In this case the rules probably should be changed to protect the fish by not allowing bait. (they do it in lakes, why not rivers)

Sorry, but I support a c&r fishery... if we could just keep the bufoons off the rivers we could all use our favorite technique

my honest advise. Loose the barbs and the bait if you can't tell if a fish is biting.

So, you just assumed we're all jacka$$es without looking any further first? I guess that means you went off half-cocked. I don't think anybody (except possibly you) was shooting from the hip here. We've seen this guy's posts in the past, and now he shows up saying he possibly killed 4 out of 6 fish he released and he blames C&R seasons for harming fish. Sorry, JF, but that sounds like either careless fishing, or outright BS. I called outright BS because I've read his posts in the past, not because I'm looking to give anyone a hard time just for the sake of giving them a hard time.

If you want your "point" reinforced, then keep calling us jackasses, and it's pretty likely that some of us will act accordingly.

Did you even read my second post where I explained why I said what I did?

Ummm, yes I read it. And it said I was "reinforcing your point". I took that as meaning your point about us being jackasses for jumping on MMOUSE. If not, I apologize. If so, then I stand by what I said above.

Fish on..........

Settle down boys!!!!!!
My opinion on C&R......
No matter what method you use some fish are going to die. Stay away from bait. Use smaller hooks, They do less damage. Go barbless if you want, I dont. I pinch the barb halfway down. If a fish does take your offering deep, cut the line.
I know C&R works, Ive caught the same steelhead twice in the same day. He was released the second time also. The very next morning in the same hole my friend catches the same fish. It was a large buck with a nasty looking scar on his gill plate. This fish was caught and released 3 times in 2 days.
Somone mentioned spinners. In my opinion spinners are almost as bad as bait for causing fish to die.
I was fishing a small stream in AK were there was no retenion of steelhead. I was using a #4 bluefox. I had 2 fish virtually inhale the spinner, Both were hooked in the gills. Even though I had a single hook both fish died. I bagged the spinners and used my flyrod after that. Ive also had a few other steelhead take a spinner so for down they would have died anyways.

sickening occasion. i didn't feel all warm and fuzzy...then i killed three more. you're killin me. Why don't you take up parachuting

Saddened to hear of your experience, but frankly, not surprised.

C&R means more than simply letting your fish go. It means you head out to the river equipped in a manner that you'll lessen the chances of harming the fish. Does this mean it'll never happen? Of course not! No matter how careful you are, there's still going to be some cases where the offering is taken and the hook ends up in a a not-so-good spot.

But you can lessen these incidents by: avoiding the use of extremely light line; extremely tiny hooks / offerings; avoidance of areas where post-spawn (actively feeding) fish tend to hang - no set "rule" here, it's more of a matter of river knowledge, I've seen post spawn fish come from fast water, slack water and everything in-between, but I've also noticed certain spots that almost always seem to be infested with downriver fish that we now tend to avoid; bait divers are killers, IMHO, they have no place in a C&R fishery and that's why despite their effectiveness, I discontinued the use of them several years ago. The list could go on and on ...

You're right in saying that it's no better than whacking one on the head and quitting if you're going to kill them all day long .... but you have to look limiting that possibility in the first place!