Kayak Angler – Issue 52 – Spring 2024
English | 102 pages | pdf | 159.77 MB
EVERYONE KNOWS the old adage for an angler’s progression: any fish, many fish, big fish, hard fish. At first, a newbie is happy to catch anything that swims. Then, after years of fishing, only the most difficult and elusive species will satisfy his itch. I’d like to add a new adage for catch and release: measure every fish, measure big fish, don’t measure fish.
When I started targeting big red drum, it took me a year before I caught my first fish. I was so excited that I measured the 42-inch fish (well short of a trophy) and snapped about a hundred photos.
After my first drum, the dam broke and I measured every red I landed. Dragging each fish up on the beach, onto the boat or into my kayak. Then dig for the measuring tape. Hold the fish down and
attempt to stretch the tape from nose to tail. Photo the fish on the measuring tape. Then, lift the fish for more photos.
By the time I return my catch to the water, it is gasping for air. Imagine holding your breath for as long as a trophy fish is out of the water. Of course, there are exceptions for tournament anglers who use every effort to quickly and carefully measure and release their fish. For the rest of us, there’s nothing wrong with occasionally measuring a true trophy, as long as the fish is handled properly. But I see anglers measuring and photographing every fish they catch. What’s the point?
According to Takemefishing.org, “Time is of the essence! Release fish as soon as practical and do not keep them out of the water longer than necessary.” In their 10 steps to release a fish, none include take pictures and measure the fish.
Let’s forget the practical reasons to quickly release fish. Instead, we’ll dive into the deep psychological motivations for risking the fish’s survival for the sake of photos. Not to mention the significance of the fish’s size.
Never mind, let’s not go there. Look, I’m old. I’ve been fishing my whole life. I remember each stage of the progression. I remember the first time I saw an older surf angler release a red drum without wading back to the beach. He simply reached down, unhooked the fish and let it swim away. So cool.
I also remember when I realized the faster I release a fish the faster I return to fishing. The longer my lure is out of the water, the lower my chances of hooking another fish. And, if I just caught a trophy, my odds ofcatching another one are greater. Instead of bragging about the size of the fish I catch, I can brag about the number of fish I catch.
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