Why do people go fly fishing? Is it for the joy and pride of telling the world what a skilled fisherman they are? Or is it to be out in nature, enjoying the beauty of nature either alone or in the company of close friends? Whatever the reasons, it makes sense to practice catch and release.

Catch and what?

Catch and release. The act of catching the fish, unhooking it and then gently releasing it back to its natural habitat. Isn’t it counter productive to release a fish that you have tried so hard to catch? Why release when you wanted to catch in the first place?

For a start, Catch & Release ensures that the fish numbers don’t get depleted and there is always a chance for others or maybe even yourself to enjoy catching the same fish time and time again. A live fish in the water is worth much more than one on the dinner table.

C & R also allows the fish to maintain its number and reproduce to ensure the sustainability of the species. Time and time again, we have heard of rivers, lakes and even parts of the seas being depleted of fish. This is bad news for fishermen and anglers, but there is also a hidden side not many are aware of. The balance of the ecosystem will be negatively affected too. Every species in the ecosystem has a role to play, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. The world is about balance and nothing upsets this balance when a secondary and tertiary consumer is removed from the food web.

Fish biologist will tell you that the longer the fish live and the bigger they grow, they will have more time to collect pollutants, toxins and harmful chemicals from their surroundings. A big fish may look good for the table, but we may unsuspectingly be poisoning ourselves. When we release the bigger fish, we are releasing mature fish that are ready to spawn and ensure the continuation of the fish that we love to catch.

It also makes economic sense to practice C & R. Anglers spend good money to travel to fishing location. Imagine the amount of money spent on gear, transport, accommodation… If the area is depleted of fish, it will no longer attract angles and the local economy will be affected.

All of the above have been said and discussed many times over. Some might argue that C & R is is cruel and cause unnecessary suffering to the fish. And some say that it is not right for us to cause harm to our fellow creatures. My take on this is; before we truly understand the beauty of nature, we will not have a personal agenda to save it. I have been fishing for many years and have gone through the various stages of fishing; catching and bringing home everything to selective C & R and now to mostly C & R. As a casting instructor, I actively promote fly fishing and I see this as a great platform to educate anglers on the importance to practice conservation and preservation of our nature. A small price to be paid for the bigger good to the environment. Education is the tool that we must have to start creating change.