Hands Off Fish

[kbobb]

So I've put 3 trolling posts in here and I can't get a little love for the effort? I wish I could find a specific picture of epic fish handling. I'll check the computer when I get home.... it's a gem.

I tried to get a rise with the epic fish handling pic. Everyone must be at happy hour.

 

[Swattie87]

I tried to get a rise with the epic fish handling pic. Everyone must be at happy hour.

I don’t think we’ll see much surface activity until Grannoms. Gonna have to go down and dirty with lots of shot to get a bite.

 

[krayfish2]

Found it. When you have a client and they finally get one. You tell them, "hold it up and I'll snap a picture". This is what happens next. 🤣🤣. My eyes were bulging and so were the fish's. I will say that you can see the water dripping so other than the death grip, his hands were wet before handling

 

[ryansheehan]

Found it. When you have a client and they finally get one. You tell them, "hold it up and I'll snap a picture". This is what happens next. 🤣🤣. My eyes were bulging and so were the fish's. I will say that you can see the water dripping so other than the death grip, his hands were wet before handling

View attachment 1641227948

That's not water! He's getting the pi$$ squeezed out him.

 

[McSneek]

Found it. When you have a client and they finally get one. You tell them, "hold it up and I'll snap a picture". This is what happens next. 🤣🤣. My eyes were bulging and so were the fish's. I will say that you can see the water dripping so other than the death grip, his hands were wet before handling

View attachment 1641227948

I like this and feel the need to do something similar the next time I finally catch an 8” fish after hours of frustration. I’m going to hold that fish aloft and tell the fish gods they can go to h*** because I have once again proven to be a superior angler.

 

[hooker-of-men]

I like it. Very triumphant.

 

[dudemanspecial]

So I've put 3 trolling posts in here and I can't get a little love for the effort? I wish I could find a specific picture of epic fish handling. I'll check the computer when I get home.... it's a gem.

I love this forum, but I would never consider it a place where trolling is accepted as humor by the majority of the community. There are a lot of angry folks in here. Passionate about fly fishing, but angry none the less. I found it hilarious.

 

[FiveWeight]

It really bothers me when I see people land a fish and then feel the need to pick it up and take a picture just so they can show it off to their friends. If you have a small rod holder and a net on your back you can simply net the fish…place your rod in the rod holder…..de-hook the fish and leave them in the net in the water so they can get their strength back and release. I want to start a movement called Hand off Fish…just not sure how to get my messag out their….plea feel free to comment….I forgot one big thing…it should illegal to use barbed hooks on catch and release streams…

I'd like to start a movement called "Always carry a skillet". It matters little how they are handled when you are going to eat them. It is truly amazing that there are any fish left in the waters from centuries of mankind touching, eating, flooding, droughts, developing, chem trails, etc. The fish will survive whether we touch or not. Yep, always carry a skillet. Next it will be to kill off all the eagles and blue heron..... They do far more damage to any fish than holding them for 20 seconds and snap'n a picture.

 

[caddisflyer]

I'm "fly fishing woke", but not woke enough to not pierce a trout's lip with a hook, drag them through the water to exhaustion, and jerk them around a little bit. You have to draw the lines somewhere.
Again, I love virtue signaling.

What are YOU signaling when you use the term "woke" and "virtue signaling" in a post about fish handling?

 

[The_Sasquatch]

What are YOU signaling when you use the term "woke" and "virtue signaling" in a post about fish handling?

That it's all gotten ridiculous.
That there's always folks out there who are constantly moving the bar concerning "ethical fly fishing". First, it was reasonable. C&R.
Then, it moved into a realm of MOSTLY reasonable:
Handle fish with wet hands.
Don't death grip them.
Don't play them to death.
Pay attention to water temps.
Don't lay them on the dry ground.
From there, it got into the more ridiculous. What kind of net you have to use (I've seen that on this board. How dare anyone still use a mesh net!)

Now, it's shaming people for taking pictures of fish they catch.

It's virtue signaling through and through.
It reeks of: "You think YOU'RE an ethical fisherman!? Well I saw that you held a fish in your hand, you barbarian! You should act and behave like I do in all things. I set the standard of truly ethical fishing!"
It makes more enemies than allies, I can tell you that. Just look at the comments it has received in this threat. People don't come here to get lectured. They come here to share the joy of a hobby in which we all participate.
The reality is, if you REALLY cared about proper fish handling, you wouldn't be ripping hooks into their lips. If you truly cared, you'd give up fishing once and for all.

I hope that didn't come across as angry or mean. I'm just callin' it as I see it. I am snarky at times, but I don't have a desire to be nasty.

 

[Swattie87]

This thread inspired me to quit FFing today, and go back to spin fishing. Us spin guys are much more tolerant of fish handling tactics. You’ll see my lot of fly gear posted in the trade forum shortly.

Keep the change ya filthy animals. Nice goin OP. I’m back to rocking trebles.

 

[ryansheehan]

This thread inspired me to quit FFing today, and go back to spin fishing. Us spin guys are much more tolerant of fish handling tactics. You’ll see my lot of fly gear posted in the trade forum shortly.

Keep the change ya filthy animals. Nice goin OP. I’m back to rocking trebles.

Fixed it for you:
Keep the change ya filthy animals. Nice goin OP. I’m back to rocking barbed trebles.

 

[caddisflyer]

What's the term woke even mean? I have taken lot's of fish photos. I think the gist of the whole discussion was just folks throwing around their thoughts about it. Many were very funny. Underneath it all is a group who overall want to be ethical about fish handling. Seems okay to me.

 

[Swattie87]

I’ve been cancelled.

 

[hooker-of-men]

It is truly amazing that there are any fish left in the waters from centuries of mankind touching, eating, flooding, droughts, developing, chem trails, etc.

I'm not uptight about fish pictures, but I've got some very bad news to share with you on this point...

 

[krayfish2]

That it's all gotten ridiculous.
That there's always folks out there who are constantly moving the bar concerning "ethical fly fishing". First, it was reasonable. C&R.
Then, it moved into a realm of MOSTLY reasonable:
Handle fish with wet hands.
Don't death grip them.
Don't play them to death.
Pay attention to water temps.
Don't lay them on the dry ground.
From there, it got into the more ridiculous. What kind of net you have to use (I've seen that on this board. How dare anyone still use a mesh net!)

Now, it's shaming people for taking pictures of fish they catch.

It's virtue signaling through and through.
It reeks of: "You think YOU'RE an ethical fisherman!? Well I saw that you held a fish in your hand, you barbarian! You should act and behave like I do in all things. I set the standard of truly ethical fishing!"
It makes more enemies than allies, I can tell you that. Just look at the comments it has received in this threat. People don't come here to get lectured. They come here to share the joy of a hobby in which we all participate.
The reality is, if you REALLY cared about proper fish handling, you wouldn't be ripping hooks into their lips. If you truly cared, you'd give up fishing once and for all.

I hope that didn't come across as angry or mean. I'm just callin' it as I see it. I am snarky at times, but I don't have a desire to be nasty.

These are the exact type of posts where people offend and then say it was not the intention. I for one am extremely offended by this. And after reading what I just wrote, I'm even more offended.

 

[caddisflyer]

Now I feel offended and in turn intend to offend.

 

[krayfish2]

Now I feel offended and in turn intend to offend.

Duly noted and offended.

 

[Swattie87]

Duly noted and offended.

I’m taking offense that you guys are so offended.

No offense was intended, except where intended.

 

[krayfish2]

Listen, it's all fun and games until I ask for your manager and destroy you on Yelp.

My level of outrage and offense is so high that I can no longer be offended. Continue.

Looks like cabin fever is running wild already! Please refer to these 194 brook trout studies as proof. Yeah, I went there