What constitutes a "caught fish"?

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    Posted: 08 Oct 2016 at 10:56am
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Very recently I went on a charter in Rarotonga and had the extremely good fortune to end up connected to my first ever billfish.
I will write a full and proper report of our day's fishing but the long and short of it is the fish was boatside and the leader let go when they were trying for the gaff shot.
Part of me is quietly happy that a rather magnificent fish got to fight again another day while another part of me is a bit gutted that we didn't boat it.

But for semantics sake; the swivel was at the rod tip, the decky had a good wrap, was the fish "caught" or not? As on a few occasions I have heard Matt Watson declare a caught fish in similar circumstances.

Regardless, it's not going to stop me having another crack at a stickface.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Stripstrike Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 2016 at 11:40am
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Here is some commentary from the IGFA Rules & Regulations:

“Many fishing tournaments, especially for billfish, use IGFA’s angling rules as their foundation. Central to this is the belief that IGFA rules stipulate that a fish is considered caught once the leader is wound to the rod tip or grasped by the mate or other person. However, no such language exists in IGFA’s angling rules because these rules were designed for world records where the fish is not considered caught until it was weighed".

I think that outside of a tournament it is subjective and comes down to the intention of the angler in any given circumstance. If you were intending to release the fish, then the leader wound to the rod tip or being grasped by a deckie can fairly be considered a caught fish.

However, if the intention was always to boat any fish that was hooked up, then purely from that perspective, the fish was not caught.

Personally I'd be happy with what you achieved, and definitely put it down in the books as a caught fish. It sounds like you had a great experience, and I look forward to your full report.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote JoshW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 2016 at 12:17pm
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https://www.igfa.org/Fish/IGFA-Codifies-New-Release-Rules-299.aspx
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Bigfishbob Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 2016 at 12:37pm
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IGFA calls that a caught fish, as other have said. The new NZSFC rules go a bit further. But essentially that's a caught fish.
www.waikatosportfishing.co.nz
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The fish is on the leader and wireman is in control - a catch.

I had a fish that was leadered and just about to be tagged when it took off, ripping of lots of line...well that wasn't a caught fish at that point.
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MATTOO Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 2016 at 8:43pm
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Rozboon.
My two cents worth with inflation.

It only depends on what you think.

If you without direct or invasive help, worked the fish solo, with the skipper managing the boat. The deckie hands free of your rod and reel until such a time as the leader was at hand and the deckie secured the leader.
The fish, the battle is won and the angler has achieved.
It's an excellent and rewarding result.

If you are a competitive angler seeking rewards of achievement through your angling skill and claiming a recorded result.
Then the link above is your benchmark.

Many fisherman make too much of rules.
You just have to decide as a fisherman when or how you view your catch.
It is your choice to follow your rules or those of an affiliation you wish to follow.
If fish can be the result of one or both standards.

It's entirely your choice and perspective.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote krow Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 2016 at 8:51pm
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The fish (what was it by the way) won it's freedom. Not caught and released. 
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote KikBac Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 2016 at 9:38pm
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Call it "lost at the boat" and go and get yourself another
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Technically a caught fish, my view though - If you intended to gaff it and it got away then not a caught fish. If you intended to release and had control of the leader then caugh fish.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote OuttaHere Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Oct 2016 at 10:46pm
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I agree with the notion that if the intention (as it was here) was to gaff and boat the fish, and that was not achieved, then the fish would count as having escaped.

I just find it interesting that according to some versions of things the fish was "caught"

At least I now have an excuse to come back and try again :D
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Lickindip Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Oct 2016 at 12:43am
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ooo oooo OOOOO time to stir the pot :D
the legal definition of a caught fish is one that is no longer free swimming, therefore as soon as it is hooked, you have deemed to have caught it.
 
I don't personally agree with it but that's our court system
 
... let the argument begin Evil Smile
I just read an article about the dangers of drinking too much; it scared the sh*t out of me, so today I decided I'm never f*cking reading again!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Marligator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Oct 2016 at 5:35am
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I know I am tied up with NZSFC and all the rules etc, but to me it is a personal thing. Personally if I get the fish to the boat on the leader and the hook pulls or leader breaks before the tag or gaff goes in I do not class it as a caught fish, the fish won.

 
Guys if you have a 30 pound snapper or 100 pound kingy right up to the boat and just as you are about to gaff or net the fish the hooks pull or trace breaks you are not going to say you caught it, well I wouldn't anyway, you say I lost a massive fish at the boat.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote Fishb8 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Oct 2016 at 6:19am
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Releasing a fish by a strong pull on the leader to bend the hook is surely a catch, especially as it was going to be released.
We all know it's not necessary to tag a fish.

Be yourself; everyone else is already taken
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote jakepitsville Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Oct 2016 at 7:28am
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I reckon that as you were wanting to boat the fish you wont really be truly satisfied with that caught fish. When you actually have what you want then your jobs properly done
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote home bouy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 2016 at 8:50am
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Originally posted by Marligator Marligator wrote:

I know I am tied up with NZSFC and all the rules etc, but to me it is a personal thing. Personally if I get the fish to the boat on the leader and the hook pulls or leader breaks before the tag or gaff goes in I do not class it as a caught fish, the fish won.

 
Guys if you have a 30 pound snapper or 100 pound kingy right up to the boat and just as you are about to gaff or net the fish the hooks pull or trace breaks you are not going to say you caught it, well I wouldn't anyway, you say I lost a massive fish at the boat.

I can see your point here with snapper and kingfish but with gamefishing it is a sporting style of fishing. and sports have rules. as I'm sure if some one went out for a season catching and claiming huge amounts of fish on rigs that aren't conventional ie gang hooked had trebble's or whatever, even run a massive longline, and caught huge numbers of fish and blew everyone else out of the water people might put up a stink about. so that's why there are rules
and I'm sure if there was a competition that came down to you (I'm not using you as an example marligator) and someone else and was the difference of a touched leader (a caught fish) in winning the comp I'm pretty sure most would claim it. but like everyone says. "each to there own" .and maybe I just look at things a different way
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Gowest Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Oct 2016 at 9:58am
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Its pretty simple in my eyes..... once the leader is in hand that's a caught fish.
If the intention is to tag the fish and it pulls the hook on the leader then that's just a failed attempt at tagging a fish. Same applies to boating the fish.
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