

doing whatever you want instead makes you no better than the guy keeping a bucket full of 8" bass.

[JDTuna]

Originally Posted by acabtp

this is a terrible attitude. the law is the law. your personal opinion doesn't enter in to it. if you don't like it, make public comments, lobby the council and get the law changed.

doing whatever you want instead makes you no better than the guy keeping a bucket full of 8" bass.

No, definitely not the same thing. This regulation is pointless and, in my opinion, needs to be changed to either release immediately or kill them to prevent transporting live fish to other water bodies. That's the regs that they have dealing with invasives in Florida.

Regardless, there is no getting rid of them. They're here to stay. They have spread throughout major river systems, and there is no chance of getting rid of them. Killing for the sake of killing is just a ridiculous waste.

And all the science to this point indicates they are not a problem. Nor will they be a problem. They are ecologically the same as a bowfin. They fill the same niche. Just two species that evolved in similar habitats on different continents. They aren't the monster the media made them out to be.

[ScowardNJ]

Originally Posted by Gerry Zagorski

Kill or eat them or let them go and why??

I have no opinion. If i catch one I'd probably take a picture, throw it back and keep fishing. Pretty much what I do with everything i catch in freshwater. If i knew someone who wanted to eat it, mount it, bury it in their garden or whatever else....In the cooler it goes.
If someone else wants to to slit its throat and throw it in the bushes, I'll hand em the knife.

[acabtp]

Originally Posted by JDTuna

No, definitely not the same thing. This regulation is pointless and, in my opinion, needs to be changed to either release immediately or kill them to prevent transporting live fish to other water bodies. That's the regs that they have dealing with invasives in Florida.

Regardless, there is no getting rid of them. They're here to stay. They have spread throughout major river systems, and there is no chance of getting rid of them. Killing for the sake of killing is just a ridiculous waste.

And all the science to this point indicates they are not a problem. Nor will they be a problem. They are ecologically the same as a bowfin. They fill the same niche. Just two species that evolved in similar habitats on different continents. They aren't the monster the media made them out to be.

if you think the law should be changed, then work to change the law. not following the law just because you don't agree with or like it is the exact same thing the poachers do.

[reason162]

Originally Posted by JDTuna

Regardless, there is no getting rid of them. They're here to stay. They have spread throughout major river systems, and there is no chance of getting rid of them. Killing for the sake of killing is just a ridiculous waste.

Exactly...it would be an entirely pointless exercise.