I'm having quite a dilemma this year and I would like to see how the rest of the board responds. I have only sold two striped bass in my life and have always released 99% of the fish I catch. For years I have watched others profit from the harvesting of striped bass but could not do so because it was against my conscience.

This year I've been very seriously considering putting my commercial permit to good use by catching and selling as many fish as the law allows.

How do you guys feel about this?

Kill as many as the law allows, or let em go?

I keep most of my keepers,but don't sell stripers. Within the law, follow your heart. That makes it enjoyable.

Karma... its all about karma.

If you start selling bass your going to loose touch with why your fishing in the first place. What happens when you get skunked?? instead of dealing with the emotions of not catching you might also have to deal with the fact that you were counting on a hundred bucks from the fish that you didn't catch...

I've sold a fish or 2 in my day and the taste of cash for bass can be corrupting.

I only wish more people thought like you. If the did, the stocks wouldnt have crashed.


Dr. Phil

There is no legal reason why you shouldn't sell all the fish you can if you have a permit. But ask yourself; Do I need the money that badly? Or is it a better investment to keep putting them back like you have been doing? If money is an issue, fine, sell all you can with a clear conscience. If its to buy a Saltiga well.......
I sold fish in the old days before there were any laws against it. But I would cut off the night whenever I reached 4 or 5 fish. Any more would have been greedy. It never occured to me to just let them go. That changed when I had to filet 2 upper 40 to almost 50lbers ( I work in restaurants). I was almost unable to complete the job, they were so large and beautiful, they deserved a better fate and from that day on I never sold another fish. I now let 100% go even though I could use the cash. They are worth more than a few bucks to me.

I have never sold any Bass.
I do keep 2-3 Bass and 6-8 Blues a year for myself and friends, all others are released.
I think for me fishing for money would distort the reasons I fish.
But if you feel you need to sell a couple a year more power to you just dont let the money ruin your fishing.



Just my opinion :)

If you really need the money, and you have the paperwork, sell them. If you don't need the money, then don't.

When I was driving a 20 year old Wagoneer and eating penaut butter sandwiches twice a day, and had to decide whether I had enough gas to get to Nauset and back with $5 in my pocket, I sold bass. Once I started my line of work and made a decent wage, I stopped.

Can't get any simpler than that.

Everyone sounds so guilty for selling stripers!

I have a permit and I sell some fish every year, some years not enough to even pay for the $160 permit.

Do I feel guilty about that? No.

Do I keep fish for the table, yes, maybe a fish or two a year, no guilt there either.

It's not worth it. (look at the fuel, lic, and your time compute your net...) If you need money, get a real job. Bass fishing lasts about 21 days. I doubt this will impact your fiscal security significantly.

I take home what my family eats. During the derby, I take a few more home then I normally would...I give them to close friends who consume them right away.

I release most fish.

I only take what I eat, and then any keeper hooked deep I keep, someone at work will ALWAYS eat it... arguments start over who gets the fish :D and I get reminders from people that they like fish too...

Originally posted by Mr. Sandman
It's not worth it. (look at the fuel, lic, and your time compute your net...) If you need money, get a real job. Bass fishing lasts about 21 days. I doubt this will impact your fiscal security significantly.

I take home what my family eats. During the derby, I take a few more home then I normally would...I give them to close friends who consume them right away.

I release most fish.

> It's not worth it. (look at the fuel, lic, and your time compute your net...)

Thats the problem, I spend anywhere from 2,000-5,000 a year on fishing anyway and take back 0$. It is something that I feel very strongly against but if I don't sell a few I won't be able to continue fishing in the capcity that I do now.

Originally posted by Eben
Karma... its all about karma.

If you start selling bass your going to loose touch with why your fishing in the first place. What happens when you get skunked?? instead of dealing with the emotions of not catching you might also have to deal with the fact that you were counting on a hundred bucks from the fish that you didn't catch...

I've sold a fish or 2 in my day and the taste of cash for bass can be corrupting.

I only wish more people thought like you. If the did, the stocks wouldnt have crashed.


Dr. Phil


Yes Karma, thats the biggest issue in my book. The first time I sold a striper was July of 1992, my boat sunk a week later and I didnt catch another keeper for the rest of the year, no s#$t. Second time was in 1994, well let me tell you that more bad things happened and I was convinced that is was terrible luck to sell stripers.

Well, I'm going to give it a shot this year. I'm not going to get gready and we will see what happens. If my boat goes down unexpectedly sometime durring the 3rd week of July, or something else terrible happens then I will know for a fact that selling stripers is very bad karma.

Originally posted by Mike P
If you really need the money, and you have the paperwork, sell them. If you don't need the money, then don't.

When I was driving a 20 year old Wagoneer and eating penaut butter sandwiches twice a day, and had to decide whether I had enough gas to get to Nauset and back with $5 in my pocket, I sold bass. Once I started my line of work and made a decent wage, I stopped.

Can't get any simpler than that.

I need the money.

I have another kid on the way and have to listen to my wife complaining about money on a daily basis. She doesn't understand how I can spend money on fishing when we are having such a hard time finacialy.

I have been keeping around ten a summer for the last couple of seasons... I make sure all of the meat goes to use, and give big thank you to the Fish Gods. I usually stop keeping them when most of the bass goes to the freezer

I keep very few, maybe a couple each year. That's my personal choice. I'd love to see them make stripers a gamefish, and I'd love to see them stop the overharvesting of bunker and herring.

But as for your question:

THere's a quota. Who catches those fish doesn't really matter. I don't have issue with the individual. As long as the law permits it, do whatever you are comfortable with. If guilt gets to ya, don't sell.

Originally posted by S-Journey
Yes Karma, thats the biggest issue in my book. The first time I sold a striper was July of 1992, my boat sunk a week later and I didnt catch another keeper for the rest of the year, no s#$t. Second time was in 1994, well let me tell you that more bad things happened and I was convinced that is was terrible luck to sell stripers.

S Journey-

Make your own path, man!

I assure you that selling fish is noble despite what some may say. There striper is not on the brink of collapse as it once was. Your boat problems were a result of that fatal flaw in your decision making ability which led you, and myself included, to buying a boat in the first place!!!

Although I am not a strongly religious man, wasn't Jesus a fisherman??? :D :D :D

Originally posted by Hooper
S Journey-

Make your own path, man!

I assure you that selling fish is noble despite what some may say. There striper is not on the brink of collapse as it once was. Your boat problems were a result of that fatal flaw in your decision making ability which led you, and myself included, to buying a boat in the first place!!!

Although I am not a strongly religious man, wasn't Jesus a fisherman??? :D :D :D

I like your style hooper, good stuff--

Dude, if you cut back to 1,000-2,500 on the 2,000-5,000 you spend on fishing won't that help you out financially? And take the little woman fishing with you once in a while and she'll see why you have to spend the money on the subject.

I keep around 3-6 stripers a year, just what I eat, I don't catch it for anyone else. I do keep more flounder than any other fish, but I have a commercial license too and don't sell any stripers, I only sell other fish like rock bass and togs... nut not that much of them either - just enough to pay for the gas and bait.

Do what you're heart tells you to do, don't worry about anyone else's opinion, yours is the only one that should count.

i got a job .. i fish for fun ..not money or food not that ,thats a bad thing .. just me.. I keep maybe 2 a year .. Always release first keeper as a offering to Neptune..