Mountainman,
It's clear you have a chip on your shoulder towards anyone with one ounce of conservation in his blood. You have labeled me and refuse to try to understand my point of view. In fact you seem to label me as this catch and release fanatic when all I'm doing is promoting voluntary catch and release of native steelhead only. Last time I read there is a whole bulletin board dedicated toward this topic on this site. So, I still don't see my views as extreme.

I am not trying to divide the sporties. I don't see those who legally catch and kill as a significant part of the problem. For a hypothetical example let's say netting is hurting the native run significantly.(hypothetical I remind you.seriously.) I constantly hear this complaint on these posts. Let's assume for the sake of discussion this to be true. Then it is kind of hard for us to cry foul when we are adding to the problem ourselves. All the scientific studies in the world are subjective at best, so if we harvest at all we will be drug into part of the problem and eventually part of the solution. My opinion is that it is easier to change the rules for the real culprits if we can show that we are trying not to be part of the problem.

As far as catch and release, I have to admit I don't know the actual god knowing mortality. I would have to think it is the best compromise compared to not fishing at all. However, you do at least stimulate my thought, maybe catch and release isn't a solution without bad side effects. If that is true I will abandon that as a viable option. All I want to do is help our sport fishing situation so that we all have the option to take fish or not. At this point in time I think it is critical for us to all sacrifice a bit. You think I'm a C&R guy all the way, but the fact is that I'm a C&K guy that has changed his mind when he became educated with the state and future of our sport.


[This message has been edited by Monty (edited 01-28-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Monty (edited 01-28-2001).]