:) The striper fleet off of Cape Ann approx. 40 boats, made up of mostly rec fishermen before and after the commercial season, landed over 10,000 lbs. on opening day!!!! This is about 6,000lbs. more then in past years on opening day!!!!

The Cape Cod area fellas must have had a great day because they usaully catch the majority of the alloted quoter!!!!

Does anybody know what the take was down the Cape area???? ;) :cool:

Holey Smokes! Now I firmly believe the Commercials deserve to make a living, but does anyone else think that 10,000 lbs from one area - in one day - will have an impact on the overall population? I am hoping this was a "Banner" day, rather than an "Average" one. Don't want to start any flaming, But I am amazed that 40 boats can be so effective.

There was a great program on PBS last night called "empty oceans, empty nets" which explored the issues of fishery management and balancing the needs of humans and the preservation of species.

One of the examples of successful management that they used was the pacific halibut fleet. Years ago - it was managed like the MA striped bass commercial catch. A certain LB limit was set and a season set. On opening day - everyone rushed to catch as much halibut as possible. They worked 24-7 until the quota was reached. The probelem was that nobody really knew exactly when to stop fishing - so there was a lot of catch over the limit.

Now the fleet is goverened by permits - only boats with permits can fish for halibut. The fishermen that they interviewed all preferred the new system to the old. (im sure the guys without permits are pissed - but they weren't interviewed).

This is not meant to start a riot of commercial vs recreational - it's just food for thought and the show was well done .. check it out on PBS if you get a chance.

thats not really a ton of fish when u look at the way fishing has been on the cape I guess 250# of fish per boat could translate into 10.... 25 lb fish when you think about a 34" limit its not a stretch to think what a ft 34++++ inch fish can weigh. on the day before opener of comm. the boat I fish off of had 70 keeper fish up to @35 lbs sooooo.


40 boats x 250lbs of stripers(10 fish at 25 lbs out of 30 allowed )
does not seam like a huge day but playing w these # is new to me.
just thinking

i wish I knew what the cape take was!!!

I wish the south shore had that problem

:) I don't want you to think that it is just them 40 boats!!!

When you take in Ipswich Bay or from the New Hampshire border south to just north of Boston and being Sunday there are alot more boats out there fishing!!! It's a big area!!! And you are probably looking at a hundred boats !!!! And not all boats are catching the max!!! And I had coffee with one fella that was dogged out!!!!

But it is amasing that just off the breakwater there are forty boats!!! And with so many boats that is how about 3 years ago they got there name "The Striper Fleet"

On Sunday I quickly counted 65 boats in that area and there were more boats in the distance.

Ahh - Thanks Fly Rod and Jetta - I was thinking it was just the 40 boats. And Jsullivan's breakdown also brings it into perspective. Thanks for the clarification!

im headin to that breakwater in gloucester 2morrow to do a little fishing :) im startin to look for new spots up that area though the breakwater is getting crowded and ppl are so damn disrespectful casting right on top of u i get there early round 6-7 am and they show up at noon set up rite on top of u and cast inches from ur line its really startin to get to the point where i cant take it ><!! got some scoutin to do i guess ;P

I hear ya Strike King:D
Thays why i got a kayak for the flats.

I don't know the total take here on the Cape, but two of my friends have caught there limt of 30 fish 2 days this week.
all total for the 3 days they fished they caught 134 fish at 34" or better.
2 people per boat. I am hoping for a good piece of this this week, now that I have the boat ready!!

I do not want you to be specific but are they on the bay side or the south side of the Cape. I am curious. I fish on the Bay side and have not seen any numbers like that unless they may be going at night. I have some friends that are doing really well but they are going out all night. Thanks P.M.

PM sent to you P.M.!!:happy: