WOULD YOU RETURN A SPRINGER?

[tayspringer]

YOUR FIRST FISH OF THE YEAR. WOULD YOU RETURN IT?

[dunbar]

Without question - spring fish need all the help they can at the moment. I tend not to bother fishing for salmon until late spring/summer, though I don't have a problem with those that fish earlier for these fabulous fish! I have no aversion to taking the odd fish for the table though, later in the year where stocks are good.

[edenman]

we have that option taken out of our hands on the river eden till 16 june

[exerod]

As edenman has said we don't get the option in England and Wales. I wasn't overly pleased when C&R was made compulsory for spring fish but it really doesn't bother me now. When fishing in Scotland I don't have a problem with putting my first springer back, or the second, never yet got to the third one!

Andy

[elwyman]

Yes - why kill the golden goose.

[edenman]

where on the brink of more bylaws very shortly those could be intresting. hoping the haaf netters get hit hard because if they get low water over august till 10 september they take thousands.

[Sloggi]

Yes, they need all the help they can get

[scotty]

i have to be honest here, please dont shoot me , i dont get out as much as i would like to, and i dont fish prime beats, if i do get to fish a major river then its a special occasion......so..... if i did get out for a special occasion and did manage to catch one..i would probably keep it as long as it was within the river rules and the fish was spankin clean.

scotty.

[macsalmo]

Yes for me too.

They are a scarce breed in most rivers (certainly the ones I fish )

[Fruin]

I voted "yes" that I would return my first fish of the year, but if I thought the system could afford a fish for the pot, I may take one home.

[johnmac]

A sticky wicket for me........ i've yet to catch my first Salmon and i plan to return 99% of my fish, but i do want to keep my first fish..... so if it was a Springer... i think i'd keep it...just this once? shame on me!

[rennie]

Don't have any problem in returning spring fish (or any fish),have done and will do,I do prefer a fixed rule;All returned,Return first keep second , or what ever.Now I may get shot with sh## here but if I was ever lucky enough to get a huge springer and any rule regarding catch and release were only voluntary I honestly don't know how strong my will power would be. If there is no mandatory catch and release rule for a river in place don't think its unreasonable to keep a single fish(within reason),also think a ruling should be river wide with all beats singing from the same hymn sheet,all returned or the option to keep a single fish the point being remove the confusion.
Then of course if catch and release becomes mandatory what happens to badly hooked fish with no chance of survival?,is the angler allowed to keep that fish or will he/she face prosecution?
I honestly think no contributor to this forum has an unreasonable opinion unless its kill everything and sell as much as you can,maybe it should be full catch and release until a fixed date for all,or maybe we should be left with a reasonable level of choice and not suffer an imposed diktat. Pedro.

[jollyrodger]

Wouldn't even give it a second thought. Yes.

[jt]

Could I keep my first salmon (as in ever) please?

If the answer is yes and we're not talking a gravid fish then I'd knock a springer on the head, just once.

Anything subsequent to that I'd release and focus on summer salmon/grilse.

...Or have I stumbled into a minefield wearing magnets for shoes?

[beanieboy]

I do keep the odd salmon - but it wouldn't worry me if I had to return them all.

[storlaks]

Yes for me. Most of my Spring fishing is on the Dee where all go back. Don't have an issue with anyone wanting to keep a fish if the rules allow.

[hornet]

That's a yes for me too. No second thoughts, only a massive smile on seeing it swim away.

Hornet

[hardygem]

Yes ,but have no objection to others taking a fish if its within the rules

[severnfisher]

I voted 'no' on the grounds that:

1) I would prefer to have the choice. We have a big problem on the Severn of people dilligently returning fresh springers only to see them knocked on the head as stale fish after June 16th.

2) Springers outnumber grilse on the Severn, as do msw summer and autumn fish. So the 'default' C&R policy of only keeping fresh cock grilse shouldn't necessarily apply.

3) The ethics of 100% catch and release aren't really defensible.

[kercock]

I certainly would but then,I 'd be happy enough to put them all back. I have very good friends who keep some fish for smoking,That stuff I really enjoy !
tayspringer,well done asking the question and even better done for putting your first fish back already,last Monday.