Bernd Ziesche | Wednesday, 4 May 2016
Many anglers like to share pictures presenting their catches on the internet today. Pretty often other anglers then pointing fingers on those having caught the fish. It seems like there is a need to always find a reason for pointing the finger!?
Those reasons are for example:
The fish being too small to be presented.
The fish not being in best possible condition.
The fish being hold in a wrong way.
The fish being released.
The fish not being released.
The fish being caught just before spawning.
The fish being caught just after spawning
The fish being a stocked one.
The fish being a wild one.
The fish being caught by trolling.
The fish being caught by spin fishing.
The fish being caught on bait.
Having caught too many fish.
Blood on the fish.
The fish being a trophy one!
Big fish are always discussed most controversial. Maybe it’s a bit of envy supporting the controversy like oil supports fire?
In addition some species of fish seem to be kind of holy. Sea trout are a proper example. If you present a picture of a Sea trout being caught after spawning – thus not being in the best possible condition – quite some anglers will tell you this not to be a proper fish to fish for. At the same time I often saw the very same (criticizing) anglers presenting a Brown trout caught in their home river directly after spawning. The simple truth is that Sea trout and Brown trout are the very same species of fish – both not being in best condition after spawning!
Around the Baltic sea a lot of anglers fish for garfish in May. This means one fishes for garfish being just before, in the middle of and just after spawning. But garfish don’t seem to be holy at all. Thus no one seems to care!? Besides that there seems always to be one fellow angler who needs to explain garfish not being worth to fish for.
Atlantic salmon and pike are another great example. I often saw pictures showing a fellow angler presenting an Atlantic salmon after spawning or in spawning color (before spawning) being strongly criticized. Instead pictures presenting pike being caught just after (or before) spawning seems to be fair to most anglers?
Personally I believe that all that matters is, if the catch satisfies you – and you only. To those who don’t want to or somehow can’t share happiness about a catch without pointing the finger: One day you may be very happy about having caught a special fish while other anglers may feel different about your catch but still be happy for you, too. ;)
Sharing happiness is - I think - a great deal to be learnt in angling. There is a lot to get out of it for sure!
Great catch and no fingers pointing on you all.
All my best
Some pictures of the last days. Fishing Gotland finally rocked again!