tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430987204332509952.post2872477599456934437..comments2023-09-15T12:49:11.745+01:00Comments on Henry Gilbey - the world of fishing: How hard can you fight bass ?Henry Gilbeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06755451990472589537noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430987204332509952.post-9661215535085703592010-05-29T23:57:38.321+01:002010-05-29T23:57:38.321+01:00Apologies.
Your essay betrays inexperience.
Most...Apologies.<br />Your essay betrays inexperience. <br /><br />Most anglers do not push their gear 'to the limit' routinely. They are wise. If anglers routinely push to the limit; they will routinely suffer failures - to the detriment of angler and fish. Failures of line, fish-flesh, rod... all undesirable. A chain is only as strong...<br />Part of the chain you never know until you have seen the fish is the hook-hold. More later.<br /><br />Big game anglers set drag to ~1/3 the line's test - >40lbs on heavy line. At the end of a lever, it's more than most anglers can handle, but no-where near the limits of the tackle. <br />You will say bad example. Esp as it changes as the fish takes line, heating drag plates, reducing effective spool diameter, increasing the drag effect of line in the water. Effectively increasing drag significantly. <br />But what is a GT*on fly?<br />*Prob a permit.<br /><br />Re fish health. Fish can be exhausted. They can also have hooks ripped out causing serious injury. Most hook-holds aren't perfect. Many are light or in sensitive areas. Some anglers (prob you) never see a light hook-hold. It is better to fight a fish with moderation until you know the hook-hold. This avoids lost/damaged fish.<br />You discuss what anglers do/don't know: Many anglers can't tie a decent knot and will break off fish if they horse them. Leaving lures in fish, which can hold mouths shut etc. Sell more lures by promoting horsing?<br />Most anglers don 't even change their line regularly or know how to handle/unhook fish. Many insist on needlessly using barbed hooks. If you want lower mort, teach anglers how to handle and unhook fish. Promote barbless hooks. Horsing fish and leaving lures in them, or ripping them out is not +ve.<br />To balance things.<br />Horsing fish = bad. Don't encourage it.<br />Playing them longer than needed = bad.<br />There is middle ground. Where ethical anglers are found. Play fish hard enough to beat them asap, but push few limits. If you see a good hold in a good place (not in the eye for example) then you can apply more pressure. If you see a hold in a tender spot - near gills, eyes - then you play GENTLY. ESB live 30 years...<br />You will certainly lose fish from playing harder and the damage done is out of sight/mind.<br />If you wonder about my qualification to comment. I have relsd you-name-it all over the world from Africa, to the Arctic. From marlin to roach. Inc bass, GT, permit, tarpon, tuna, sturgeon, grayling...<br /><br />A Keys bridge-angler bends his Ugly-Stik into a hoop on a 100lb Tarpon in the tide. That doesn't mean anyone should do the same with their 3WT fly-rod on 10" cutthroats in a 2200m Rocky Mountain lake - unless you want space-trout!<br />In BC a 10' Fraser River sturgeon is fought for a hour on a tuna-stick with 200lb line and a 10/0 hook. Doesn't mean that you can't straighten a hook on your Megabass x-120 on strike in a second with 12lb line.<br />The 12/0 hook on a live-bait caught marlin is set like you are trying to rip the bumper off a truck. You don't do the same with a dry-fly. <br />A soft-mouthed grayling or kokanee can't take the pressure that a similar sized pike could on the same hook/line/rod/drag.<br />Not all bass are caught on the same lures/hooks, or line, rods, drag settings. They are not all the same size. You make no distinction. You simply suggest pushing the limit. You don't know what the limits of OTHER anglers' gear is! Some use boat-rods. You want them to push to the limit too? Get a 'real' bend...?<br />Your massive generalization is off the mark. <br />Deliberately fishing v light gear, or needlessly extending the fight for angler pleasure are both unethical in the 21st C. But no more so than horsing fish, pulling hooks, leaving lures in fish, barbed hooks...<br />Neither extreme is ethical.<br />Professional or meat-fishermen play fish harder. They care nothing for damage. Just cash/food. They are called 'butchers' for a reason.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430987204332509952.post-40547140856451676722009-03-25T13:38:00.000+00:002009-03-25T13:38:00.000+00:00Rob - I hear exactly what you say, and I agree abo...Rob - I hear exactly what you say, and I agree about fishing light. I love fishing light. But some light gear also means that you can horse fish. But I do agree - horsing a fish cuts down on the amount of time one can enjoy playing a decent fish.<BR/><BR/>What is the right way ?<BR/><BR/>Impossible to answer really. <BR/><BR/>Horses for courses and all that.Henry Gilbeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06755451990472589537noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4430987204332509952.post-51098894164237209182009-03-24T14:16:00.000+00:002009-03-24T14:16:00.000+00:00Interesting article Henry, good reading.As long as...Interesting article Henry, good reading.<BR/><BR/>As long as I'm fishing clean ground I fish a light as possible, why?, because I enjoy maximising my sport. Yes, I hear you regarding excessively tiring a fish as a result of fishing so light. I've been there and spent over 15 minutes reviving a fish, though that for me is an incredibly rare occurrence. <BR/><BR/>I'd rather fish light and risk losing a good fish, something I've done a bit too often in this last year, though despite the odd 'blue' outburst I reckon the gamble of fishing light justifies the potential losses when. <BR/><BR/>Forgive the blatant theft of your TV series title, but for me, that's 'Fishing on the Edge'Rob Appleby-Goudberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10759977106619302518noreply@blogger.com