Dichotomy among njfishing members

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by HydraSportsPT

Here is a dichotomy -
Tourneys - Esp Fluke, my fishing partner had just got back from serving over seas, 1st trip he pulls a 26 inch fluke out of SH. We kiss it, photo it and release thanking the fish gods for rewarding us and hoping carma pays off.

We enter a tourney - he pulls a 9.75 lb r out of the same hole, we debate, kill it and motor to weigh it. I hated bringing that fish in but really wanted to win the prize, brag rights, etc......never felt good about it.

No good answer for catch n release during tourneys, but for sure another type of dichotomy

In the words of the great outdoors writer Frank Woolner..
"Fishing should be a contemplative sport, not a competitive one..|
I could not agreed more..
Up here, there are CONSTANT tounaments.. Trout in all the Finger Lakes, Bass in many upstate lakes like Cayuga, Catfish right here in the susquehanna.. We even have a Crappie Derby on Whitney Point Reservoir, that usually draws 2000 people...
Needless to say Crappie fishing is tough there now .. Too many people taking too many fish on a small lake.. No lake can withstand the pressure of modern tourneys.. Actually I'll say the same thing about the ocean.. Too many good fisherman with great gear these days.. It isn't like it was 50 years ago... The pressure is relentless, and at least here in NY, the mortality rate is huge.. Hundreds of dead bass at the weigh in station at the launch at Cayuga Lake State Park..,, Even worse on a major Potomac River tourney..
I realize I am in the minority here, but I personally feel tournaments are shameful, and participants should re examine their need to "compete"... I view game fish as a noble adversaries, worthy of respect... Just seems a shame to kill them for a dopey competition, or abuse them until they die when released. They aren't even eaten.. They just die... really sad..bob
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