# The Eyes of Life.



## Michigan Trout Addict (Oct 28, 2015)

Those eyes. They shine. The fear in them is almost loud enough to hear. Can you imagine a fight to the death? I don't think we can. The fear in a fish that causes them to exhaust themselves to a point of defeat is something we may not even want to understand. Can we perceive the brink of death? I think most of us get so wrapped up in the excitement of "the fight" and the way "we fought the fish," that we forget to realize what is occurring on the other end of the line.

Perspective. Let's clean this up a bit. What if we flipped and focused on our interpretation of the fight that the fish put up. Not the fight that we got stoked about or fired up over because it included a porpoising action, or some underwater light show. I'm talking about the fight to the death. 

The anxiety, the overwhelming feeling of confusion, the incomprehensible moment when dinner becomes a link to the end of our life. Perhaps poisoning is similar. No...How can we equate anything to what ACTUALLY happens here? Well, if you have been to the brink of death with a long-fought disease like cancer, or some other terminal illness, I would say that the fight you have fought has put you in an advantageous position when coming to understand and respect the catching of our most prized fish. However, those are sad, long, painful, drawn-out, and still, those of us that have not fought the fight can not imagine what is going on at the other end.

Let's get in the water; go for a swim. Life is a game of cat and mouse. Let's be a top of the pyramid predator. A true seeker of vulnerability. How about the Brown Trout? Put ourselves in the skin of a 5 year male, lake-run brown trout. Not many things like to mess with us. Right? Right. We are vicious. WEe are incredibly territorial and have been known to eat birds that have fallen into the rivers to get their fix. Chasing the prey is what WE do as the Brown Trout. Just like a human at the top of the food chain, we seek anything and everything that sounds good to us. Unbeknownst to us, however, there is a looming predator. The human. Following me?

Rainy day. It's Here! Water temps are dropping and it's time to spawn. The fall run is a beautiful thing. We have spent our lifetime preparing for our first run into the river. It's a necessity. It's our duty in order to keep our species alive and thriving. IT'S A DEATH TRAP. Funneling into these tight corridors, we must prepare a bed, coax a mate, and spawn in a fashion that will not have us exposed to potential threats. Let's Swim! We being to push into the mouth of an enormous river.

With entire trees floating past us and the kicked up detritus blocking a clear sight of what's ahead, the trip to our nesting place is almost impossible to envision. Working tirelessly to push against the current like a human trying to run a marathon on a treadmill, we trudge on with, what seems like no progress. Whoa! Watch out! what was that?! a dark, looming figure drifts past. Was it something that may harm us? We can't be certain. The fear is building. Perhaps the equivalent for a human would be treading water at night in the ocean in shark-infested waters. A fear that can't be pushed away. One that lingers until the water is gone. Back to our journey. 

It's been a few days now. We haven't stopped for more than an hour, just to get a moments rest in a current-break before the next push through shallow waters. Our stomach scraping against the gravel as we push. Struggling, splashing, flailing, we finally clear the rocks and settle into a less treacherous water ahead. Finally, another moment's rest. The waters are clearing and the trees above begin to take shape as the murky water turns from Nesquik to a translucent brown stain. Peace. Finally. The sunlight beams through the waters, and suddenly, all that scared us becomes comforting. A passing log, some grasses that were torn from the banks in the high water, and even a duck swimming overhead. This is okay. Settling in to a deeper pool, the current streaming across our back just ever-so slightly, we have found our temporary home. A place for rest. Just enough rest to continue our journey. After all, we still must find some beautiful gravel and a vixen to accompany us. 

What's next? Wait, what is that? a nymph swims past quickly. The hunger kicks in. It's time to feed. With all sorts of morsels turned up by the current, our stomach fills up quickly. Suddenly, another nymph. A big one! Our mouth closing around the enormous bug, our mind is thinking of just how satisfying this day has turned out to be. Then, a pinch. Just a slight pinch at first, but it quickly develops into a painful and almost unbearable stinging in the corner of our mouth. What kind of nymph is this?!?! What's happening?! 

By our mouth, we are pulled back and forth. It's now that we recognize this isn't a standard meal. The nightmare sinks in. Fear of the unknown returns. The water darkens as it becomes stirred by our unrelenting battle. How can this be? Finally a moment serenity, and our world is torn at the seams. Still not recognizing what is happening, a large figure comes into view on the stream bank. It's approaching slowly. Quick! Swim, escape! But the invisible restraint continues to flip and pull us toward the figure. No! Please! No! Fight, fight, fight! Panic becomes overtaken by the realization that our energy levels are too low to continue this fight. We can't give up. Not yet. We haven't made it to our destination. We have a duty to fulfill. A job to complete. We can't be stopped after we have spent the entirety of our existence eating to survive, and surviving to reproduce. So close. Too tired. Our mind going faster than it ever has, but our motions slowing, something slips across our back and lifts us out of the water. 

What is this?! We can't breathe. Gasping for air, with the little energy we have left, life begins sinking away. Questions, fears, regrets, all falling away. 

What happens next? Well, as anglers, we can make a decision here. Now, don't get me wrong, I love keeping and eating fish. I don't blame anyone for doing so. They are delicious. But every now and again, let's value the life behind the struggle. Look into those eyes before you release a fish and remember the fight they have fought. Not just for you, but for life. And give yourself a moment to recognize the battle they still have to endure once you've released them. Anyone out there recovering from a terminal illness? A second chance at life? It's interesting how we can look back and thank that moment for teaching us the value of LIFE. 

My name is Matt. I seek the ADDICTION. It's what fuels me.


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## Buckbaker (Aug 3, 2015)

Very well written. But it assumes fish have the same ability of self awareness as humans. Do they even know what life and death are?
What matters I guess is to respect the fish and game.


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## Thirty pointer (Jan 1, 2015)

Reality is fish do not think as humans do .I caught a undersized smallmouth and released it .The fish swam about 25 ft away and faced the boat just for kicks I threw the bait at it and it immediately took it again .No one knows how fish feel .We do know they are yummy .


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## Michigan Trout Addict (Oct 28, 2015)

Buckbaker said:


> Very well written. But it assumes fish have the same ability of self awareness as humans. Do they even know what life and death are?
> What matters I guess is to respect the fish and game.


I like to think they do. But you bring up a great point. It may just be an instinctual reaction. Just more intense to think about their journey if we don't consider them robots.

I think one of the things that makes me believe they have somewhat of a higher level of thinking is their ability to associate being hooked with the lure that you hook them with. The fact that they "learn" and don't consistently bite time and time again on the same baits. Not sure, but just makes me think they may understand some things...


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## Michigan Trout Addict (Oct 28, 2015)

Thirty pointer said:


> Reality is fish do not think as humans do .I caught a undersized smallmouth and released it .The fish swam about 25 ft away and faced the boat just for kicks I threw the bait at it and it immediately took it again .No one knows how fish feel .We do know they are yummy .


Some species don't act this way though, and just like humans, their are different levels of intellect perhaps. Just like people who continuously do things that harm them. Almost instantaneously, they can't help but return to the same action. Not because they don't understand, but because they choose. Just a thought. 

I totally agree that they are yummy!!! Thanks for the post!


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

When conditions dictate , the ID takes over in humans.
Survival is the priority and all other things are gone.
The struggle produces lactic acid and even damage to muscle, even nerves , but while oxygen and will to live/ instinct to fight remain ; the fight continues . Till overwhelmed by stress and convulsions disrupt control , or victim is subdued by the cause of stress... or breaks free from what is oppressing it. Complete recovery may or may not follow.

A predator can often fight as a response . While prey species can be submissive, almost accepting of it's/their fate through lack of resistance, a confused state and going into shock quickly.

A brown rubbing it's jaw against the bottom to free a hook may be credited with tactic , or simply be responding to a stimulation as if a crawdad pinched it.

When a fisher-person holds the end of their line and has a partner reef on it with their gear and then trades positions , the leverage advantage can seem less than anticipated. More so with mono..

A brown watching me from the shallows big enough to have been hooked repeatedly before can be expected to refuse offerings. Not out of genius , but conditioning.
It's response to an offering can be avoidance by ignoring it , curiosity leading to a sniff , or flight.
Yet later near dark it will chase a bait matching it's recent meals with my returning and being in sight , if being hooked was not the recent result.
A primitive brain fixated on survival actions and responses alone , or capable of association? Or both depending on activity level?


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## Michigan Trout Addict (Oct 28, 2015)

Waif said:


> When conditions dictate , the ID takes over in humans.
> Survival is the priority and all other things are gone.
> The struggle produces lactic acid and even damage to muscle, even nerves , but while oxygen and will to live/ instinct to fight remain ; the fight continues . Till overwhelmed by stress and convulsions disrupt control , or victim is subdued by the cause of stress... or breaks free from what is oppressing it. Complete recovery may or may not follow.
> 
> ...


I enjoy what you have written. It brings to questions lots of things. Perhaps none of us will ever know. For now, we speculate. I appreciate the input and questioning of what we all may think is truth. So many differing opinions with solid examples backing them makes for a great discussion. Cheers!


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

If I thought for one second that hooking, and fighting fish causes them pain that was even minutely close to the pain it would cause us, I would never cast another line. That is why we don't "fish" for dogs, cats, etc. 

Fortunately I educated myself about fish when I was quite young, and I fully understand that they don't feel pain at all. They very likely feel something similar to our feeling of panic when they are hooked, but not pain.


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## Michigan Trout Addict (Oct 28, 2015)

Fishndude said:


> If I thought for one second that hooking, and fighting fish causes them pain that was even minutely close to the pain it would cause us, I would never cast another line. That is why we don't "fish" for dogs, cats, etc.
> 
> Fortunately I educated myself about fish when I was quite young, and I fully understand that they don't feel pain at all. They very likely feel something similar to our feeling of panic when they are hooked, but not pain.



Perhaps you misunderstood the purpose of my post. It's not to prove that fish have or lack feelings. It was to think of our adventure from the other side. A mere suggestion.

Not certain where you have become so intellectually superior, but if you could provide me with some books about fish and their inability to interpret pain, I would love to read them. 

Sorry for posting such a confrontational document. Next time I won't suggest anything that challenges our thoughts and understanding of nature.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

Michigan Trout Addict said:


> Perhaps you misunderstood the purpose of my post. It's not to prove that fish have or lack feelings. It was to think of our adventure from the other side. A mere suggestion.
> 
> Not certain where you have become so intellectually superior, but if you could provide me with some books about fish and their inability to interpret pain, I would love to read them.
> 
> Sorry for posting such a confrontational document. Next time I won't suggest anything that challenges our thoughts and understanding of nature.


Sorry, I wasn't trying to challenge you, or try to be intellectually superior. I was really into Oceanography as a kid, and read tons of books about everything in the oceans, from prehistoric times, to current. They were often textbooks, and cited studies that were done. But I didn't own them, and don't have them, or remember the names. If you would like me to, I'm sure I can google up some studies that prove fish don't feel pain. I sometimes wonder about Bluefin Tuna, which are not cold-blooded like most fish. 

I think your writing is great, and your topics are thought-provoking. I also think it is interesting to watch underwater videos of hooked fish being fought. We feel like those fish are going crazy (and sometimes they are), but for the most part they are just kind of slowly pulling against our lines, and doing some head shakes. The real excitement is mostly above the water - in us. And I am as addicted to the excitement of hooking, and fighting fish, as you are. After 50 years it still puts a smile on my face. When that doesn't happen anymore, I'll probably be ready for heaven. 

I saw a documentary on Sharks once - probably around the time the movie Jaws came out. It featured a commercial fisherman who sometimes caught Sharks as a by-catch. He grabbed a live Shark, slit its stomach open, and tossed it back into the water. That Shark swam in circles, eating its own intestines! If they felt pain, they wouldn't do that. Well, probably not, anyway.


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## Michigan Trout Addict (Oct 28, 2015)

Fishndude said:


> Sorry, I wasn't trying to challenge you, or try to be intellectually superior. I was really into Oceanography as a kid, and read tons of books about everything in the oceans, from prehistoric times, to current. They were often textbooks, and cited studies that were done. But I didn't own them, and don't have them, or remember the names. If you would like me to, I'm sure I can google up some studies that prove fish don't feel pain. I sometimes wonder about Bluefin Tuna, which are not cold-blooded like most fish.
> 
> I think your writing is great, and your topics are thought-provoking. I also think it is interesting to watch underwater videos of hooked fish being fought. We feel like those fish are going crazy (and sometimes they are), but for the most part they are just kind of slowly pulling against our lines, and doing some head shakes. The real excitement is mostly above the water - in us. And I am as addicted to the excitement of hooking, and fighting fish, as you are. After 50 years it still puts a smile on my face. When that doesn't happen anymore, I'll probably be ready for heaven.
> 
> I saw a documentary on Sharks once - probably around the time the movie Jaws came out. It featured a commercial fisherman who sometimes caught Sharks as a by-catch. He grabbed a live Shark, slit its stomach open, and tossed it back into the water. That Shark swam in circles, eating its own intestines! If they felt pain, they wouldn't do that. Well, probably not, anyway.



I do apologize for being snarky. I shouldn't assume I'm being attacked. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. It's quite interesting. I have studied quite a bit about animals in general, but it's always neat to hear from other people. Thanks again and have a nice evening! Cheers!


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## GRUNDY (Jun 18, 2005)

I've often wondered, when unhooking a steelhead. Watching their wild eye rolling about, seemingly trying to figure out just what is taking place. Just what is it that is going through whatever mind they might have.

Science tells us they do not perceive like we do, maybe not much at all is going on in their command central.

As humans we can only relate to what we have experienced. So we tend to impose our emotions and feelings onto the wildlife we pursue. It's good to recognize this and put it in its proper place, its what keeps me from eating my intestines if they were to fall out. It also helps us to reason, love, empathize, and act civil, and do great write-ups like the OP has.

Thanks for such a thought provoking write up. I could almost feel the debris of the river gently brushing past my fins.

Regards,

Brian


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## Michigan Trout Addict (Oct 28, 2015)

GRUNDY said:


> I've often wondered, when unhooking a steelhead. Watching their wild eye rolling about, seemingly trying to figure out just what is taking place. Just what is it that is going through whatever mind they might have.
> 
> Science tells us they do not perceive like we do, maybe not much at all is going on in their command central.
> 
> ...


Thank you! You hit it spot on! I'm glad it was interesting to you. have a great weekend all!


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## wyandot (Dec 5, 2013)

Right, wrong or otherwise I enjoyed reading it. A different point of view is never a bad thing, thanks for sharing it with us.


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## ausable_steelhead (Sep 30, 2002)

I'm not entirely sure what fish feel. I do however, try to be as humane as possible with them, and often think of this when dispatching one(or three). If I keep fish, they are slit, then bonked right away. Still bleed out fine. I never throw fish on the bank and leave them gasping. Lots of guys do, and I can't stand that. Kill the damn thing.


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## Michigan Trout Addict (Oct 28, 2015)

ausable_steelhead said:


> I'm not entirely sure what fish feel. I do however, try to be as humane as possible with them, and often think of this when dispatching one(or three). If I keep fish, they are slit, then bonked right away. Still bleed out fine. I never throw fish on the bank and leave them gasping. Lots of guys do, and I can't stand that. Kill the damn thing.


I hear you on that!


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## goodworkstractors (Aug 7, 2007)

Very well written. Thanks for the unique perspective. What they feel or not, they're very much alive and we're fortunate to cross paths on our different journeys through life. Respect for our prey should always be given.


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## flowie (Oct 26, 2015)

Tl;dr

Yay...blog posting...so much fun...


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## Michigan Trout Addict (Oct 28, 2015)

cscott711 said:


> Very well written. Thanks for the unique perspective. What they feel or not, they're very much alive and we're fortunate to cross paths on our different journeys through life. Respect for our prey should always be given.


Thanks  I agree!


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## Michigan Trout Addict (Oct 28, 2015)

flowie said:


> Tl;dr
> 
> Yay...blog posting...so much fun...


Do I need this to be on a blog rather than a forum?


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