Catch and Release: Support it?

[Mayfly]

A guy I work with went up to LOTW about 3 weeks ago for a week of fishing. His Dad caught a 32 inch walleye! Anyways, his Dad took the walleye back to the resort or camp and went on to filet it and fry it up. Now I personally do not agree with this at all and I tell this guy that and he just doesn't get it. He thinks it is fine and says "it is just a fish, whats the big deal"

Is it just a fish?

That is not how I see it. :-\

[Spinach]

Ahhhhhh.... No comment.

[JD]

That is a big deal, there is no reason why someone should eat a 32 inch Walleye. ?Now, If I caught a 32 inch walleye, it would be going on the wall or back into the water after a couple of pictures. ?People don't understand what an effect a large fish like that has on the reproduction of the walleye population. ?I wish they would make a law that says if you catch a fish over a certain size, you either have to release it or have it mounted. ?To me, it's sad to hear of someone eating a fish that size.

[Mayfly]

That is what I said to the guy....

Then he brought this up....What is the difference if I were to put it on my wall or eat it, either way the fish will never return to the water and will never lay an egg again.

[JD]

A fish that big deserves to be displayed, not consumed.

[Joe]

I can't imagine there was any shortage of walleyes for the plate. Personally, I would have released it. Take some measurements, weigh it, and snap a couple photos. That way you'll have all the info you'd need for a replica.   

[ScottPugh]

I would have released it and put up a replica.  BUT he was legal in eating that fish so nothing "wrong" with it.  I can't imagine that fish tasted any good being that big and old... 

[Mayfly]

Lately my thoughts on replicas have been changing. I've been looking around for a while now because if I ever do want to get one I want it to be a good one. The more and more replicas I look at, the more and more they look fake. Does anyone have any personal pictures of their own replicas we could see? I went to one shop this year and their fish looked like that singing Bass. I might have to go and mount the original. 

[Joe]

Some of the first replicas I saw seemed very life like. I haven't really done any comparisons, but I have to agree, the few that I have seen recently looked pretty cheesy. On the other hand I've also seen many real mounts that aren't holding up that well. The fins seem to get banged up or the paint seems to dry out and chip.

What would you do if you caught that fish of a lifetime?..... It is something to think about.

[Mayfly]

If your real mount starts to deteriorate or get banged up you can always bring it in and get it fixed up and refinished.