12 replies to this topic

[getin]

Was a great day of fishing yesterday. Lost 5 beautiful bows, and landed a 12 lbr rainbow and a nice 4 lb brown. What would you think the bow is? hen or male?

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[troutddicted]

If my mind serves me right, males "jaw line" extends past the eye, like your fish, so male. Again, not 100% sure about, maybe someone else could chime in.

[troutddicted]

Forgot to mention, great fish!

[Majstor]

nice fish getin fresh chrome 2.

[getin]

Great looking fish!
Sounds like a solid day of action.

Any tips on what they were hitting?
*SMILES*

(I seem to bring too many alternatives anyway)

ps: Were the bows going into cover? or were you just going super ultralight?

Thanks Blair,
-They were hitting fresh roe (you know which one ..blink)
-Bows were going into cover and my setup ws not heavy as well (8 lb main, 4 lb leader). However the 12lbr was landed by the same setup. My land to hook ratio has not been good at all recently

[FISHCHRIS]

nice fish thanks for posting the pics,both look good and healthy.

[getin]

The reason I asked whether the bow as a hen or male, I wanted to see how many regular fishermen get it right. There is a background story

I wore out this fish to land it, having a light action tackle, and when I did, noticed it was hooked deep in the throat and was almost dead so I kept it.

Half an hour later this guy came to me and said: why do you keep such a large female? Only keep males, if any! I said it was dying, plus I am within my “possession” limit. So he gave me a lecture as why we should release the big females, and at one point said “you probably don’t know anything about fishing” and I was like “I would not have kept such a large fish if it was not dying, plus I am still within the limits” So to avoid a tension, I left my pool to him, and started fishing somewhere. Later I told him that I appreciate his advice, and that he cares about conservation and that I do not keep all the fish, but he did not have to act like that. He became apologetic and tried to play nice. So we ended up in peace, but guess what, when I cut the fish later, it turned out to be male!

So! The “experienced fisherman” turned out to not know more about fishing that I do! Hope he reads this here so next time he double thinks before he picks on someone.

[Float_On]

He's chubby...more lamprey scars too eh!!

I'm not much of a fish eater but I had to keep a couple last year...unfortunately there is a bit of "collateral damage" in sport fishing.

In some parts of the world "SPORT FISHING" does not exist. It is considered illegal, anything hooked must be kept and eaten. So I think that no matter how "conservation minded" an angler is, he is still hooking a fish in the face and fighting it to near exhaustion.

Doesn't it seem kind-of "self reightous" of the conservationist?

Good on-ya for keeping it...that was the more humane move.

I'm all for, and practice C&R, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

I've seen the hen vs buck arguments before (what to keep vs what to release) and the truth is, it will all hurt the population...but the fish are stocked knowing that people can take them. In some creeks without stocking programs C&R is more important though.

It's a double edged sword I guess...

[NADO]

Ya definately the right move to keep it if it was going to be injured, I just wouldnt want to be in your position where I was forced to eat a rainbow that big from Lake O. lol

[palyo]

Was a great day of fishing yesterday. Lost 5 beautiful bows, and landed a 12 lbr rainbow and a nice 4 lb brown. What would you think the bow is? hen or male?

I'm not much good at weight guessing. I caught a 23" male bow at Port Albert last week. What do you estimate a male bow 23" long would weigh?