I guess catching more fish makes you feel like a bigger person? or gives you the need to talk down to someone (on the net or in person) that is trying their best with what they have? Last time I checked it was under 50 bucks to get a fishing license to go fish (not 200 dollars for waders and 100 for wading boots). Good for Damien in buying a fishing net!
Also i took a look at the "how to release fish the safe way" and it states that,
" A fish that appears unharmed
may not survive if carelessly handled,
so please abide by the following"
Clearly the reason why the government wants us to safely release fish is directly related to the survival of the fishes. But Damien made a good point....maybe some of the "pros" can clarify this too...that fighting a fish for an excessive amount of time also creates threats to the fish's survival? I'm sure a lot of the seasoned anglers that use methods of fishing such as flyfishing or centerpinning are out there for the fight, so should new anglers not attempt those methods just because they will probably end up tiring the fish out (due to lack of experience)? And to some of the posters with "negative" comments, i'm sure some of you work in tackle stores, if it wasn't for the people that are not as experienced but have the $$$ to spend, you would not have your jobs. Try give them the same attitude if they came in your store to share their pictures with you! I'm actually looking into buying a Milner Kingfisher and Talisman right now and honestly if someone gave me that type of attitude i'd probably take my business elsewhere!
Personally, i try my best to release the fish unharmed even if I have to walk a bit in the water in river systems such as the Thompson (very slippery). But to say that you must wear waders to properly release fish then most of the fishermen on the Thompson would be fined since it isn't very safe to wade in there at all hence none of the fishes are being released properly. Then again to my understanding the "how to release fish" part is awareness for the public and not mandatory rules.
PS. not to sway away from this post too much.... GRATs again Damien on your catch!! Definitely motivates me to take a little more effort in searching for fish on the beaches. I've seen some people actually go fishing around W.van beaches near one of my construction sites by the waterfront, wonder if they are getting any luck