Catch and release fishing garners mixed response

The most significant development in fishing over the past 50 years is the advent of catch and release. Even though this seems beyond reproach, there are some detractors to the practice.

Anglers get a lot of enjoyment by stalking and fooling fish, but after the battle has ended, the fish goes back into the water instead of a frying pan. Usually, the fish is no worse for wear and is ready to strike another's lure.

As positive as it sounds, the catch-and-release program has its detractors.

When Mark Thomas, Springfield, returned from a trip to Europe, he said, "Many Europeans think it is ridiculous for fishermen to waste their time looking for and catching fish and then let them go. They believe you should string the fish and have them for dinner."

In this country, some wildlife lovers are charging the practice as cruel. They say we are demented perverts who take pleasure in torturing wildlife and the catch-and-release just shows that there are too many people trying to enjoy too few fish.

Charles Gauvin, of Trout Unlimited, said, "I'm not a partisan either way. It's necessary to practice the program if we are going to maintain populations of wild fish, but at the same time, it is possible to go places like the South Plate, in Colorado, where the fish are battered -- their lips are bruised from being caught so many times."

So what is the answer? A catch and release limit of so many fish per day with conservation agents lurking behind bushes with calculators, keeping track of how many fish each angler releases? Fisheries people hope not.

A perfect solution would be to go fishing and catch the fish you want for dinner, but with a world so complicated, most anglers don't have the luxury to go when the fish are hitting. Many only get to go fishing once or twice a month.

The conditions aren't ideal, so they would like to pack a lot of excitement and memories into a short span of time.

Dale Nixon, Stockton, who fishes Pomme de Terre and Stockton lakes a lot, said, "I practice catch and release and the only fish I eat is a walleye. I love to fish and am not limited to any one species. I just enjoy fishing for all of them."

Already this week, Nixon has been catching fish and although many of them would have been keepers, he has released them all.

Nixon said, "The only fish I would keep and not put back into the lake is one that has been gill-hooked and is bleeding badly. I wouldn't like to put it back into the lake because it wouldn't make it, anyway."

Bob Martin, a Kansas City trout angler, said, "I like the catch and release program at the trout parks. You can catch and release trout and really enjoy the fishing experience.

"Then, if you are hungry for trout, you can go to the trout parks or Taneycomo and bring home fish to eat. It's like the best of both worlds.

"I think catching and releasing fish is a very good thing. Most of my fishing friends have practiced it for years.

"That is what tournament anglers do and I can't see that it has harmed fishing. Too many anglers want to catch all of the fish they can and bring them to show off. That, I think, hurts fishing more than anything."