foolforjesus

I hear you Mate. I do like the slimmer profile of the FG, but as the saying goes...if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Hi Raiders, For many years now, I've been using the modified albright knot for light braid/fluorocarbon connections. (4lb-8lb braid/4lb-10lb fluorocarbon) I've never had a knot fail on a fish, however occasionally the knot will catch the rod guides and weaken or break. I sometimes coat Loon Knot Sense over the modified albright knot to protect it, but when I don't and the knot hits the guides, I know its lost its strength and I re-tie it. Due to this, I've been looking into changing to the FG knot. I've seen many videos tying the FG knot with much heavier line, and from what I understand, the braid beds into the fluorocarbon leader. My question is, does anyone have any experience with using the FG knot on 4lb-8lb braid/4lb-10lb fluorocarbon lines? Due to the braid bedding into the leader material once tied, is it unsuitable for 4lb-10lb fluorocarbon leaders? Cheers, Chris

Mate, I don't want to split hairs with you, but I disagree. Lures are lures, flies are flies, soft plastics are soft plastics, hard bodies are hard bodies, and bait is bait. For the youngsters or older generation on here just getting into fishing, this could be confusing.

Just to clarify, the Thredbo river is fly & lure only. No bait or artificial baits such as powerbait allowed.

I started out using Fireline in 4 & 6lb for light SP and lure fishing, and was pretty happy with it. After a season or two, I thought i'd try something a bit more expensive, hoping it would be better. I tried Daiwa TD Sensor, Sunline Super PE, but have found myself going back to Fireline. I currently use 4lb Fireline, and 5.5lb Fireline Exceed. Like myself, I'm sure everyone will have their own opinions, but I like Fireline for its stiffness and ease of use. I've found the higher end braids are too supple for light SP fishing. Fireline standard or Exceed is much stiffer, which helps a lot imo. For anything over 8-10lb, I'm sure the suppleness isn't as much of an issue, and the higher end braids would probably be better.

Hey Lee, You could get it done see, coz your TS. Oh you'll find the right people for the job, make ne qualms lad. Cheers, Chris

Hi Neil, Mate as you said, there is certainly a level of ignorance when it comes to doing the right thing. I think its important to change the way we think a bit...Just because I can, should I got me thinking. Good point on the types of fish/food fish eat, often very spiny, which would certainly cut us to shreds. Having personally felt the affects of ignorance, and the she'll be right mentality, around the fisheries I frequent, it has led me to generally releasing most of what I catch. I value the fishing I have available, and whilst putting back my catch may seem like it's not going to put a dent in the trend, if more people jump on board, things will turn around for the better I believe. Yes that info of fish feeling pain is very good, and your recent capture suggests it is most likely accurate. Good stuff Neil. Cheers, Chris

Ok Mate.

Ahh, Cheers mate.

Hi Bombora, Good info Mate. If you have a link to this information, that would great. Cheers, Chris

Fishing my local on Saturday evening, I caught a very healthy 5lb Rainbow Trout. This being the only fish for the session between 5 anglers...Not good. Over the past 4-5 years, unfortunately this particular fishery has declined in the quantity and average size of fish you can expect to catch. My best guess for the reasons why it has declined, is over fishing with a very small percentage of catch and release being applied. For these reasons, I release every trout I catch now, with many many going back healthy and strong. As I was walking out, an angler had caught two 2lb Rainbows, having dispatched them both. He mentioned that he was giving the fish to his neighbours. Now whilst this is a legal capture, which is fine, I do however have an issue with this mentality. This approach, taking everything you can, has without a doubt in my mind, impacted this fishery enormously. If we want to keep catching trophy fish, certainly in small Trout fisheries, there has to be a healthy level of catch and release being practised.

Mate, Awesome to read this!

Hi Mate, Yes that's what I was referring to in one of my earlier comments. I'm pretty sure too catch and release wasn't on the agenda back then.

Food for thought...If you look at course match fishing in the UK for example, 100% catch and release. Barbel & Chub fishing on the prestigious rivers of the UK, 100% catch and release. UK Carp fishing, 100% catch and release. In relatively small lakes, these fish go on to get caught time and time again. Pike fly fishing in Sweden for example, Tasmanian Highland Lakes Trout fishing, or offshore Marlin fishing...99% catch and release fishing. To me this strongly suggests fish recover well from catch and release fishing.

To give you my 2 cents worth on the moral dilemma associated with fishing, I kind of look at it this way. I'm a Christian, which you may have guessed by my name lol. Back in the day, the disciples and even Jesus fished. They would net fish, and as far as I can tell, they would bring the fish onto the boat, and they would die. Now I could be wrong, but I don't think they used priests, ice slurrys, or spikes to dispatch the fish. Fish back then equalled food. Obviously times have progressed into what we now know as modern day recreational fishing, but I guess what I'm trying to say is, we could be over analysing this area of catch and release fishing. Yes, I'm sure it's not fun for a fish to be hooked in the mouth, and brought into this tug of war, but then again maybe it is? To me personally, it doesn't feel morally wrong to catch fish, and furthermore to let them go. At the end of the day, regardless of whether you're taking the fish home for dinner, or sending them on their way to fight another day, respect the fish, respect the environment, look after what we have so that its there for the future, and it continues to thrive for generations to come.

Hi Everyone, all good responses Guy's, so thank you for your input. This post really was only intended to share a few of my own personal experiences on the subject, so there is certainly no pressure on anyone to change or do things differently. I do however hope to have got people thinking, with the possibility of trying things a little differently at some stage. As pointed out, catch and release fishing in some ways might not be a good thing. I am only going to speak for myself, and say that I personally find catch and release fishing great, and in regards to the fish, I honestly don't believe it is inhumane to let them go. As for whether the fish feel pain from being hooked is open to speculation, but for me it won't stop me from letting any sized fish go, legal or not. I recall a time I caught a solid 5-6lb Brown Trout, awesome battle on the fly rod...2-3 months later, my friend caught the same fish! We know it was the same fish by the unique spots on its cheeks. This doesn't prove that fish don't feel pain when hooked, but it does suggest that if handled properly, the fish will revive, survive and flourish.

I know with fishing it is a personal thing, and each to there own is completely fine. My intention here isn't to put pressure on anyone. I just want to share my views, experiences and what I've learn't from them, I guess in the hope that someone on here might read this, who has never thought to give catch and release fishing a go, and try it. Not because it might be deemed the right thing to do, but because you genuinely want to. Who knows, it may just take your fishing to a whole new level.

All good comments Guy's. Aside from the obvious benefits of catch and release fishing, for me it is in the "catching" and "releasing" of the fish itself where I'd like to shed some light. We spend all this time chasing our chosen species, the hours put in refining our techniques, rigs, tying flies, making lures, whatever the case may be. Once that fish latches on, the battle ensues, and if everything goes to plan, the knots hold, the fish plays the game, and you land it, for me this is where angling reaches the pinnacle. This is why I 99.9999% of the time release everything I catch, not necessarily for conservation reasons, which is of course a huge benefit of catch and release fishing. For me, it is more the fish deserves to live to fight another day. We shared an angling experience, the thrill of the chase and capture is enough for me. Appreciating the fish, nature and all that. So for me, regardless of whether its legal size or not, that really isn't the point. Maybe I'm getting a bit sentimental in my old age, lol, but I'm finding now, there is a lot of joy, and enjoyment to be found when I go fishing simply to catch fish and let them go.

Hi Howard, Interesting point you've raised. Fresh fish is very expensive, and I too loooove Flathead. In fact, I will be trying to catch a few for a feed over the coming months. At the end of the day, it's all about making the right choices. Good on ya Mate.

Hi Mate, I think being selective in these decisions and educating the next generation is part of our responsibility as anglers. I honestly have no issues at all with taking home a fish. It is all part of fishing and putting a feed on the plate for your family is fine. I love eating fish, and will take some fish home from time to time. As my Son grows up and learns about fishing, I will teach him and explain to him why we're putting this fish back, and why we're taking this fish home. Teach every aspect of fishing, so he too can pass on the knowledge to the next generation.

Hi Mate, Good point you mentioned. I simply want to express what I've learnt, and share it for all anglers to hopefully become wiser and better fisherman.

Picture the scene, the River Wye, Ross on Wye UK. A thirty something blue collar fisho, chasing the elusive and highly prized Atlantic Salmon. After a couple of days with no action, with hours to go on the last day, my Dad landed a 16.5 & 25.5 pounder! To say he was ecstatic would be an understatement. The fish were swiftly knocked on the head, and taken home. The fish were then divided between friends for food. I can still remember the fish in our bath at home. Fast forward some 35 years, and my Dad to this day very much regrets killing those bars of silver. He often says he didn't know any better, was uneducated, eager to kill everything he caught. Needless to say, catch and release fishing was and still is to a large degree in the dark ages. My last trip to the mighty Eucumbene river, some of the things I saw there really made me sick to my stomach. Trophy Brown Trout being caught and put in a ute to die. I won't go in to more detail, but it's fair to say, the experience cemented in me even more my attitude of being a catch and release fisho. Don't get me wrong, I will at some point take a few fish home for a feed, however I will always be selective, and take only what I need for dinner that day. I think if we can change the way we look at fishing, and see the end result not being just fish that come home with us in the esky.. Rather see the achievement in the capture, the thrill of the fight, the warmth in watching it swim away, I think how we approach what fishing is all about will change. I have caught countless trophy Brown & Rainbow trout, and I can honestly say, I get more of a thrill looking after them, and watching them swim away. I'll always have photos and video footage to look back on, plus the fish will get bigger, and they'll be there next time for myself or someone else to catch. The point of this post isn't to make anyone feel bad about their fishing, it is simply to share one of my experiences, my Dad's experience, and how he's regretted some of his decisions in his younger fishing days. I have learnt from his experiences, and I can honestly say I'm a better fisho for it. Just because you can doesn't necessarily mean you should. If you haven't tried catch and release fishing, why not give it a go.

Tough spot when it's Windy!

Nice!

Cheers Fab1. I'll give it a go when I hopefully catch some fish for the plate.