ESPN2 Sunday showed people cnr tons of coho. Bob you need to work on those guys and teach them the right way to Catch Release. They netted them in a nylon net, hauled them in the boat, stuck their fingers in the gills to hold them up for pictures and then placed them back in the water. We used to do the same before we knew the right way, and still had tons of fish, but we learned better.

I've caught two fishing shows breaking the law on the Kenai R. by taking a king out of the water for the "money shot" and then releasing them. One was Charlie West's show and the other was one of those hoity-toity-type flyfishing shows where the hosts look like they just stepped out of a Bauer catalog. Then there's that arse Larry Dahlberg who got cited by a B.C. warden last year for harrassing a steelhead by overly "playing" it so he could have multiple shots of landing it.

You guys are right. I've seen numerous fishing shows where they hold the fish up by the gill and talk about how great of fisherman they are.

I should have mentioned in the original post that the show was sponsored by Cabella's ,(sp)?. I intend on sending thme an e mail or writing them and giving them a heads up on the type of shows they should and should not be supporting. What do you think ?

Good idea.Every one here should E-mail cabelas about that show. I'm not a bass fisherman, so I don't know about this, but have you ever seen those guys on bass fishing shows that hold bass up by their jaws sideways with their mouth gaping open for a picture. It looks like their jaw is going to break off, and then they throw them into the water. I heard bass are tuff,that kind of handling looks pretty rough.

Bass are like cats you can throw them with multiple flips and they always land on their mouths.

If the show was sponsored by cabelas i think that everyone should e-mail cabelas and inform them about what kind of shows there sponsoring,well atleast thats my opinion.

FISH ON!!!

[This message has been edited by curt (edited 01-19-2000).]

[This message has been edited by curt (edited 01-19-2000).]

Post an e mail to www.cabelas.com/ and tell 'em to shape up.

Cabella's once touted an archery "expert' who was later convicted of multiple violations by USF&WS. Included were hunting in Yellowstone National Park and game (elk) wasteage- for videos. They need feedback.

Posted the following to Cabela's yesterday.
ESPN 2 presented a Coho fishing trip last Sunday, 01/16/00 that was sponsored and presented by Cabela's. I was absolutely appalled and sickend at the catch and release methods employed in this presentation. The methods shown included every distructive act that can and does result in mortality to the released fish. First the fish were played almost to total exhaustion. They were then netted using a lylon landing net and literally slammed into the bottom of the boat. They were then "gilled", (using ones fingers inside the gills to pick them up), where by the hookd was rippped out of the mouth. The fish was then held high, by the "gilled" method, while filming and then dropped over the side back into the water.
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Proper catch and releas methods never allow touching of the fish. They should never be netted as netting in nylon removes the protctive slime and can result in fungus grouth and premature death, (before spawing). Hooked fish that are going to be released should be played as short a time as possible, not to exhaustion as was the case in your film. Exhausted fish can and do expire without ever regaining stength enough to continue on to spawning. Gilling is the most repugnant act and was the most disturbing of all the employed methods witnessed. Gilling results in damage to the fish's ability to extract oxygen from the water and also in life threatening bleeding. While the methods of returning the fish to the water in its self was not life threatening it was never the less disrespectful to the fish and to the viewers who respect these fish here in the Northwest and Alaska.
That Cabela's sponsored this ESPN 2 presentation, suggests that you, (Cabela's) support this type of catch and rlease. I have posted on the world wid web that you did infact sponsor this show and did describe in detail the methods employed. I do most certianly understand that you may not know proper methods of catch and release for the salmonids shown, and that you may not be cognizant of the content of the show you sponsored in this reguard. IF that is indeed the case, please learn proper catch and release methods and ensure that the shows you sponsor do employe them.
May I also suggest that on a future show you express your regret at the mishandling of these fish during this presentation of last Sunday and assure the viewers that you will no longer support the sponsor of guides who practice catch and release methods as presented in this presentation.