bait fishing in trout management area

[spike]

Does anyone besides me have a problem with bait fisherman (i.e. wormers) catching and releasing trout in the "no-kill" sections. Friday night I watched two guys catch a number of fish on worms and dig, and I mean dig, out their hook. I watched them try to revive the fish but you know they went belly-up. What can we do to stop this practice. Us fly fishermen have to bend down the barbs which do a lot less damage than a hook down in a trout's throat. I have more than once come across large dead fish in the TM.

[Farmy Joe]

If they're digging the hook out of the trout's mouth, then chances are the hook was NOT barbless. Maybe someone should have imediately called that in as a violation to the DEP TIP line or the direct line (860-424-3333). Let the ENCON officers handle those scumbags.

[orion4786]

As a flyfisherman and a sometimes live baiter. I can tell you that even when I bend my barbs down some times when live baiting the fish take the hook deep in the mouth, no matter how quick you set the hook.
Maybe some coaching is in order.......... like instead of doing field surgery on the fish you can advise the person that if they leave the hook in and cut the leader back that the fish stand a better chance of surviving, use a little humor also like the hook when it disolves will ad extra iron to mister brownies diet.

[2Weight]

orion4786, You don't really expect these people to cut off a 2 cent hook do you? Never happen.

[DA]

Us fly fishermen have to bend down the barbs

According to the regs, it's barbless hooks only. No distinction is made between fly, lure or bait.

[orion4786]

maybe I am an optimist who see a glass half full, but by no means do I live in a fantasy world.

I leave that to people who think that thier way is the only way.

however if I am willing to sacrifice a few pennies or dollars so that a beautiful trout can continue to thrive giving us the experience that we all crave 'tight lines' I will continue to sacrifice no matter how I am angling.
I have cut loose more than one fly that was imbedded to deep. I just don't see the sense in stressing the fish more than needed.

I excpect that from all anglers and I am not shy when I am on the river to voice that opinion in a respectful way that gets good results 99.9% of the time.

[Troutfitter]

continued on Farmington River Forum:

http://www.flyaddict.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=685