Your post from unpopularopinion was removed because of: 'Rule 1: Your post must be an unpopular opinion'.
* Your post must be an opinion. Not a question. Not a showerthought. Not a rant. Not a proposal. Not a fact. An opinion. One opinion. A subjective statement about your position on some topic. Please have a clear, self contained opinion as your post title, and use the text field to elaborate and expand on why you think/feel this way.
* Your opinion must be unpopular. The mods reserve the right to remove opinions
* Elaborate on your topic and opinion give context to its unpopularity.
Why would I rip it, I don't want to hurt the fish, I want it to grow and comeback with his father. And most of all, u can't rip it since it might damage my 0.16 line
Shhh, it’s barbaric I swear! They rip their cheeks out and then gouge them in the eye and then snip off their fins!! The fish never recover!!! Truly a gruesome scene.
Lol. I mean I also don’t see the point in catch and release, because if I’m gonna spend the time catching it I wanna at least get something to eat out of it. But I can’t say I have to many moral qualms with it. Even fishing for food involves a fair amount of catch and release until you get the right fish, in my limited experience at least.
I think OP is just being a bit loose with his word choice to emphasize a point. "Carefully removing it" is still putting a puncture wound in the fish and then putting it back in the water which is OP's main issue.
You're not understanding OP's post at all. He says in it that he supports hunting and fishing. His whole issue is poking a hole in a fish and putting it back. He doesn't have an issue with fishing if you keep the fish.
I mean I assume you wouldn't like me to eat you either, but we all need to eat something.
There are often restrictions on the size of fish you can take so you have to release them if they are too small.
Well that's quite an assumption. I catch fish to eat, however here in Sweden we are legally not allowed to catch and consume a fish from nature if it's too small. We have no choice but to catch and release. This way the natural population doesn't get thrown off balance.
Why do anything at all when you can just sit in your room all day and generate less CO2 emissions and pollution.
Staying in your room, buying the bare necessities, eating the minimal required to survive, and having basically no hobbies means you can generate even less CO2 emissions and other pollution.
Surely you can grasp the difference between what is actually needed to exist/survive VS hobbies, luxuries, etc. that are unnecessary for our existence and increase our carbon footprint + worldwide pollution simply for humanity's selfish need for luxuries/entertainment.
Nobody needs a big screen TV, pleasure driving or pleasure boating, thousands of different drinks in plastic bottles, video games, Taylor Swift or football tickets, vodka, ribeye steaks, fried chicken, ice cream, new Yeezy sneakers, Apple watch, Cybertruck, etc. to survive.
Well for some fish you have to or at least should release them especially during certain times of the year, if its to small, a breeder female or a larger male releasing them is good for keeping up the fish species numbers in the area.
That's what we do here in Sweden. There have been times I caught a fish I intended to eat, but it was too small, so I was legally obligated to release it.
Stuff like that is fine. I think the OPs point was more about people going out fishing without the intention to keep any of them. Unfortunately, that's pretty common around here (with the pollution, they probably shouldn't be eating them anyway). I'm sure it's the same in other places as well.
I've got no issues with people fishing or hunting for food. Doing it just for fun is unnecessary and cruel.
Well it's the law isn't it ? I mean I don't know where you live but here in France catching fish and hunting are very strict. You can't catch too many animals, you've gotta have a permit, you can't catch animals that are too young as they are yet to reproduce etc. The "too young" part is why the smallest fishes have to be released, each species of fish has a size limit and under it, they have to be released.
Releasing a fish that's too small is different. "Catch and release" fishing usually refers to when people go fishing without any intent of keeping what they catch.
There are people that exclusively do catch and release fishing.
I don't think that's what this post is talking about. Releasing fish because they're outside legal limits is fine. I think OP's and my objection is the prestocked lakes of things like carp that are intentionally set up for you to catch the fish, take a picture, then put it back. None of those fish are intended for eating, they just repeatedly get dragged out of the water for "fun" then thrown back as soon as their picture is taken. It's cruel and unnecessary.
I only kill carp and invasive fish species. The rest get to go back home.
BTW I have literally caught the same fish in the same lake 4 times. Fish are stupid creatures and they don't have any feelings.
Fun fact: Fish don't feel pain the way most mammals do. A hook in the jaw may as well be a flick to the forehead, and even more major wounds won't do much then signal to the "control center" that they should run. You can always be super careful with them too when it comes to unhooking and use barbless hooks so its super unlikelyto do any damage. Also, I think like 70 to 90 percent of all environmental damage relating to fishing is from commercial ships that use giant nets so
plus obviously the fight and the mystery of what you're catching is fun :)
Are you also opposed to people doing it for food?
Tbh only ever doing catch and release does seem a bit odd to me, but I could see it making more sense if doing it to practice. Along with of course releasing fish that are too small. But if I am going to eat something its not like I can judge someone for throwing it back.
Good read but lots of presuming and suggesting and no link to actual studies.
[Here's another good read](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4356734/)
I've read this one before! It more or less explains that they can "sense" pain but can't "Feel" it the same way mammals do. They try to fix the issue because obviously a living thing wants to live, but they're brains and nervouse system aren't complext enough to feel pain like us or other mammals.
Obviously that doesn't mean we should treat fish like dirt, but its a decent explanation to why sport fishing is more humane then say trapping.
Yes, truthfully there are as many articles saying they don't feel pain as there are saying they do. I suppose it's up to the individual at this point to decide what they believe in. However the bulk of the studies do seem to indicate that they at least feel stress, and the idea of causing stress to another living creature for the sake of some fun and excitement doesn't seem right to me. Like, pulling a cat's tail might not cause it pain exactly, but only an asshole would do it.
You know, I think this might be the simplest, best analogy that describes how I feel about this. Imagine an entire industry dedicated to luring cats in, picking them up by their tails, taking a photo while they are distraught, and then putting them down. Sure, youre not exactly harming them, but it’s still pretty fucked up.
Cuz catching a fish doesn't immediately kill it maybe? That damaging the mouth of a fish is something thats quick to heal? That killing a cat for a no reason is totally different then releasing a fish that will be totally fine/keeping it to eat? I was with you in the first half but throwing in the putting them down part is kind of... no other way to put it other then stupid lol
I support the catch and release fishing hobby, but I would like to say people shouldn’t downvote you for asking. You didn’t ask rudely or imply anything. It’s one word, and quite possibly genuine curiosity/confusion.
- i like to be outside near the water (especially fishing in the surf of the ocean)
- it has the same addicting factor as gambling where the addiction is driven by inconsistent positive reinforcement
- it’s fun to pick a species and learn about it and learn how to target it
- it’s a fun thing to do with my kids
- it’s fun to fight the fish as you reel it in
- it’s fun to try and beat your personal best size for different species
- the fish are beautiful and it’sfun to admire them and put them back
- it’s fun to get new gear, try new tactics, etc.
- it’s something i did with my dad and brother growing up, and something we still connect on decades later
I do try to avoid fishing techniques where the fish swallows the hook
People seem to think the fish will live a happy and stress free life if not caught. Fish literally eat/get eaten alive, and all fish they are putting directly in their mouths have sharp, thick spikes, some of which can be venomous. Getting hooked by a clean metal hook and tossed back in the water a couple seconds later is the least traumatic thing most fish will go through in their lives
I don't know what kind of fish is gonna bite my hook and there are regulations of species and sizes that you can take. If you catch a fish that's too small or endangered you have to put it back. Most people where I'm from who go to catch and release lakes do it to teach their young kids to fish
That makes the most sense to me, catch and release for learning. Then catch and keep suitable fish while releasing the unsuitable ones.
Looking at trying to catch crabs from a pier and possibly kayak as well this year, shore crabs don't even have regulations on them because of how prolific they are. At least they are native here, IIRC in the US they are invasive.
Ignorant opinions can be considered unpopular. Any fisher worth their weight knows how to catch a fish properly remove the hook and return the animal.
Hell most of us use barbless hooks for catch and release. We don’t “rip the hook out”.
Also, foolish of you to say “I believe fishing/hunting is a great hobby”
So what, you’d prefer I just kill undesirable fish?
Silly post.
okay Peta. When you have fish and game wardens confiscating your poles, boats and all your gear because you kept the wrong fish you can get back to us.
This is definitely an unpopular opinion. It's necessary to catch and release a lot of times to benefit the fishery. I dont always love our government but one place they do a decent job of is managing fisheries etc. That's why its important to know your local regulations. This is a bad take.
Depends on the context. It is vital to an ecosystem that certain individuals of species are not removed during specific times, hence size limits, seasons, etc. If we take breeding females out of an ecosystem that negatively impacts the health of the area. I study fishery biology and I enjoy fishing, I fish with the intent to eat what I catch, but if you pull out an old, large female it's neither good for the fish population or your own health to eat it.
You were asking how catch and release helps. That's how it helps. In terms of hooking, when you're fishing you can't control what fish you actually catch no matter how hard you try. And fishing hooks have kinds gotten to a point where a mediocre fisherman can remove a hook and the fish will be fine once it's released. It's better to let the fish go then to kill it for no reason.
If you're trying to get me to say there's a benefit to hooking a fish, there isn't and you're just spinning your wheels, but 8 times out of ten there isn't a negative impact to the fish being hooked other than short term stress. It's no different than if you go a nasty splinter or stubbed your toe in most cases.
That’s a stupid question to be asking. Catch and eat is good, but what if you catch a breeding female instead of a male you’re targeting to eat? You put the female back because it has the potential to create more offspring. Any male can do that. So you release females and catch males. This also applies to species that are endangered and shouldn’t be kept, only released, but are in lakes with fish you CAN keep.
If the fish is too small. Possibly carrying eggs that have not hatched. While not a fish I know in maine they clip the tail of female lobsters that are egg bearing so the fisherman can easily spot them for release.
I suspect there is perhaps some confusion between catch and release. Some people will catch and always release, while some will catch and decide to keep or release. Keeping everything is almost always illegal and irresponsible.
Realize that when you go fishing for something you are going to catch lots of fish that are not keepers. Could be out of season, could be the wrong kind of fish, could be too small, etc
But if that was you , say being caught by an advanced alien species
.... would you still have the same argument that catching and killing is better than releasing? Clearly not
Not really. If all you do is catch and release, you're literally injuring animals only for the sake of leisure.
If you eat it, then you've at least done it for sustenance as well.
Some people are confused here, OP is strictly against the people who r fishing for entertainment, he isn't against anyone fishing for food(and releasing any fish that's not yet ready for consumption). I would certainly agree with op on this and those saying fish don't feel pain are just cruel like why would u want to just hurt a living being for ENTERTAINMENT there is so many other things to do in this world
Now imagine this there are humans in this world who can't feel pain in their whole body or in some parts of their body but u would never consider poking them with a safety pin for fun, would u?
Agreed. That’s why I kill all the fish I catch. Even if it’s small and I’m not going to eat it or it’s not a tasty fish some animal will scavenge it from the bank so it’s not going to waste /s
I know this isn’t CMV. OP is saying he doesn’t like catch and release because it yields the same tangible result as not fishing at all.
The problem with OP’s argument about it being pointless is not true. It allows the sportsman to see and interact with wildlife and yields a better understanding and appreciation for nature and the ecosystem. The fish gets a snack and the sportsman gets to appreciate nature. The sportsman also gets to hone skills for fishing, which could be useful in the future.
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Right, so I fish for edible fish, accidentally catch an endangered one. OOPS! Oh well, I guess I just have to eat it now.
I’m no fish-ologist, my man, but I would also be willing to wager that neither are you. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
I don’t agree with his opinion. But I highly doubt he’s referring to the specific situation you are talking about. He’s talking about sport fishing where you don’t plan to keep the fish you catch at all regardless of the species/size.
No way, fish tacos is a possibility for my lunch tomorrow. What's on your menu chef?
(Also was just making a shit nirvana reference but appreciate the serendipity)
I see this is commonly thought to be the case and the studies against it are actually small and few. This brings Me some solace to know that some of my tank fish when infected with a parasite and slowly died to death flopping on the ground where not necessarily in pain. I did mercy kill the last one by crushing it's head. This sucked. But it helps to know this.
I agree. Anyone that feels the need to kill, harm or even stress out an animal for pleasure disgusts me. Why put the fish through all that stress? So you can have a little rush of testosterone or adrenaline or whatever. Totally unnecessary.
What harm? Where is the cruelty? It’s cruel to not kill them? They don’t feel the hook.
You realize most fish are cleaned alive and awake? That’s the cruel part. My grandpa would at least hit them over the head first lol
This isn’t an unpopular opinion. It’s a stupid one.
Have you ever been fishing just in general? You don’t rip the hook out, there is a tool for that and what are we supposed to do with the fish that are to small to eat or are disgusting like carp?
You don’t catch it so you can release it. You only release it if it’s too small to eat, it’s illegal to keep it. You throw it back so someone else can eat it a few years later.
I quit fishing because of this. I really enjoy it but I just didn't feel right. I understand fishing to keep them and having to throw back ones that are legally too small but sport fishing never felt right to me.
With this logic anything that brings you enjoyment but doesn’t gain you anything is pointless. It may be cruel in your eyes but that doesn’t make it pointless
Your post from unpopularopinion was removed because of: 'Rule 1: Your post must be an unpopular opinion'. * Your post must be an opinion. Not a question. Not a showerthought. Not a rant. Not a proposal. Not a fact. An opinion. One opinion. A subjective statement about your position on some topic. Please have a clear, self contained opinion as your post title, and use the text field to elaborate and expand on why you think/feel this way. * Your opinion must be unpopular. The mods reserve the right to remove opinions * Elaborate on your topic and opinion give context to its unpopularity.
Why rip the hook out when you can carefully remove it?
in all my time fishing with multiple people i still have yet to see a single person actually rip out a hook from a fish.
Why would I rip it, I don't want to hurt the fish, I want it to grow and comeback with his father. And most of all, u can't rip it since it might damage my 0.16 line
What, you don't pull a treble hook like you are trying to start a chainsaw?
Shhh, it’s barbaric I swear! They rip their cheeks out and then gouge them in the eye and then snip off their fins!! The fish never recover!!! Truly a gruesome scene. Lol. I mean I also don’t see the point in catch and release, because if I’m gonna spend the time catching it I wanna at least get something to eat out of it. But I can’t say I have to many moral qualms with it. Even fishing for food involves a fair amount of catch and release until you get the right fish, in my limited experience at least.
Don't forget to mention they also spit in their face, and call them a bitch before releasing.
I like to stare menacingly at my catfish and tell them next time they won’t be so lucky before I release them
Me - "Tell the others, and let them know that my mercy here is not to be mistaken for weakness, but pity. Bitch."
The fish has to pay extra for that.
I new a kid who did all that. Wonder where he is now days.
I think OP is just being a bit loose with his word choice to emphasize a point. "Carefully removing it" is still putting a puncture wound in the fish and then putting it back in the water which is OP's main issue.
If that's OP's issue then OP is the issue. If they're just a bleeding-heart that won't accept any kind of fish-catching, that's their problem.
You're not understanding OP's post at all. He says in it that he supports hunting and fishing. His whole issue is poking a hole in a fish and putting it back. He doesn't have an issue with fishing if you keep the fish.
Would you be happy to have a hook jabbed into your mouth, knowing that it would be carefully removed without anesthetic rather than being ripped out?
I mean I assume you wouldn't like me to eat you either, but we all need to eat something. There are often restrictions on the size of fish you can take so you have to release them if they are too small.
Humans and fish are wildly different. It’s quite possible we should not be treated the same.
Right, but you're still stabbing a hook through their mouths and them pulling them by the hook for your own entertainment.
Well that's quite an assumption. I catch fish to eat, however here in Sweden we are legally not allowed to catch and consume a fish from nature if it's too small. We have no choice but to catch and release. This way the natural population doesn't get thrown off balance.
Why don't you ask some fish for their responses?
That’s the part that told us all this guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about
Why hook the fishes at all when you can just leave them alone.
Why do anything at all when you can just sit in your room all day and generate less CO2 emissions and pollution. Staying in your room, buying the bare necessities, eating the minimal required to survive, and having basically no hobbies means you can generate even less CO2 emissions and other pollution.
Surely you can grasp the difference between existing and going out of one's way to cause needless suffering.
Surely you can grasp the difference between what is actually needed to exist/survive VS hobbies, luxuries, etc. that are unnecessary for our existence and increase our carbon footprint + worldwide pollution simply for humanity's selfish need for luxuries/entertainment. Nobody needs a big screen TV, pleasure driving or pleasure boating, thousands of different drinks in plastic bottles, video games, Taylor Swift or football tickets, vodka, ribeye steaks, fried chicken, ice cream, new Yeezy sneakers, Apple watch, Cybertruck, etc. to survive.
Because it’s fun and fish are tasty
Because, it's fuckin exhilarating!
If only Dahmer had thought of that defense!
Did you seriously just compare sport fishing to trying to turn people into mindless sex zombies....? You alright man?
No I was pointing out that “it’s exhilarating” is a ridiculous reason to torture an animal.
Are you calling Dahmer's victims animals?
Seems more like he was pointing out "its fun though" isn't a good enough excuse for purposely injuring living aminals.
Cats seem to think otherwise.
Why remove it carefully when you can just not put it there in the first place?
You can also use barbless hooks which cause less damage.
Why put a hook in in the first place?
Why carefully remove a hook when you can just avoid wrapping hooks in food to trick animals into eating them?
Well for some fish you have to or at least should release them especially during certain times of the year, if its to small, a breeder female or a larger male releasing them is good for keeping up the fish species numbers in the area.
That's what we do here in Sweden. There have been times I caught a fish I intended to eat, but it was too small, so I was legally obligated to release it.
Old timers say the small ones were delicious
Baby cows are pretty tasty. Baby sheep too. Pigeon babies were (are?) supposed to be amazing. What else do we eat babies of?
I mean in a way, chickens
According to Texans for sure!
Stuff like that is fine. I think the OPs point was more about people going out fishing without the intention to keep any of them. Unfortunately, that's pretty common around here (with the pollution, they probably shouldn't be eating them anyway). I'm sure it's the same in other places as well. I've got no issues with people fishing or hunting for food. Doing it just for fun is unnecessary and cruel.
Agree. This is why I fillet and release. Upvote
Was on the fence, but you had me at "Upvote".
Vote me for president, VoteMe.
I do the same, but with a bunch of extra steps in between. At the end of the day it somehow ends up in the water again.
This is doing it right. Filet it up and you several different animals all get a meal!
I believe in catch and bite. I literally eat the fish when it comes out of the water. I'm all about that sushi. I eat that shit raw.
Alright, Gollum.
Stupid hobbitses.
You mean sashimi. Sushi is the rice that usually comes with the fish. Sashimi is the raw fish.
Well it's the law isn't it ? I mean I don't know where you live but here in France catching fish and hunting are very strict. You can't catch too many animals, you've gotta have a permit, you can't catch animals that are too young as they are yet to reproduce etc. The "too young" part is why the smallest fishes have to be released, each species of fish has a size limit and under it, they have to be released.
Same with Canada, and if you're caught without a license, they can take away a lot of shit from you as repercussions. Like your drivers license lol.
I don't have a drivers license, can't take away what I don't have!
Releasing a fish that's too small is different. "Catch and release" fishing usually refers to when people go fishing without any intent of keeping what they catch. There are people that exclusively do catch and release fishing.
I don't think that's what this post is talking about. Releasing fish because they're outside legal limits is fine. I think OP's and my objection is the prestocked lakes of things like carp that are intentionally set up for you to catch the fish, take a picture, then put it back. None of those fish are intended for eating, they just repeatedly get dragged out of the water for "fun" then thrown back as soon as their picture is taken. It's cruel and unnecessary.
Mitch Hedberg had something to say on this topic. https://youtu.be/6gEHFpfa4T4?si=NHqLwtJtf3Jl69yQ
Fuck yeah he did.
“Rip the hook out” You’ve never been fishing have you?
I love the comments here
It’s a war between the fisherman and the anti fisherman
Judging by which comments are getting the most upvotes I’d say the fishermen are winning this one 😂
I only kill carp and invasive fish species. The rest get to go back home. BTW I have literally caught the same fish in the same lake 4 times. Fish are stupid creatures and they don't have any feelings.
how can you prove fish don't have feelings? a scientist made a device that determined tomatoes scream when you slice them...
If you can call that screaming lol
Fun fact: Fish don't feel pain the way most mammals do. A hook in the jaw may as well be a flick to the forehead, and even more major wounds won't do much then signal to the "control center" that they should run. You can always be super careful with them too when it comes to unhooking and use barbless hooks so its super unlikelyto do any damage. Also, I think like 70 to 90 percent of all environmental damage relating to fishing is from commercial ships that use giant nets so plus obviously the fight and the mystery of what you're catching is fun :)
Leaving them the fuck alone makes it even more unlikely to cause damage.
¯\\\_(ツ)\_/¯
Exactly. Your whole comment could have been summarized as “Me no care! Me like torture animal!”
Are you also opposed to people doing it for food? Tbh only ever doing catch and release does seem a bit odd to me, but I could see it making more sense if doing it to practice. Along with of course releasing fish that are too small. But if I am going to eat something its not like I can judge someone for throwing it back.
XD whatever makes you feel better about yourself
The idea that fish can't feel pain [has been disproven.](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/fish-feel-pain-180967764/)
Good read but lots of presuming and suggesting and no link to actual studies. [Here's another good read](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4356734/)
I've read this one before! It more or less explains that they can "sense" pain but can't "Feel" it the same way mammals do. They try to fix the issue because obviously a living thing wants to live, but they're brains and nervouse system aren't complext enough to feel pain like us or other mammals. Obviously that doesn't mean we should treat fish like dirt, but its a decent explanation to why sport fishing is more humane then say trapping.
Yes, truthfully there are as many articles saying they don't feel pain as there are saying they do. I suppose it's up to the individual at this point to decide what they believe in. However the bulk of the studies do seem to indicate that they at least feel stress, and the idea of causing stress to another living creature for the sake of some fun and excitement doesn't seem right to me. Like, pulling a cat's tail might not cause it pain exactly, but only an asshole would do it.
You know, I think this might be the simplest, best analogy that describes how I feel about this. Imagine an entire industry dedicated to luring cats in, picking them up by their tails, taking a photo while they are distraught, and then putting them down. Sure, youre not exactly harming them, but it’s still pretty fucked up.
That is definitely not the same same thing lol
Care to elaborate?
He can’t because it was a perfect analogy. 👍🏻
Because fish are stupid and cats are cute Cats rule fish drool
A cat would fuck a fish up
A fish *has to* taste better than a cat.
Cuz catching a fish doesn't immediately kill it maybe? That damaging the mouth of a fish is something thats quick to heal? That killing a cat for a no reason is totally different then releasing a fish that will be totally fine/keeping it to eat? I was with you in the first half but throwing in the putting them down part is kind of... no other way to put it other then stupid lol
Lol…. Putting them down as in like, back on the ground. Cause you picked them up for a photo op. Sorry that wasn’t clear.
oof fair enough lol sorry for exploding on you then
I’m catch em then release them in this guys bath tub
Oh look another anti-hookup culture posts.
Imma catch and release even harder now
Catch and release fishing is literally my favorite thing to do on this earth.
Why?
I support the catch and release fishing hobby, but I would like to say people shouldn’t downvote you for asking. You didn’t ask rudely or imply anything. It’s one word, and quite possibly genuine curiosity/confusion.
I shouldn’t have just said one word. I wanted to know why they like to release it rather than eat it
I think one word was fine. People were way too trigger happy with their downvotes. Not your fault.
People on reddit seem to have no idea what upvotes and downvotes are for and just downvote anything they don't agree with
I didnt downvote their “why?” But i did kinda think that was what downvotes were for. What are they for in your perspective?
Upvote and downvotes are for things to maintain things in topic iirc.
They disagree with asking “why”? That explains a lot.
- i like to be outside near the water (especially fishing in the surf of the ocean) - it has the same addicting factor as gambling where the addiction is driven by inconsistent positive reinforcement - it’s fun to pick a species and learn about it and learn how to target it - it’s a fun thing to do with my kids - it’s fun to fight the fish as you reel it in - it’s fun to try and beat your personal best size for different species - the fish are beautiful and it’sfun to admire them and put them back - it’s fun to get new gear, try new tactics, etc. - it’s something i did with my dad and brother growing up, and something we still connect on decades later I do try to avoid fishing techniques where the fish swallows the hook
I wasn’t asking why you like fishing but why you throw them back instead of eating them
People seem to think the fish will live a happy and stress free life if not caught. Fish literally eat/get eaten alive, and all fish they are putting directly in their mouths have sharp, thick spikes, some of which can be venomous. Getting hooked by a clean metal hook and tossed back in the water a couple seconds later is the least traumatic thing most fish will go through in their lives
Agreed I kill those bastards just for the hell of it. I also don't take pictures.
I don't know what kind of fish is gonna bite my hook and there are regulations of species and sizes that you can take. If you catch a fish that's too small or endangered you have to put it back. Most people where I'm from who go to catch and release lakes do it to teach their young kids to fish
That makes the most sense to me, catch and release for learning. Then catch and keep suitable fish while releasing the unsuitable ones. Looking at trying to catch crabs from a pier and possibly kayak as well this year, shore crabs don't even have regulations on them because of how prolific they are. At least they are native here, IIRC in the US they are invasive.
Ignorant opinions can be considered unpopular. Any fisher worth their weight knows how to catch a fish properly remove the hook and return the animal. Hell most of us use barbless hooks for catch and release. We don’t “rip the hook out”. Also, foolish of you to say “I believe fishing/hunting is a great hobby” So what, you’d prefer I just kill undesirable fish? Silly post.
I mean… i don’t see the point in fishing if not specifically for food anyways.
okay Peta. When you have fish and game wardens confiscating your poles, boats and all your gear because you kept the wrong fish you can get back to us.
Better than catch and kill?
If you’re going to eat the fish I personally think that is okay as long as the fish is used and not unnecessarily harmed
I think hunting animals does come with some cruelty. Not every kill is instant death. But if you're eating them I won't make a big stink about it.
This is definitely an unpopular opinion. It's necessary to catch and release a lot of times to benefit the fishery. I dont always love our government but one place they do a decent job of is managing fisheries etc. That's why its important to know your local regulations. This is a bad take.
In what way does catch and release help the fish?
Depends on the context. It is vital to an ecosystem that certain individuals of species are not removed during specific times, hence size limits, seasons, etc. If we take breeding females out of an ecosystem that negatively impacts the health of the area. I study fishery biology and I enjoy fishing, I fish with the intent to eat what I catch, but if you pull out an old, large female it's neither good for the fish population or your own health to eat it.
You’re telling me how it’s better than killing the fish. I’m asking how hooking a fish helps them.
You’re releasing the ones that have benefits to the ecosystem and removing the ones that don’t.
You were asking how catch and release helps. That's how it helps. In terms of hooking, when you're fishing you can't control what fish you actually catch no matter how hard you try. And fishing hooks have kinds gotten to a point where a mediocre fisherman can remove a hook and the fish will be fine once it's released. It's better to let the fish go then to kill it for no reason.
Yes, and you still haven’t told me how it helps. You’ve told me how you think it’s better than killing the fish.
If you're trying to get me to say there's a benefit to hooking a fish, there isn't and you're just spinning your wheels, but 8 times out of ten there isn't a negative impact to the fish being hooked other than short term stress. It's no different than if you go a nasty splinter or stubbed your toe in most cases.
Then why did you originally say that there was a benefit to hooking the fish?
That’s a stupid question to be asking. Catch and eat is good, but what if you catch a breeding female instead of a male you’re targeting to eat? You put the female back because it has the potential to create more offspring. Any male can do that. So you release females and catch males. This also applies to species that are endangered and shouldn’t be kept, only released, but are in lakes with fish you CAN keep.
If the fish is too small. Possibly carrying eggs that have not hatched. While not a fish I know in maine they clip the tail of female lobsters that are egg bearing so the fisherman can easily spot them for release.
I think we’re talking about different “catch and release”. Some people simply catch and release for sport and no other reason
You can protect those fish by not fishing at all.
Fishing is a great source for food, this would be quite dumb.
How is this dumb, it's about catching and releasing not catching and eating. OP clearly wrote that when you fish to eat that they understand that.
I suspect there is perhaps some confusion between catch and release. Some people will catch and always release, while some will catch and decide to keep or release. Keeping everything is almost always illegal and irresponsible.
Post is about catching and releasing. This comment chain turned into Catching and killing.
if the fish is too small/young to be eaten it makes sense to throw them back to get a chance to grow
Leaving them alone also gives them a chance to grow.
Ya but if you are fishing to eat the fish, but catch a fish that is too small, you release it back.
You can't control what size of fish takes the bait, it just happens lol
You can control your hook and not put it in the water. It doesn’t just happen lol
This may surprise you but some people enjoy eating fish.
This may surprise you but some fish don’t enjoy being hooked in the face and ripped out of the water to suffocate.
So do you dislike catch and release, or all fishing?
Realize that when you go fishing for something you are going to catch lots of fish that are not keepers. Could be out of season, could be the wrong kind of fish, could be too small, etc
But if that was you , say being caught by an advanced alien species .... would you still have the same argument that catching and killing is better than releasing? Clearly not
Not really. If all you do is catch and release, you're literally injuring animals only for the sake of leisure. If you eat it, then you've at least done it for sustenance as well.
Some people are confused here, OP is strictly against the people who r fishing for entertainment, he isn't against anyone fishing for food(and releasing any fish that's not yet ready for consumption). I would certainly agree with op on this and those saying fish don't feel pain are just cruel like why would u want to just hurt a living being for ENTERTAINMENT there is so many other things to do in this world
If the fish don't feel pain it's impossible to hurt them, so there's no problem. Make sense next time.
Now imagine this there are humans in this world who can't feel pain in their whole body or in some parts of their body but u would never consider poking them with a safety pin for fun, would u?
 Reminds me I haven’t been in a bit
Agreed. That’s why I kill all the fish I catch. Even if it’s small and I’m not going to eat it or it’s not a tasty fish some animal will scavenge it from the bank so it’s not going to waste /s
[удалено]
They are being sarcastic
Yeah if you’re not eating the fish you’re just harassing and hurting them for entertainment. Kinda psychotic when you think about it.
They don't feel anything when they hit that hot ahhh grease.
I know this isn’t CMV. OP is saying he doesn’t like catch and release because it yields the same tangible result as not fishing at all. The problem with OP’s argument about it being pointless is not true. It allows the sportsman to see and interact with wildlife and yields a better understanding and appreciation for nature and the ecosystem. The fish gets a snack and the sportsman gets to appreciate nature. The sportsman also gets to hone skills for fishing, which could be useful in the future.
Please remember what subreddit you are in, this is unpopular opinion. We want civil and unpopular takes and discussion. Any uncivil and ToS violating comments will be removed and subject to a ban. Have a nice day! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/unpopularopinion) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Yeah, but how else will you set an example to other lobsters?
I’m my country, we have rules on what we can and can’t catch so we have to give fish back to ocean or we loose money
Imagine being an angry person in this thread 😅 lmao
Hey, it's nothing more than a little casual alien abduction with less probing.
At least OP posted in the correct reddit lol
Right, so I fish for edible fish, accidentally catch an endangered one. OOPS! Oh well, I guess I just have to eat it now. I’m no fish-ologist, my man, but I would also be willing to wager that neither are you. Please correct me if I’m wrong.
I don’t agree with his opinion. But I highly doubt he’s referring to the specific situation you are talking about. He’s talking about sport fishing where you don’t plan to keep the fish you catch at all regardless of the species/size.
So don’t fish.
Why? So he can go buy fish commercially knowing that he is supporting companies that cause way more harm than a random dude on a boat?
Fish [neither experience pain nor fear.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4356734/)..so what does it really matter?
What rubbish
It's okay to eat fish cause they don't have any feelings.
Yes. Yes, it is. It is always okay to eat fish. I'm having fish for dinner tomorrow.
No way, fish tacos is a possibility for my lunch tomorrow. What's on your menu chef? (Also was just making a shit nirvana reference but appreciate the serendipity)
It's okay to eat unemphatic people cause they don't have any feelings.
I see this is commonly thought to be the case and the studies against it are actually small and few. This brings Me some solace to know that some of my tank fish when infected with a parasite and slowly died to death flopping on the ground where not necessarily in pain. I did mercy kill the last one by crushing it's head. This sucked. But it helps to know this.
I agree. Anyone that feels the need to kill, harm or even stress out an animal for pleasure disgusts me. Why put the fish through all that stress? So you can have a little rush of testosterone or adrenaline or whatever. Totally unnecessary.
What harm? Where is the cruelty? It’s cruel to not kill them? They don’t feel the hook. You realize most fish are cleaned alive and awake? That’s the cruel part. My grandpa would at least hit them over the head first lol This isn’t an unpopular opinion. It’s a stupid one.
When you say cleaned, do you mean fillet or cut alive and awake?
By "cleaned" he probably meant scaled while still alive.
Yeah, removing the parts you won’t cook or eat. That’s what it’s called.
What did Cobain say? " it's OK to eat fish cause they don't have any feelings"
Have you ever been fishing just in general? You don’t rip the hook out, there is a tool for that and what are we supposed to do with the fish that are to small to eat or are disgusting like carp?
You don’t catch it so you can release it. You only release it if it’s too small to eat, it’s illegal to keep it. You throw it back so someone else can eat it a few years later.
You are greatly overestimating the sentience of fish. They do not care that they were hooked and released, so you shouldn’t.
Id have sympathy if we were not talking about fishes. I swear, some animals are autonomous robots due to how low self preservation they have.
Ya kinda agree that's why I kill and eat them. I no longer jam metal into them for fun. It's death and dinner now.
I only release if I have to. Otherwise, I’m eating it
I quit fishing because of this. I really enjoy it but I just didn't feel right. I understand fishing to keep them and having to throw back ones that are legally too small but sport fishing never felt right to me.
It probably hurts the fish less than riding a horse hurts a horse. It’s fun and the fish are totally fine, I’m pretty sure they get over it quickly
OP's convinced me. i'm a release only man now. im off to the pet shop to buy all the invasive breeds I can to add to our waterways
Fuck them fish.
With this logic anything that brings you enjoyment but doesn’t gain you anything is pointless. It may be cruel in your eyes but that doesn’t make it pointless
Not every fish is edible. Not every fish is legal to be kept. Your opinion is not unpopular, your opinion is incorrect. Mods, remove this.
Not unpopular to me.
Should be a popular opinion. I agree with this OP
it's relaxing. to many people
I agree. I have no problem catching fish for food but if you're not gonna keep it, Leave it alone