Weekly 50/50 Derby

[Little Hawk]

This could be good cannon-fodder for the X-mas get together Pro!

Sammy: I think you are off track with your thinkin' here man. ANYTHING that contributes/benefits to conservation/habitat-restoration/hatchery programs AND brings more people (especially kids!) to the rec-fishing pastime is not only good for the sport (for lack of a better term) but is also - GOOD FOR FISH!

More people fishing = A GREATER VOICE FOR SUSTAINED CONSERVATION AND LONG TERM VIABILITY OF THE SPECIES!

Trust me on this: If we rec-fishers did not exist, DFO would have our entire coastline peppered with salmon-farms right now.
I miss the old days when the Sun Salmon Derby would send hundreds & hundreds of boats out every year and make front page news.

 

[sammyslabber]

Little Hawk: Let's start with "Just for the hali derby" get a bunch of the best hali highliners & pound the **** out of the prime spots & breeding grounds then harvest the biggest Halies(females)now the JDF derby lets not go there. Fishing Derby in the name of conservation something flawed with that statement as for getting the kids & newbies involved in sportsfishing we have the" Pink Salmon Festival".Listen I agree with fighting for our rights to fish & that the Gov. cont. flawed policy of Sportsfishing is biased to say the lease.Conservation isn't a contest so thats not where i'm going to waste my money!

 

[Reel Knotty]

Just to address samyslabbers concerns: (please note, I;m not for or against)

Based on C + R marlin tournements seen on WFN, each participating boat could be given a pre developed measuring device (length and girth) and submit via photo, fish caught and released. Would require lots more work, a charitable company to make devise and every boat having digital camera, and lot's of work compiling results.......................Could be done??????????????

 

[sammyslabber]

you are right Knotty those are catch & release tourn. maybe we should take the ball & roll with it .Make the 2 lrg. prev. mentioned derbys catch & release maybe start a trend. By the way there is a popular C&R derby @ Langara .... Cheers Sammy

 

[Rum Buddies]

you are right Knotty those are catch & release tourn. maybe we should take the ball & roll with it .Make the 2 lrg. prev. mentioned derbys catch & release maybe start a trend. By the way there is a popular C&R derby @ Langara

x2 - I'd love to see someone do a C&R derby instead of a slaughter.

 

[Reel Knotty]

A C&R derby could be very easily done and even island wide IF every boat had a video camera and a measuring board both length and width.
One would sumbit a video of the landing of the fish without net or gaff in a humane fashion. Fish then held up to camera with fishermans face in frame. He says the codeword for the tournement and then lays fish on measuring board. In frame must be head and tail dorsal an belly. Easily measured by judges.
Then fish must also be shown on video being released. No cut scenes allowed! all one continuous frame!
Judges could throw out entry for unhumane treatment of fish, cut scenes or other. Would work for trout and bass too!


halibut and other larger species a variation of above would be needed.

So does everyone have a video camera??? LOL!

 

[juandesooka]

Logistics for a C&R derby, that's tough. A big one like the Salmon Classic could do it. You get the high road of not being quite as bad conservation-wise. I think you also might gain the benefit of being able to run it regardless of retention regs ... it is illegal to keep the salmon, not fish for them.

That adds a whole bunch of complication I know, but intriguing idea.

 

[profisher]

Well for the sake of conservation maybe the best option is a simple 50/50 ticket available at local outlets until Saturday. Winner drawn Sunday, next tickets available starting Monday. No fishing, no killing and no hassles. Would sell tickets to non-fishers too. Hmmmm. Oh forgot, no fun too, except for the winners..

 

[Little Hawk]

OMG - what's next C&R hunting?

Sammy, your overtures aimed at my 'let's murder all the fish' attitude are not only unfounded, they are wrong. If you cared to take a minute to look back through my posts on this great forum, you'd see at a glance that I count myself among the rigorously-conservationist here.

What part of, "More people fishing = A GREATER VOICE FOR SUSTAINED CONSERVATION AND LONG TERM VIABILITY OF THE SPECIES!" did you and other anti-derby's not understand?

 

[profisher]

I'll say that I'm not a big derby guy, from a participants point of view. I only fish 2 each year normally and it will only be 1 this year...but I don't have a problem with them. So,long as proceeds are directed back to the resource. Sammy I'm not going to try and change your mind, your entitled to think or feel as you do. (neither side is right or wrong) There is nothing in this world where you get 100% consensus on an issue.

 

[sammyslabber]

Thanks Profisher nobody wants to feel like a whipping boy for there opinion.Fishing is an honour & i'm glad everyone is onside to improve our position related to flawed Govt.rules.Thanks for everyones valued opinions people can make a change lets hope the Govt. listens. ...Regards to all Sammy

 

[Rum Buddies]

What part of, "More people fishing = A GREATER VOICE FOR SUSTAINED CONSERVATION AND LONG TERM VIABILITY OF THE SPECIES!" did you and other anti-derby's not understand?

I'll bite in the name of debate Terry. For the record I'm not against killing fish, I help guests kill a lot every summer but I also release a lot of fish as well. I ALWAYS mention that C&R is an option and you know what a lot of people take me up on it(bleeders always go in the box). Most people new to salmon fishing don't even know you can release fish.

My point is, a lot of fishermen, especially the old school guys don't even consider C&R an option. Hell I know guys that bonk everything and I know its going into a ziploc bag in the freezer to rot - its just so ingrained in our fishing community to kill every fish. I personally think a big part of it is walking to the cleaning table with a fish, people want the ego boost that comes with bringing in a good catch.

Anyways when we have stocks in such trouble(upper fraser, cowichan etc.) and have the the big closures like we do now in the spring I think its time to start changing our outlook. Many of the older guys won't/can't/don't want to change that's fine but we can plant the seed for the younger generations.

Will a C&R derby be a huge success? Its doubtful but you start small and grow the idea, maybe have a C&R category in a derby as a compromise?The point is to spread the word that releasing fish is an option.

How many have actually released a good sized spring? If you haven't you'd be surprised how good it feels to watch a nice smiley swim away and live another day.

Anyways, the fact that C&R derby is even a topic for conversation means the wheels are already moving - 20 years ago you'd be called a p*ssy for such talk I'm sure.

As a side note, if the forum would like to help the local hatcheries - how about a donate link somewhere?

 

[profisher]

More people fishing can take place with both a mix of catch and take and catch and release, why exclude anyone. I think that is a seperate issue from derbies all together. We don't want to people fishing solely because there is a derby to fish and an opportunity to gain financially. That sound to much like the commercial guys.

 

[sammyslabber]

x2 poppa smurf thanx for your poinient reply to terry's crass statement.

 

[Little Hawk]

Easy Sammy, I'm not callin' anyone out here. Nowhere did I or have I said I take issue with C&R.

My point is this: DFO could care less about you or me and our precious pastime. Government could care less about wild-fish either; they prove it time and time again. So, if you and I are prepared to accept the status quo and settle into a '...well, we ain't got no fish anymore because of logging, over fishing, a brainless government and fish farms so I guess we'll just have to such it up and eat C&R,' mentality, then THAT'S WHAT WE'LL GET!

Our government would be happy to turn over fish production completely to the salmon farmers; no commies to manage, no funds to habitat restoration or hatchery programs, who-cares? We grow'em in pens!

My choice is to eat fish I catch, fresh. Till the day I die I will count myself among those who continue to fight and demand that Ottawa comes full-circle on bringing back the days of plenty through firm commitment to clean up the mess the lumber industry left of our precious fish habitat and making WILD FISH NUMBER ONE PRIORITY!

No one, least of all us rec-fishers who pay far and away the greatest price, should ever have to feel guilty about killing and eating a fish.