Fish have been depicted as thinking entities in movies such as Jaws and
Jaws 2. There is a few novels where muskies are depicted as thinking
entities (2 in my fishing library). Further, I've had salmon on the
line that tried to hang me up in the weeds or a snag. Often you think
that they had a well thought out plan to hang you up. Even if it
results in the fish being tethered and worse off since I woulf have
released it.