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[mykisscrazy]

Bit of an ethical question here for anyone interested.
When one catches a wild fish that has to be released and it has been badly hooked (gilled) and is bleeding rather badly.
Would you kill it and then throw it back or
Just release it knowing full well it will die (and depending on what you read could be in a lot of pain)?

Curious to see what people say

[bbronswyk2000]

Its simple release it. Why would you physically kill it? What if their is a small chance of its survival? Better just to release it and whatever happens, happens. I have tried to release fish that have been bleeding very badly on a few occasions. I have even taken up to 5 minutes to revive some trout and bass. Many of which eventually swam away despite it looking like they would have died. Try everything you can to revive the fish and if your unsuccessful than just let it go, even if it just floats.

[Headshake]

I think you just have to let it go without doing any more damage, then adjust what you are doing to make sure that future catches don't suffer the same fate. I haven't seen any fish cry yet, they are tough.

[Fish Assassin]

Just release it and let her nature take over. What will be will be.

[Johnny_5]

Release it, at the very least, its bird food.

[skibumAB]

If you must legally release it then you must release the fish, it will still be part of the biomass for the river.  If it is a legal and edible fish then count it as part of your limit.

In catch and release waters most people still think that they should retain mortally wounded fish, if this was allowed then there would be too many people using this clause( and just claiming that the fish would have died) and soon the body of water would be over havested.

[spey]

often fish can still be revived even if very badly injured. This can take allot of time but the fish will swim away with strength. Whether it survives past that...  but its better than nothing

[marmot]

Release and hope for the best.  I know where you're coming from though.  I have to say, if i gill ripped a fish with a hook and it was belly up and barely breathing, I would probably put it out of its misery.  But if there was the slightest chance, I'd give it a go.  You can always size down your hooks to prevent bad hookings too.  Most times I've wounded fish it's been using large hooks and having a smaller fish attack it and get eye or brain hooked.  Doesnt always help, but I think it does a bit.

[Terry D]

I think you should always try and revive it as much as is practicable before releasing, even if just to give it a slightly better chance of surviving and battling the river currents.

[shortfloat]

Definitely attempt to release the fish. Salmon and Steelhead are far more resilient than people often give them credit for.

[TheChumWhisperer]

definately release the fish.  At least there is a 50/50 chance of the fish surviviing.  I would hate to have to explain to a DFO officer why there is a dead wild steelhead in my trunk...... 

[fishseeker]

If the fish is deeply hooked and it is clear the hook can't be removed without damage - I believe it is better just to cut the line and let it go with the hook still in there.  (...read that in the regs somewhere)

Fortunately that hasn't happened to me yet.

[troutbreath]

Would you kill it and then throw it back or.........

drop kick the sea lice off of it, back into the place it came from. Hopefully doing some good.

[BladeKid]

Its simple release it. Why would you physically kill it? What if their is a small chance of its survival? Better just to release it and whatever happens, happens. I have tried to release fish that have been bleeding very badly on a few occasions. I have even taken up to 5 minutes to revive some trout and bass. Many of which eventually swam away despite it looking like they would have died. Try everything you can to revive the fish and if your unsuccessful than just let it go, even if it just floats.

Spot on!

[Lawsch]

The law is the law, you must release it.  If it is badly injured, you need to learn to be more careful with your technique, the reason for catch and release fisheries is to allow people who are careful with the fish to still have an opportunity to catch them.  If we take care with these catch and release fisheries we will not loose them, i am sure if the populations decline, these c&r rivers will be closed.