To knock or not to knock

[drpangloss]

A very good friend of mine caught this splendid hen fish on the Tweed last week

static.flickr.com/9/68430710_28431e5840.jpg?v=0

I've cut his mug off to save blushes, leaving only one of his better chins.....

He had two others (fish not chins) that he returned.

Would you keep this fish?

P.

[Willie Gunn]

What is he planning on doing with it?

Surely not eating it.................having said that I've seen worse

[rrw35]

Have seen worse...but why did'nt he think of the eggs that were in that fish?

No, i would'nt keep it, have'nt killed a salmon in about five years.

Malcolm, are you on drugs, or a Star Trek fan??

[The Handsome Stick]

rrw35 said:

Malcolm, are you on drugs, or a Star Trek fan??

The two are not mutually exclusive.

Beam me up Scotty.

[Willie Gunn]

rrw35 said:

Have seen worse...but why did'nt he think of the eggs that were in that fish?

No, i would'nt keep it, have'nt killed a salmon in about five years.

Malcolm, are you on drugs, or a Star Trek fan??

Just tweeking a few tails.........returned to normal

[Exerod]

Does it smell very bad or is there some other reason for holding it at arms length?

Ps What a kype and colour on her ??

[Kirkaig]

I voted this as a keeper. To qualify, this is based on the condition of the fish only - I think it looks relatively fresh for a Tweed fish. I wouldn't kill a hen as a general rule. I fish twice a year for salmon and rarely get any. My rule of thumb would be to kill one a year (if I'm that lucky) and only if he's a he.

K

[AlanB]

Kirkaig,
I knew sooner or later someone would bring sexism into fishing I just wondered how? Now I know.
(Actually I concur just couldn't resist)
I have only caught one salmon and had to return it (Association water River Spey first and every odd numbered fish thereafter must be returned) The first cock fish I get that I am permitted to knock will be. (Depending on condition) After that I will probably only take the odd one.

Cheers
Alan.

[Kirkaig]

Hope this works, haven't tried before. Just for comparison sake - I think this shows the difference between the poll fish and a darker hen. Late September, Tweed at Yair.

It's interesting too that some folk see red salmon as unattractive. Fair enough, they're not "bars of silver", but still mighty impressive to me (I actually think the tartan breeks are beautiful - certainly seem to chime in perfectly with autumn on Tweed).

Good post.

K

[Kirkaig]

Forgot to state the obvious, of course she went back, and swam off like a rocket. Around 12-13lb on a size 12 Thunder and Lightning.

[Kirkaig]

If at first....

[MADCASTER]

its hardly a fire engine

[G Ritchie]

Return it. The vent is already swollen, so it is not too far off spawning. It would have very little culinary value, not much different from eating a kelt, after all it would have been one within a few weeks.

[rrw35]

We all killed red fish many years ago.

Once we learnt they taste like crap, most of us started returning them. Personally, it gives me more pleasure to see the fish swim off after being returned, than to kill it.

The fish in the above photo is well past its best, and its a hen fish.

PUT THEM BACK!!

A salmon is always beautiful regardless of its condition, but once they have been in a while, the culinary value has gone.

[Kirkaig]

The red fish I returned. Would do the same again and again. Doing so made the encounter 100% more memorable. Dead fish, tasty or not, are of less value in every way. Digital camera a real boon.

Wasn't fishing years ago when "we all killed red fish".


K