last rites

[cod basher]

Come the warmer weather when the cod shore fishing dies off I usually turn my attention to fly fishing for trout during the warmer months, every water I have ever been on insists on you carrying a priest (allowing you to dispatch the fish quickly and humanely) without it some waters will ban you from fishing there again. It's amazing sea angling hasn't gone down the same road (especially with all the anti's out there), time and time again I have walked along a pier or beach during a match and witnessed hoards of mackerel or whiting flapping around gasping for air while the angler baits up another rig, walks to the shoreline, casts out, stands 2-3 minutes before finally returning his rod to it's rest and eventually dealing with his dying catch. SHOCKING immediately springs to mind. I write this thread trying to inspire any club readers out there to bring this to the attention of there clubs and hopefully have a new club rule initiated whereas all club members must carry a priest in there tackle bags.
Personally I believe in returning as much as possible to the sea alive - and judging by previous threads on this site other members are of the same opinion - any good edibles that people do intend to keep should be dispatched quickly and humanely as possible, yet so many out there give the rest of us a bad name.

[seanyrooroo]

I totally agree with you Marc. I myself do carry a priest ( made from a hammer handle and lead) and kill my fish while still on the hook.

I do double and treble rig, especially when fishing is hot, but I always kill what I keep before loading the next rig. It only takes seconds and there is no need for suffering of any creature. I also shoot rabbits in north yorkshire and the same applies, if you can't shoot clean through the head then don't shoot at all.

[mick dunn]

If i keep a fish on the pier its head is smacked off the pier wall.
I fly fish and have a priest and when last boat fishing i took it. It was a waste of time though. Johns old truncheons on Maggie May were loads better.
I have seen lads using priests (old wieghted handles). whilst on the pier.
Think i,ll stick the priest in the box next time i go.

mick.

[Charlie_Thompson]

I must admit I have a "general" tendency to treat sea caught fish that are destined to be chapped with less respect than game fish. If I hadn't started fly fishing I wouldn't have experienced how things are "generally" done there and been able to contrast though.

I haven't usually carried a priest in my shore gear for a couple of reasons

I never catch nowt
There's often a pier rail
If not a rock
The usual stamp of fish I catch can always be dispatched with a neck break

First time out this year, flat sandy beach fish too big to break neck. I tried, too weak, which only made it worse for the fish and I ended up using the corner of my seat box. If I'd had a priest - no problem. There's one in my box now, I felt stupid and cruel at the time.

This reads like a bit of a horror story but it's a serious business killing for food.

My mate Geordie breathes on fish and they wrap themselves in clingfilm and go to sleep for ever smiling.

I Hate him

(Lost it)

Serious thread carry on

[Lowrider]

Well unless they take a hook to deep most of my catch goes back,but i do always have a priest with me.

[SIXFOOTSTEVE]

I carry the mother of all priests ,made for me by a mate ,it would easily dispatch a human so fish are easilly sorted . Ask Mr. Charlton .... if he can remember !

[JediX]

even thought they are fish they are still living so a little respect doesnt hurt and why shouldn't it. It takes seconds to put it out of its missery instead of just letting it die slowly. You wouldnt expect this from other animals that are lamed or so, so why fish

I would support clubs making a standard to be more humain which would hopfully go more wide spread. I bought a nice heavy knife which acts as a priest so I'm sure a lot of guys have this also. Most of my fish always go back unharmed (the off few are a bit greedy with hooks) so its not often I would use it but least I have it in case of that huge cod :P

[phill_itofish]

i carry a priest! it dispactches cod coalie and whitey nee bother but flaties are always a problem, if i keep them that is

[mark]

curious that we should be so conscientious about it when you think of the number of fish on commercial boats that go through the gutting machine still alive!

made mine myself, found a nice piece of driftwood, drilled a 15mm hole 3 or 4inch deep in one end, lined the hole with a length of 15mm copper pipe and filled the pipe with lead when I was knocking some weights up. dispatched everything post haste! Mackeral and the like get the neck treatment - thumb in fish's gob against roof of mouth, grip the head and snap backwards - quicker and more efficient than a preist IMHO

only time I've struggled to dispatch a fishy was a conger eel, only a wee un, maybe 9 or 10 lbs, brayed it with the priest a few times, which just seemed to **** it off more than anything, next tried the spare anchor in the boat, made it even more angry, then tried a folding shovel, nowt worked. it was still alive in the fish box when we got back in over an hour later so I let it go swam off like there was nowt the matter!

[micky]

i just normaly get my nife and put it dierctly behind the fishes head and push it in or use the corner of my box!i dont like it wen people get a fish and just leave it there i normaly say something

[The Great Wallsendo]

this is the kind of argument that goes round and round...kill it quickly if you're keeping it or try and unhook it as best you can if you're not...

I've come to realise that the longer you manhandle the fish the less likely it'll survive when it goes back anyway

Compare the death rate of small fish for shore anglers to that of the commercial boats and it's small bananas anyway...

[cod basher]

this is the kind of argument that goes round and round...kill it quickly if you're keeping it or try and unhook it as best you can if you're not...

I've come to realise that the longer you manhandle the fish the less likely it'll survive when it goes back anyway

Compare the death rate of small fish for shore anglers to that of the commercial boats and it's small bananas anyway...

Trouble is, a lot of fish are thrown back alive like small banana's and they don't survive... even though it's captor has the best of intentions by releasing it! Ive seen fish been released by hurling them 10 to 20ft back into the surf. As soon as a fish is touched by human hand then it looses it's slimy membrane coating which protects it. Trying to unhook a sea fish in the surf or leaning from a rock edge without the fish leaving the water is practically impossible or dangerous - so what is the answer?

[The Great Wallsendo]

there is no answer...

We either continue to wrest with our consciences everytime we deep hook a tiddler or we become Zen Monks and try not to eat or harm any living creature

[brash1]

there is no answer...

We either continue to wrest with our consciences everytime we deep hook a tiddler or we become Zen Monks and try not to eat or harm any living creature

i too go flyfishing in the summer months and i can say using your own common sense when seeing how badly a fish is hooked or not and the venue you are fishing from are all factors in the return of your catch.

sometimes i have been told it is better leaving a hook in and letting the salt water rust away the hook i dont know if this works but it may

[RossW]

Disgorgers?

Talking of killing fish, does anyone use a disgorger for undersize fish? I hate seeing them belly up when theyre deep hooked and dying (in fact I ve gone home a few times when there are tons of whiting about rather than kill loads by accident). Are there any disgorgers out there that do the trick??? The ones Ive seen are all for coarse fish or huge sea fish (sharks, conger etc.)