A little disappointed with Ray Mears

[Gotte]

I know it may not seem like much, but I was watching the Ray Mears Sweden episode with my daughter, and prior to this, when talking about fishing to her, I'd told her how my father, who'd taught me to fly fish, had drummed it into me to cause as little suffering to any fish you're going to kill - that is, to try never to suspend them when out of the water on the hook, and to dispatch them quickly, before removing the hook.
Then, there is Ray, ice fishing. He catches five fish, and each time, pulls the thing out of the water, holds it aloft by the line while he does a bit of a piece to camera, and then just chucks the fish in the snow, where it flaps and squirms, while he moves onto the the next hole.
I suppose you could argue that the cold would kill them quite quickly, and that there should be no fluffy sentiment when it comes to killing your food, but I've seen other episodes where Ray preaches the First Nations' respect for animals, and especially the animals they kill and eat - and then there's ray acting like, well, a rank amateur (in the fishing stakes, at least).
If you are on the boards, Ray, do me and my daughter a favour and put them out of their misery as soon as they're out of the water.

 

[zed4130]

I agree with you , ive watched many episodes where Ray watches tribes chant to there hunted prey, so do as you preach mr mears,

 

[Shewie]

I've seen folk doing this ice fishing, not sure what the reason is but it seems to be the thing to do

 

[bushwacker bob]

When in Rome.
What is acceptable in one culture isn't always in another.

 

[monkey boy]

first of all hes not in a tribe, second' what you see is for a few seconds each fish, he could have put them out of there misery and did show the fish a bit of respect and didnt do it on camera.
you got to remember the director shouts ACTION and he does his routine for the sake of education.

 

[ex-member Raikey]

not wanting to sound too pedantic but,...

the episode where the tribesman beat the root of the plant to extract the toxin then proceed to dam a stream and treat the captive fish to the same type of death,

The fish are basically starved of oxygen or poisened (dependant upon the plant used) and rise to the surface dead or dying.

is this considered equally as brutal or disrespectful ? just because the death doesnt occur out of the water,...

 

[cbr6fs]

There is actually a fair few Aquarium fish keepers that use ice to euthanise fish, the theory being that with the ice the fish instantly shuts down it's pain receptors.
Personally if any of my fish are suffering i just cut the head off, but either way it's a better ending than if you were born a lobster

Likewise if you've been yanked out the water or even worse been attached for a hook for hours trying to get free my bet is being lifted by the hook isn't really much of a discomfort by comparison.

Still it's impossible to know if fish feel pain and how they feel it if they do.

Personally when i'm fishing i use a priest on the back of the head of any fish i intend to eat and throw the rest back.

 

[Bushwhacker]

You know that piece of "ethically line-caught cod" you got from the supermarket? Well, I rest my case.

 

[British Red]

At least he ate them. That has to be more ethical than "catch and release" just for fun surely?

 

[johnboy]

The episode was made at least 7 years ago...

 

[Adze]

At least he ate them. That has to be more ethical than "catch and release" just for fun surely?

Catch and release 'sport' fishing I would agree with you Red. There is another side to C&R - examples being undersized and sexually immature fish or species which have little culinary value which are accidentally caught should be released as quickly as possible.

 

[woodspirits]

im afraid large scale fishing offers no such niceties

 

[johnboy]

im afraid large scale fishing offers no such niceties

Yep that may be but are we talking about large scale fishing or a bloke yanking a few fish out of a series of ice fishing holes on a TV programme that was made 7 years ago??

Discuss....

 

[British Red]

Catch and release 'sport' fishing I would agree with you Red. There is another side to C&R - examples being undersized and sexually immature fish or species which have little culinary value which are accidentally caught should be released as quickly as possible.

No arguments here - it was the sport of "poking holes in living things purely for fun" I meant

 

[Kepis]

Different culture, different ethics, dont see the problem myself

 

[ex-member Raikey]

The episode was made at least 7 years ago...

Yep that may be but are we talking about large scale fishing or a bloke yanking a few fish out of a series of ice fishing holes on a TV programme that was made 7 years ago??

Discuss....

hahaha are we meant to have evolved beyond fish cruelty in the last 7 years or something..?...

 

[Retired Member southey]

Put another slant on it, are you sure enough of your aim with cold(arctic cold not your nans custard cold) hands not to smash your thumb with some kind of priest?

 

[British Red]

I don't have a tumb. But if I did, I wouldn't want it cold or smashed

 

[Retired Member southey]

Hahaha sorry that's my dyslexic thumb.

 

[johnboy]

hahaha are we meant to have evolved beyond fish cruelty in the last 7 years or something..?...

I think firstly you need to agree that the act was 'cruel' which we don't seem to agree on. Then critiquing a 7 year old programme ( which in reality has been critiqued on this forum heaps of times in the past 7 years) serves what useful purpose other than to get a thread humming along on a forum.....

Personally the 'throat singing' or whatever at the end of the episode was pretty cruel to my ears but hey ho......

In my experience of fishing here in NZ for snapper etc it's pretty common to throw a fish you have unhooked that's still alive into a chilly bin of ice then continue fishing...