When is a Fish officially Caught?

[archbishop]

well then you obviously dont bow hunt, crap happens, also how ethical is it to track a deer you know is going to die and give up after an hour?

[fishawk]

archbishop,

Very good point.  A wounded deer will run for miles if it is chased.   And  you must track it for more than an hour if you can not find it.  I have found whether bow hunting or gun hunting that if you know you hit the animal and you found blood, sit and wait for 30 to 45 minutes. This way the animal will not be pressured to run and if it is a good shot you most likely will find it within 100 yards. But if not, always track it until it gets to dark to see anything.  Even if it means crawling on the ground to find blood drops.  A good hunter has respect for the animals he hunts and you owe it to the animal to finish it and bring it home.

[archbishop]

  A good hunter has respect for the animals he hunts and you owe it to the animal to finish it and bring it home.

AMEN fishawk

[Mikepike]

To me a fish is officially caught when you come in contact with it. either on the boat, in the water, grabbing it, or just removing the hook in the cradle.

[Scott]

Please take the hunting ethics discussion to MHF



Thanks,


-Scott

[perchfisher]

how about we just demolish the hunting ethics discussion rite now!

[archbishop]

if you shoot a deer and blood trail it for 2 days and dont find it, but you know you hit the deer good do you count it as a deer you got that season? if you cant get your hands on it then you didnt catch it, the fish is not helping you in c&r by spitting the hook at the boat or 5 feet from shore.

sorry scott, didnt mean to hijack, but my origional staement stands. if the fish is not in your possesion or control, you did not catch it, you can say you hooked it but you did not catch it