Kids fishing off the warf (rather unethically)

[CVMike]

I was with my boss at port one day and I commented on how good it was to see a group of happy kids jigging the little bottom feeders below. He was quite astounded with the remark and went on to lecture on their terrible ethics (barbed hooks, playing with the suffocating fish ect). He was completely convinced that this was a terrible act and their parents should be teaching them better.

This whole statement struck me as odd because it wasnt too long ago that I was doing the exact same thing, and it was taught to me by my parents and grandparents who have fished for generations. I think its just great that the kids are out fishing! I remember tons of poked and prodded immature rock fish that were released after my young curiosity was satisfied, most likely they died, or numerous undersized trout caught on barbed baited hooks that I would watch twitch away out of sight.

What do you guys think about kids starting their fishing career this way? Personally I still feel it's just great seeing them fishing, regardless of their ethics. Kids are cruel, its a fact. the best you can do is get them hooked and they will eventually learn ethics on their own, and go on to teach that to their parents!

[russm]

Used to do the same thing we'd go to birch bay in the summer and go crabbing in blain only thing was we wouldnt start crabbing until we had enough bullheads for bait lol

[Jagermeister]

I think your boss should find a job in a granola crunching factory along with a membership in PETA.

[swamper]

Absolutely nothing wrong with the kids getting out and catching fish this way. It gets them hooked on the idea that fishing is fun. Your boss is a blithering idiot. We don't start out fishing with the ethics we develop later on. If the kids are happy and staying out of trouble then to me that's a step in the right direction. Let them be kids.

[PointMan]

While I completely agree with you on allmost all points, I do not however agree that ethics are learned indipendnely of teaching. Ethics have to be taught. All that aside, I did exactly what the rest of you did and those kids, I tortured, maimed and generally barberized any swimming thing that was unfortunate enough to land on the end of my hook. My parents didn't "condone" it, but they didn't feel the need to berate me over it either. Kids are kids, girls play with dolls, boys catch and kill things.

[CVMike]

Ahha, good to see I'm not the only one who shares the same belief in the matter. And Pointman, I do suppose you have to be taught ethics. In my experience though seeking out the knowledge was my own doing and through magazines and the internet I aquired a very good sense of ethics. Its now an ongoing joke in my family that when "CO Mike" is on the scene you gotta hide your barbed hooks and wear your earplugs to ward of his "hippy heebiejeebies"

[steeliehead]

If you want to see terrible fishing ethics watch the "Nice Fish Jr." TV show and see how they mishandle wild coho. Throwing fish in a box without bonking them first on live TV and letting them die that way. Good job Mr. Cooper, just try to hold that camera still.

[Iron Glove]

I won't comment on the ethics or lack thereof of the kids except to say I taught my Son & Daughter how to fish at very early ages and to respect the fish and environment.
They are both in their 30's now and continue to fish ethically.

[Glenny]

Used to do the same thing we'd go to birch bay in the summer and go crabbing in blain only thing was we wouldnt start crabbing until we had enough bullheads for bait lol

x2. Whit Rock pier. Mangled bull-eds make awesome bait.

[Glenny]

If you want to see terrible fishing ethics watch the "Nice Fish Jr." TV show and see how they mishandle wild coho. Throwing fish in a box without bonking them first on live TV and letting them die that way. Good job Mr. Cooper, just try to hold that camera still.

That kid is annoying haha.

[winchester284]

If you want to see terrible fishing ethics watch the "Nice Fish Jr." TV show and see how they mishandle wild coho. Throwing fish in a box without bonking them first on live TV and letting them die that way. Good job Mr. Cooper, just try to hold that camera still.

I guess you've never watched the FN's or commercial fishermen catching salmon in their gill nets and leaving the poor fish writhing with their gills stuck in the nets till they suffocated....... ???


Com'on these are fish we are talking about...... I believe in ethics and respecting your catch, but I have a problem with elevating an animal to the level of a human.

[scoutlt1]

I won't comment on the ethics or lack thereof of the kids except to say I taught my Son & Daughter how to fish at very early ages and to respect the fish and environment.
They are both in their 30's now and continue to fish ethically.

X2...My kids aren't in their 30's (you must be old ;-) ). Mine are in their teens, and they have been catching fish and joining me on hunting trips forever. I've always taught them to first and foremost have fun, and treat everything they catch/kill with respect.
My dad (RIP) didn't hunt, sadly, but we fished lots together. When I told him I was starting to go out hunting (early 20's), he told me to "make sure you enjoy yourself and respect every part of nature the way I showed you". I hope my kids grow up with the same thoughts.
I think it's great that those kids were fishing rather than holding down the couch with their PS3 or XBox. But there wouldn't have been anything wrong with you and your boss (rather than him bitching about it) sitting down with them for a few minutes and chatting with them. Not to turn them off of it, but to make sure they know that there are laws and ethics that go along with what they are doing.
No biggie, just my $.02....

[fuzzybiscuit]

While out on the chuck I used to give every dogfish I caught a poke in the belly with a sharp knife.

Since being on HBC the ethics police have taught me the error of my ways. Now I just give them a kiss on the nose and a light pat on the head and send them on their merry way.

[landphil]

Scoutlt1, great post! But don't you know that critisizing combined with pissing and moaning is more productive than some friendly guidance?

[scoutlt1]

Scoutlt1, great post! But don't you know that critisizing combined with pissing and moaning is more productive than some friendly guidance?

Thanks.
And yes it does seem that pissing, bitching, and moaning seem to be the way to "get things done" these days.
I have no interest in "policing" anyone. Just wanted post on how I feel about things. Doesn't make me right or wrong.
I love seeing kids fishing, being outdoors, all of that....but passing on the ways that I think are "right and wrong" is how it should be. As kids grow up they will need to make up their own minds on how they want to "be".
Ultimately, they will make up their own minds on how they act while fishing, hunting, etc.
I don't see how giving them my measly 2 cents on having fun, following the law, treating things with respect, and making sure that they have a desire to join our great community of "outdoorspeople" (is that the politically correct term???) is so wrong....

[martyonthewater]

I'm just glad that that there is kids out fishing. I agree that ethics are both taught and learned, I remember all kinds of things I did as a kid that i wouldn't do today due to a more developed sense of ethics. kids need the opportunities to decide how they feel about the things they do, right or wrong, in order to have something to reflect on when they know better.

[landphil]

Scout, its not wrong at all to pass on that sort of knowledge, I wish more people took the time to do it, myself included. Its too easy to complain about something without making any positive contribution.

I'd still rather see youngsters fishing of any sort than smoking, doing drugs, or causing trouble, I doubt many here would disagree. Them learning a better way is icing on the cake.

[scoutlt1]

Scout, its not wrong at all to pass on that sort of knowledge, I wish more people took the time to do it, myself included. Its too easy to complain about something without making any positive contribution.

I'd still rather see youngsters fishing of any sort than smoking, doing drugs, or causing trouble, I doubt many here would disagree. Them learning a better way is icing on the cake.

Totally agree.
Not perfect here, just trying, hoping, and wanting to do the best possible for those that will be the ones hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, and chatting on sites like this 25+ years from now....

[Downwind]

I would rather see those kids doing what they were doing instead of getting into their parents prescription drugs, busting into cars, etc. Oh and last time I checked using barbed hooks was fine as long as they weren't going for salmon so complaining about that doesn't make sense to me.

4131

[steeliehead]

I guess you've never watched the FN's or commercial fishermen catching salmon in their gill nets and leaving the poor fish writhing with their gills stuck in the nets till they suffocated....... ???


Com'on these are fish we are talking about...... I believe in ethics and respecting your catch, but I have a problem with elevating an animal to the level of a human.

I've seen plenty of brutality in the fishing industry. The point I was trying to make, is that Gary should be a person that is teaching his son to treat fish with a little more respect. Not just standing there and videotaping for his TV show. By ripping scales and protective slime off these fish and throwing them back its just another hardship that the poor fish have to go through before they can spawn. Not to mention its a bad example to all the young viewers watching. Just my opinion.

[Iron Glove]

X2...My kids aren't in their 30's (you must be old ;-) ). Mine are in their teens, and they have been catching fish and joining me on hunting trips forever. I've always taught them to first and foremost have fun, and treat everything they catch/kill with respect.
My dad (RIP) didn't hunt, sadly, but we fished lots together. When I told him I was starting to go out hunting (early 20's), he told me to "make sure you enjoy yourself and respect every part of nature the way I showed you". I hope my kids grow up with the same thoughts.
I think it's great that those kids were fishing rather than holding down the couch with their PS3 or XBox. But there wouldn't have been anything wrong with you and your boss (rather than him bitching about it) sitting down with them for a few minutes and chatting with them. Not to turn them off of it, but to make sure they know that there are laws and ethics that go along with what they are doing.
No biggie, just my $.02....

No, I'm not old, just had the kids when I was 12. :wink:
Keep up the good work you're doing with your kids, it'll pay benefits as you and they get older.

[Foxton Gundogs]

I grew up catching perch and shiners off the floats at Porpoise Bay and fishing for cod off the old Union Steamship dock on the Sechelt waterfront what a great way for kids to spend their time. IMO your boss is an ass ask him if he would rather see the kids needing a lecture on the evils of spraying graffiti on walls etc.

[Foxton Gundogs]

While out on the chuck I used to give every dogfish I caught a poke in the belly with a sharp knife.

Since being on HBC the ethics police have taught me the error of my ways. Now I just give them a kiss on the nose and a light pat on the head and send them on their merry way.

What a waste of treditional English fish and chips lol:mrgreen:

[CVMike]

Good to see so many opinions likewise to my own. And I suppose I could of went and had a talk with them and gave a couple pointers but I really didnt see it as being too bad, they were having fun! Its my boss's reaction that just got me thinking and wanted to see some other opinions on it. Sorry if it came off as bitching and moaning. And I work in commercial fishing and I dont really think that gillnetting is really that unethical. Its the piss poor management that has us throwing away dead fish who are the real fish nazi's there.

And as for dog fish... im the family 'saint' as for ethics, barbless hooks always, and the works... but I'd never let one of those things off my hook without a little something to remember me by..

[PaleoMinimalist]

I don't know, your boss has a good point about not needlesly tormenting fish. I used to do the same thing as a kid but if my parents had explained to me that it is unethical to kill fish for no reason because it was wasteful and disrespectful then I would have listened. I think it doesn't really occur to a lot of kids. Sure kids are cruel but I think that is more than likely due to a lack of understanding and consideration of other living creatures that life experience tends to bring. Of course, your boss probably doesn't consider the fact that most fish and wildlife meet a brutal death so barbed hooks are just one of the many hazards of being. The loss of understanding of the natural world in that way saddens me.

Anyways...let the hate mail flow! :wink:

[Dragginbait]

[QUOTE=steeliehead;1207485]The point I was trying to make, is that Gary should be a person that is teaching his son to treat fish with a little more respect. Not just standing there and videotaping for his TV show. By ripping scales and protective slime off these fish and throwing them back its just another hardship that the poor fish have to go through before they can spawn.



At the end of that same episode the younger brother was pointing over board, trying to say that the fish they just released was a floater and the older one said that it swam away and then said "great, you just ruined the shot". The young one was trying to be honest but Dillon couldn't be bothered. I lost any respect for the kid after seeing that.:-(

[landphil]

CVMike, I was referring to your bosses comments, when I used the terms complaining and moaning, not your post on the topic. Sorry for any misunderstanding.

[Scuba_Dave]

I am certain Gary taught his son the best he could...I remember watching his show growing up and he had a very strict ethical stance on everything I remember seeing. His son must just be a douchebag, not even ethics will solve a douchebag problem.

[steeliehead]

[QUOTE=steeliehead;1207485]The point I was trying to make, is that Gary should be a person that is teaching his son to treat fish with a little more respect. Not just standing there and videotaping for his TV show. By ripping scales and protective slime off these fish and throwing them back its just another hardship that the poor fish have to go through before they can spawn.



At the end of that same episode the younger brother was pointing over board, trying to say that the fish they just released was a floater and the older one said that it swam away and then said "great, you just ruined the shot". The young one was trying to be honest but Dillon couldn't be bothered. I lost any respect for the kid after seeing that.:-(

Yeah saw that too. Good role models. You'd think they would have edited that before it hit the air.