fly fishing ettiquete

[jerole1978]

As a beginner, what are the "rules" for keeping a fish and for letting them go?

[cdevine]

As a beginner, what are the "rules" for keeping a fish and for letting them go?

That is a bit of a loaded ?. First, always check the regs. Sort of common sense but it can get a bit confusing. For me its C&R everything with exception if I was Salmon fishing which I rarely do. Salmon I would gladly keep and eat. Otherwise, for me its about the experience. Take a quick pic and let them go. There are put and take places that is the norm but that style just isn't for me. To each there own.

[tascaso]

Always follow the fishing regs for the river, lake or ocean and species. If its a hatchery fish I have no qualms about bringing it home if I plan on eating it for dinner. Other than that you can C&R if you don't plan to put it on the menu.

[jerole1978]

Sorry I guess I should have been a little clearer, I guess what I mean is when is it considered not ok to bring a fish home dfg rules aside. I know with striper if you land a hog you wanna try and put it back to let it spawn more striper. Now what are the guidelines for say trout and steelhead? I am aware that wild steelhead must be released.

[DLJeff]

For me it's a matter of the health of the fishery. I never take a breeder size fish. BUt if I'm camping on a trout stream with lots of little brookies or a heap of stocked pan-size size rainbows, for example, a couple tossed in corn meal and fried in bacon grease with some taters is just about heaven. Often when we're bonefishing we'll make an expedition to catch a couple snapper for dinner. But I would never keep a fish from a fishery that was stressed nor will I keep a fish simply for display. I guess those aren't rules, just my philosophy.

[jerole1978]

Sounds good to me, nothing better frying up trout when your camping

[ergabele]

I hardly ever keep the fish I catch. I don't even really like trout very much however a week ago on a week long backpacking trip in Ansel Adams Wilderness there were a couple of lakes that were so overpopulated with brook trout that we literally hooked up every cast. The fish were between 8-10 inches. We killed a half dozen and brought them back for dinner. Quite tasty. If that lake had a normal healthy population of trout the fish may have been larger and not so plentiful. Those lakes could use a resident osprey!

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

I don't kill any wild fish unless I am back packing. Those little 6 inchers over a camp fire are really nice.

Hatchery fish are fair game.

I don't take fish home for friends.

I don't ever freeze fish....eat them fresh only.

I have been fishing barbless sense 1975 thanks to Bob Giannoni.

I try to fight them in fast. Maybe use a little heavier tippet?

I try not to touch them.

A quick trophy photo is OK.

Keeping a small salmon or small striper is OK.

*I can tell you that fly fishers don't kill too many fish as a group.

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[John Sv]

Here are some local trout that made their way into some home made sushi. I feel very fortunate to live within walking distance to a reservoir stocked with trout. Generally speaking I keep hatchery fish and brookies. As the fly fishing journey has changed for me, I went from chasing natives and being 100% c and r, to chasing brookies and hatchery fish and eating them. Yum! It is too bad they don't taste like halibut though. I'll keep salmon but release steelies and half pounders, even if from a hatchery. Oh also, I'm c and r on our "name brand" fisheries such as the Truckee and LT, and the Yubas, regardless if you are allowed to keep fish. I find the cooking and eating does add significantly to the whole experience. I also find myself fishing less, maybe a day or so every week or two.