The Reel Thing

David James Duncan’s fishing article (“Spirit-Fried No-Name River Brown Trout,” Feb. 5) is another example of the misguided thinking being applied to non-humans nowadays. Catch-and-release fishing is nothing less than harassment. Why is it OK to terrorize fish in the name of wildlife management when the same treatment of any popular cute-and-cuddly animal would be cause for public outrage.

Duncan asks, “Who would want to eat one’s dance partner?” A hooked fish is far from a dance partner. It is not participating voluntarily, and it certainly isn’t enjoying itself. Try running around the block, then holding your breath while someone holds you underwater long enough to pull a hook out of your mouth and admire you.

Fishing to eat is fine. Otherwise, don’t fish.

Dan Bay

Long Beach

Duncan has written one of the most soulful fishing articles I’ve ever read. It was interesting and touching at many different levels--among them our relationship to the fish and to primal landscapes.

DONALD ABRAMS

Hermosa Beach