Fishing
Do you consider Fishing a sport? Do you think that the method used and the fact that the fish is kept alive while not being able to get oxygen through its gills is cruel? If yes, then should the head of the fish be immediately chopped off to prevent this cruelty?
You may also like to discuss:
1. The biggest fish you have ever caught
2. If you eat the fish or give it away
3. The kind of bait you use
I went fishing only a couple of times, but I never caught anything. I only caught an old crab.
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Do you consider Fishing a sport? Do you think that the method used and the fact that the fish is kept alive while not being able to get oxygen through its gills is cruel? |
I've grown up fishing, from deep sea to cane pole fishing. I absolutely abhor the taste of fish, but I do enjoy fishing. I will say that deep sea fishing requires quite a bit of athleticism. It is tough work to pull a hundred yard of fishing line with a big 30+ pound grouper attached to the end while the boat is in motion. As for fishing with a regular fishing pole, I don't think it necessarily constitutes as a sport, but it does require a lot of the patience that learning and perfecting a sport does.
I do think it's rather cruel to just let the fish die from lack of oxygen. We usually put them in a cooler of water until we got them home and could cut the heads off.
Fishing is an interesting pastime, but I'm not sure I consider it a sport. My dad goes deep-sea fishing once a year, and he lifts weights so he can handle the "action" of the big fish he catches (usually dorado and tuna). (He's still waiting for "the big one" )
For lake fishing, we keep them in a cooler or a bucket of water until it's time to clean them. Yes, we eat 'em, freeze any excess so we can have fish anytime. Also we give away a lot that dad catches.
Biggest fish I ever caught was a trout. I can't remember how big, exactly, but I won the "pot" for catching the biggest fish in all our group.
I would consider fishing a sport, because there is a lot of technique and skill when it comes to fishing tournaments. If it were just dumb, plain luck then I would reconsider my opinion, but I have fished enough where I know it's just not about throwing a line in the water and hoping for the best.
As for the cruelty towards fish when they are caught, I have never personally thought that it was inhumane, but I can see why others would. For those who consider it cruel, then killing the fish immediately is the way to go.
The largest fish I ever caught was down in Florida off the East coast. I caught a 30 pound tarpon during a night fishing expedition. The tarpon is a big silver fish, and they usually jump out of the water similar to a marlin. It was a spectacular sight when this fish jumped out and I realized it was on my line. I fought it for about 30 minutes and by the time I reeled it in, it was a marvel to see. I ended up putting it back in the water, but kept one of its scales as a memento.
Fishing is good for relaxing out on the lake. I have never caught anything or enjoyed my self when I went out to catch something. However, when I just go out to relax, even when I don't catch anything, its enjoyable. The peace and serenity of the lake or stream are unmatched.
As for being a sport, I can hardly call what I do a sport, but thats not to say that for some it doesn't qualify. It indeed takes skill and practise to do, so I would say competitive fishing is a sport, not recreational fishing.
I would say that fishing is a sport, I have in the past done some sea fishing with my husband, but he spends too long fishing, and whereas he doesn't mind being there all day, I prefer to just spend a few hours fishing.
If the fish is of a small size, we put the fish back, if it is of a decent size, my husband strikes it's head immediately to put the fish out of it's misery.
I eat plenty of mackerel that he has caught.
We have a rule though, that if you can't/won't eat it, you put it back, and let it live for another day!