I saw a seal today at one of my favorate spring spots ,I never seen one there before ,seems like every year theres more and more, Has anyone else noticed this ? How big of a striper can a full size seal take down , I saw one about three years ago munchin on at least a 24 " one like an ear of corn

I saw one tossing back about a 15 pounder once! One of them big, black monsters from down the backside!

Moosh, my first time out this year I had seals in front of me at a spot in buzzards bay, first time I ever had them with me in there.

I saw alot last year hangin around the mouths of inlets ,

Diggin jiggin that rod is working out very nicely for me you did a great job on it ..

I saw a bunch of them at the race during the MBBA conservation project. They seemed to be following tagger:D:bl::D:bl:. I wish we could train them to go after bloos only.;)

Guys, you may have notice people such as Karl, Slipnot, Rappin' Mikey (among others) and myself decrying seals, and we're not joking - they are a serious threat. If you're seeing them it's only a matter of time until they start taking your fish, and they'll take any size - I've had a 25# snatched from me, know of guys losing larger, even a tuna in the 20# class that a guy had released. If you are seeing the big grey seals (aka horsehead seal) the males weigh in at 4-600+ pounds. There is no pressure on the seal population from predation, so it is exploding. They are eating machines, and after they have eaten all of the easy targets such as skate, fluke, sand dab, etc., they are going to learn to watch you for a bent rod. Bass are easier targets for them than blues because the bass on your line will just wallow out there, while a blue will zig and zag, and the blues even though they are hooked, when they see that seal coming the hook in the mouth becomes a secondary concern to them - you can tell when a seal is after your blue because the blue will act just like a herring with a bass after it.

If you guys are seeing them for the first time, I would estimate your window to be 3-5 years. Sightings will go from being a novelty, to a common occurrence, to nuisance once other food sources become depleted. First it was Nauset, then the rest of the back, then the islands and it would be logical to assume that adjoining areas are next. It is a sad state of affairs.

I had one take a fish well into 30# range 3 feet in front of me last year.:af::crying:

You will not catch a bass big enough that they won't eat it off your line....simple as that.

I agree with the timeline stated above.....on the back beach they were a novelty item for a while. Around 2002 a guy I fish with had a seal grab a fish from the end of his line and we all laughed at what we thought was the story of a lifetime.

We're not laughing now......:hs:

They drive me nuts...last year I lost to Beachmasters fishing in the dark on Chatham...even at night they still do the same thing. There is no winning.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=XjM8QXyrYtY

I have seen the big behemoths off the beach at Wasque tossing around bass and albies like they were basketballs. Coming up underneath them and snouting them into the air and catching them.

Imagine the PETA protests that would occur if a bill/law was introduced to cull the herd to preserve the rec/comm fishing seasons.

Imagine the skyrocketing rifle/shotguns sales that would occur. I can hear it now. Couple of dudes in thier pickups, parked on a dirt road next to some cranberry bog at the end of deer season talking about when seal season opens, and getting real excited.

i watched 3 of the fish eating bastages get "re-introduced" to the wild in charlestown sunday morning- they got a free ride down from New Jersey...

The Canadians have noticed that the seals rip out and eat the bellies of cod fish. I was wondering if it is the same for bass and other fish. The fish scientists never seam to find any large bones as i understand it. Maybe the seals just want the livers.

They eat the whole friggin thing - small ones whole, big ones they strip the fillets then swallow the rack. I've had them come along and grab the racks that I have dumped and suck them down. They won't eat bluefish heads, though. I don't know if it is because of the teeth or the plugs sticking out.

The reason the belly was torn out of the blue in the vid is when the seal seized it that's where he got his mouth around, and in the subsequent tug of war the belly tore out and the seal was content with that mouthful (for the minute).

it is just a matter of time before the seal predators make their way to the area.

:splat: ugggghhh don't get me started on seals :wall:

I think they look good with face ornamentation

when i'm incharge........

get rid of the marine mammal protection act and bring back the bounty!!

death to the seals!! death to the seals!! death to the seals!!

just wait.. nature has funny ways of fixing it self. more sharks will eventually find them. :kewl:

of course since sharks aren't cute and cuddly we will then have a "shark problem" and measure will be taken to rid our waters of the evil killing machines feeding on the cute little seal babies. :mad:

when i'm incharge........

get rid of the marine mammal protection act and bring back the bounty!!

death to the seals!! death to the seals!! death to the seals!!

and this is why you will never be "in charge"

Here's a thought..... Since people have been catching (and killing) sharks for food and fun, we had already set the stage for this type of explosive growth of seal population. Secondly, since"we" had enected strict rules for the harvest of specific fish species, we allowed those species to make somewhat of a comeback, providing plenty of feeding opportunities for the seals. (see the vicious circle?)
If the seals are not a completely indigenous species 'round these parts, but more of a migrating species, then why not push them back towards a migratory lifestyle..... by allowing culling of the heards.
If the seals feel threatened, they should leave the area, and if they are threatened enough, maybe leave for good.
Think about it: Exactly what purpose do the seals fill in our watery environment? At least the sharks help clean the ocean of dead/dying animals. When was the last time you saw a shark attack a fish on your line or heard of seals doing ANYTHING except looking cute with those puppy-dog eyes?


All the "touchy-feely" tree-huggin, PETA-lovin weirdos will be singing a different song when the seals start wiping out ground fish along their favorite "private beaches" and the seals take over the beach and turn it into a festering cesspool. This is our real-life "nature-gone-wild" scenario, and we can't do a thing (legally).

I wonder what grilled seal taste like?

All the "touchy-feely" tree-huggin, PETA-lovin weirdos will be singing a different song when the seals start wiping out ground fish along their favorite "private beaches" and the seals take over the beach and turn it into a festering cesspool.

We already beat the seals to that.

just wait.. nature has funny ways of fixing it self. more sharks will eventually find them. :kewl:
:mad:


More likely it will be disease or a virus that controls the seal population.

Just recently out on the west coast authorities found quite a few dead sea lions that were shot and killed around the steelhead runs.
I can envision that happening here.

DZ

Just remember to yell "He's coming right for us !" right before you shoot. (from "Hunting with Jimbo and Ned on South Park.)

Why so madd, Matt?

All the "touchy-feely" tree-huggin, PETA-lovin weirdos will be singing a different song when the seals start wiping out ground fish along their favorite "private beaches" and the seals take over the beach and turn it into a festering cesspool.

We already beat the seals to that.

Likwid, maybe you haven't noticed Pleasant Bay and P-Town harbor, I understand your point though, but the seals have a LARGE part in the loss of flounder in Pleasant bay. And I don't like swimming in seal poop anymore than anyone else
We have to ask ourselves who is more important in the food chain, seals or us? I know which way I lean.

We have to ask ourselves who is more important in the food chain, seals or us? I know which way I lean.

In the grand scheme of things? They are.
Fish are a luxury for you.
This isn't SE Asia where you catch a fish to feed your family for 3 days.

To slip thats true likwid, but seals are having an impact on commercial fisheries, and that is not a luxury.

In the grand scheme of things? They are.
Fish are a luxury for you.
This isn't SE Asia where you catch a fish to feed your family for 3 days.

not yet

but if we keep going away from producing food, then we will be in trouble as a nation.

I find the deceasing farming in the country scary. We should be producing more food not less.

What purpose do seals on Cape Cod serve? are they food for other animals? no, they're poop is food for cod which just gives them worms. They just eat everything in sight and cause more problems than they are worth and you or anyone else will never change my mind, they can survive somewhere else and contribute to their grand scheme. I can easily fish elsewhere for my luxury as you call it , and I can buy fish at the market since I can afford it but I choose to catch my own sometimes. If we are forced to share the beach with those bacteria dirty animals, then so be it.

What purpose do seals on Cape Cod serve?

They are part of the ecosystem.

are they food for other animals?

makos, great whites, porbeagels.

They just eat everything in sight and cause more problems than they are worth and you or anyone else will never change my mind, they can survive somewhere else and contribute to their grand scheme.

They've existed like this in Maine and I don't hear mainers complaining about them. They're EVERYWHERE in downeast maine, always have been.

I can easily fish elsewhere for my luxury as you call it

It *is* a luxury though. You're not starving, you don't HAVE to fish. You won't go hungry if you DON'T fish. You blow hundreds of dollars on making plugs and van staals and whatnot. You don't get up in the morning and say "if I don't go fishing my family will starve today."

Everything you've said here could be said about humans anyways.

They just declared Polar Bears endangered. They eat seals. I see a solution. Ship a few (tens of) thousand north to Canada and put them with the Polar Bears as the only obstacle between them and the sea. Nature will sort the rest.

Besides, it would be an obscure revenge for the bass demolished in the New England Aquarium Big Dig Massacre

ok, about sharks, I'll rephrase the question. Is there a predator that can come close to controlling the seal population on the cape? a dozen or so loses per year to sharks does not qualify in my opinion.

I'm not saying kill them all like that Monomy seagull episode back a couple decades ago. But they're numbers could certainly use some thinning before all the fish are gone and then they will definately leave. 10,000+ seals in the area is a bit much can't you admit that as a human who also fishes?

Polar bears are starving, feed them a seal or 100, good idea.

ok, about sharks, I'll rephrase the question. Is there a predator that can come close to controlling the seal population on the cape? a dozen or so loses per year to sharks does not qualify in my opinion.

A dozen or so with a barely recovering population of apex predators that were OH LOOK AT THAT WIPED OUT BY US TOO!

But they're numbers could certainly use some thinning before all the fish are gone and then they will definately leave.

See the issue is, the fish won't be gone, they're not going to wipe out all the bass and bluefish. If the numbers actually got that low they'd move on. You're anthropomorphizing seals. They're not going to stay in one spot and wipe it 100% clean, the only creature that does that is humans. Once a population of food starts getting lower, they'll move or eat something else.

10,000+ seals in the area is a bit much can't you admit that as a human who also fishes?

Are there 10,000+ seals? Has someone released these numbers as 100% accurate or are you just guessing?

Polar bears are starving, feed them a seal or 100, good idea.

Yeah they are, and its sad.

Likwid-

I am sympathetic to conservationist points of view in general, but I'm not sure I follow your logic here.

Once humans have f'ed things up and knocked nature out of balance, which with seals happened quite a long time ago, a resource management approach needs to be taken. They are multiplying very quickly, and by the thousands (there are scientific reports of 6,000+ out on the Cape, not sure about the 10,000 number). They are essentially unchecked by natural predators, and they are making a huge mess and ruining the fishing which has a huge economic impact. Something different needs to happen than whats going on right now. Just like deer. Once you kill off all the predators, as we did long ago, you have to allow a hunt or there will be so many deer that they'll pretty much eat everything and starve themselves. Seals are rapidly heading for a similar mess, if we're not already there.

Just my opinion.

ruining the fishing which has a huge economic impact.

Economic impact to who? Inshore dragging is already dead. They cut their own throats long ago.
It hasn't affected sport fishing yet.
And its not like sport fishing is even a blip on the screen of the (for example) cape economy.

Once you kill off all the predators, as we did long ago.

And the cycle continues, kill the seals before the predator population comes back, once it does start coming back, too many predators, gotta kill/trap them now.

Do I have an answer? Nope, but hopefully someone will come up with one that will make everyone happy otherwise nothing will get done. Yes, that means you have to work with the tree huggers and plover huggers and comms and peta and greenpeace and rich idiots with summer homes and everyone else despite what you think about them.

I agree with Blitzeeker. I also think that 6,000 is a very modest estimate and the numbers are probably closer to double that. People need to experience what is going on first hand before they pass judgement on others. A controlled hunting season is definitely what is required. In the past five years I have seen a direct correlation between the growing number of seals and the depleting number of species of fish. Not that I like them, but I haven't caught a skate or a sculpin in about three years. An occasional fluke or flounder use to be able to be picked off from the shore a few years back. Not any more. Raking for sandeels is almost a lost cause now, or at least a half day event. My father told me the numbers a few years back. Don't quote me but I'm sure if someone starts to dig they can find the accurate info. I think he said that a full grown seal eats roughly 100+pounds of fish a day. Multiply that by 10,000. Now multiply that by the number of days that fish are in our area, lets say 180. That is about 180million pounds of fish. There is a huge economic inpact on the Cape. Many people I know will not fish there because of the plovers and the seals. Buisnesses are starting to go under.

One other aspect of the seals would be the fact that they may migrate, but not very far. They find a nice place to raise their young, and PRESTO: you now have a breeding rookery. Now the seals will use this as their "center of operations", heading elsewhere to feed, but returning back to the colony.
What this has probably done is set up the perfect opportunity for the seals to hunt up and down the Mass shores and return to their "new homes" to feed their young. After the young have fledged/left the nest, so to speak, the adults aren't just going to leave.
Just like humans, they will eat all that they can within their "home" range, and then proceed to increase their range to find food.
What this means is that the areas close to their nesting sites will be devoid of most larger species of fish, starting with flounder, skates, cunners and porgies.
Think about it: if there is a store 1 block away that ran out of your favorites snack, would you stop going there, or check in from time to time to see if they have it again? Seals would follow the same practice. It's not a "human" trait to wipe out an area of food, we just put a "human" name on it and claimed we caused it first.

I also think that 6,000 is a very modest estimate and the numbers are probably closer to double that.

speculation.

A controlled hunting season is definitely what is required.

Won't happen. Don't bother cleaning the .30-06. If ANYTHING it will be done by fish and game, DMF, etc. And if more seals get found popped, they're gonna do a number on fishing on the Cape before anything else.

Raking for sandeels is almost a lost cause now, or at least a half day event.

If there's no sand eels then what were those giant bait balls doing off race point last year? Why were the tuna inshore? Maybe they're gay tuna. :D

Many people I know will not fish there because of the plovers and the seals. Buisnesses are starting to go under.

The New Yorkers on vacation with their walmart specials are the economy, not the hardcore fishermen.

I think he said that a full grown seal eats roughly 100+pounds of fish a day.

Your father a biologist?
http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/harbor-seal/diet.htm

Adult harbor seals eat 5% to 6% of their body weight per day, about 4.5 to 8.2 kg (10-18 lb.).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grey_Seal

The average daily food requirement is estimated to be 5kg (11lb), though the seals do not feed every day and they fast the breeding season.

wow..you have an answer for everything..:rolleyes:

wow..you have an answer for everything..:rolleyes:

You contribute so much. :sleeps:

Lik-

Fair enough comments, but personally I see no doubt that it has strongly effected both the surf fishing and the economy. I stay up there enough to know for sure that it has effected the hotel owners quite a bit. As for the fishing, that ground has been covered many times.

I'm not saying killem all, I'm just saying keepem in check.

I'm not saying killem all, I'm just saying keepem in check.

Yup, a solution needs to be found.
And its not going to be a bunch of 'necks on the beach with rifles thank god.
I'd guess it'd take a week after that opened for some idiot to shoot a surfer.

I'm trying to figure out whats going on on the West Coast that keeps their seal populations in check since they're protected. (Other than the Southern California Great White population)

I'm pretty sure seals were basically almost wiped out there too at one point.

when i'm incharge........

get rid of the marine mammal protection act and bring back the bounty!!

death to the seals!! death to the seals!! death to the seals!!

Well! if you can't kill them perhaps the brok-back dune gang in PT can breed them out.

[QUOTE=likwid;589746]

Your father a biologist?
http://www.seaworld.org/animal-info/info-books/harbor-seal/diet.htm

Adult harbor seals eat 5% to 6% of their body weight per day, about 4.5 to 8.2 kg (10-18 lb.).
QUOTE]

That was a crappy way to answer. Are you a biologist?
regardless, almost 20lb/day x an est. 6,000 seals is still a lot of fish consumed.

That was a crappy way to answer. Are you a biologist?
regardless, almost 20lb/day x an est. 6,000 seals is still a lot of fish consumed.

Sure but everyone relying on information from the past would tell us we need to kill all the sharks, seals, and anything else that might look funny at what we want.

Also there's no problems with the Cod stock either.

And cigarettes don't give you cancer.
Make sure to use DDT on everything.
Seatbelts don't save lives.
Cocaine is good for you.

Likwid, you seem to have done some research on this. Some people are concerned about the seals eating the bass and blues and decreasing the fish population that way. In reality, the seals are eating the same food as the gamefish. They feed on menhaden, alewives, herring, and mackerel along with other bait fish and squid, clams and crustaceans. The competition for food is what is driving the fish away, mostly offshore. The stripers and blues being picked off of someone's line are only taken because they are easy prey for the seals. And fishermen do spend money on the cape. Stop into a 24 hour Dunkin Donuts or c-store in the middle of the night. Check out the parking lots of motels and look for trucks with trailers. Look at the boats on trailers being filled up at gas stations all over the cape. Now, I know that tourism is always going to be #1 on the cape. But, if fishermen chose to band together and use their combined voice about this and other issues (better discussed in other threads), they would at least raise awareness. As for the west coast, the inshore fishing has gotten worse over the years. Maybe it's because the seals have eaten a lot of the bait. Then, the seals move on because they are looking for food. Seals have a very large range and can travel far. They stop and take up residence where food is plentiful. Until they decimate the bait stocks around here, we will not see them going anywhere.

They feed on menhaden, alewives, herring, and mackerel along with other bait fish and squid, clams and crustaceans.

Which we've (as a WHOLE not just any one group) already done a FANTASTIC job of decimating.

And the cycle continues.

But, if fishermen chose to band together and use their combined voice about this and other issues (better discussed in other threads), they would at least raise awareness.

You know, it would work better if people could pull their collective heads out of their as!@#!@# and work together on this than relying on just one group.
These issues don't just affect fishermen.
The growing population of seals (among the other issues) affects pretty much everyone who goes anywhere near a beach.

Likwid, the way you break down people's posts is very passive aggressive. I have a list of questions and statements for you.
1. Are you a biologist?
2. When was the last time you fished from shore on the outter cape?
3. Do you like gay tuna?
4. When was the last time you tried to rake sandeels inshore??
5. I believe the horsehead seals are different then the seals at Sea World
6. Before I made my statements I said don't quote me these were told to me a few years ago and someone could go digging if they wanted to.
7. My dad is an engineer, he is a very logical person, not the type to make things up out of the blue. The data that he told me was quoted from something he had read. Again this was a few years ago so I might not be accurrate.
8. When was the last time you fished from shore on the outter Cape? From your comments I would guess it was a very long time.

Likwid, the way you break down people's posts is very passive aggressive. I have a list of questions and statements for you.

Because its the same things over and over without any evidence. It gets old.

1: Nope, but what I quote is from biologists

2: Last fall

3: I loves all the tunas equally. Om nom nom nom.

4: I don't rake, I go by what I see in the water.

5: Grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) a larger seal, are being seen more frequently but harbour seals still outnumber them. The grey seal population in the Bay of Fundy appears to be on the increase. Males reach lengths of 245cm (8') and weigh 450kg (990lb), females 215cm (7') and 270kg (600lb). The head is long and the seal is often called the"horsehead" seal.
Kinda like aussies call bluefish tailors. Same thing.

6: Ok, but too many people run around with facts and figures that came from someone else that said something else that they read in a book that was written in 1902.

7: I can provide links and/or books to prove what I say.

8: Repeat, last fall. Thats not very "long ago". And I'm down there just about every other weekend just for the hell of it. (Including all winter long. Nice place to take the dog for a walk.)

If people (in general) don't educate themselves, they're doomed to failure. Walking into something (say the seal problem) blindly with just speculation and heresay won't solve the issue. It'll just make it worse.

[QUOTE=likwid;589762]Which we've (as a WHOLE not just any one group) already done a FANTASTIC job of decimating.

Since this thread was about seals, I was making my point about what the seals are eating. They eat the same food as the fish we are trying to catch. As the seal population increases, the baitfish stocks will decrease. Then, the seals will move on to other areas where they can find abundant food. That will leave the stripers and blues with a lot less food and they will move on also.

I think everyone on this site is aware of what humans have done to the baitfish stocks in New England. When herring were almost gone, they put a ban on taking herring. They have also put limits on the taking of some gamefish that have become overfished.

So, the government can take action to try to fix problems of overfishing by humans. Unfortunatley, there is no regulation of the seals taking baitfish.

However you want to look at it, or where ever you get your data from, it is visibly obvious that the seals population is in the midst of an explosion. You might see balls of bait "offshore" but ask anyone that has been raking sandeels over the years and you'll get the same response I'm giving you. I haven't seen one skate pulled up on the beach in three years. I would say roughly 50% of the fish I catch now are chased by seals, as opposed to 0% four years ago. You hear it all over the outter Cape that buisnesses are struggling. I just find it odd that someone who is out there as much as you claim you are hasn't noticed any of this. I know seals can't be held 100% responsible for all of this. But I also do know that they are contributing to the problem and to close your eyes to the whole matter confuses me a little bit. Anyway, that's all I have to say on this. You all can flame on now.:deadhorse:

You hear it all over the outter Cape that buisnesses are struggling.

There was a winter long series about the cape and life on NPR.

They detailed a ton of issues with the cape from property prices to lack of real jobs being the cause of the decline (People who live out there year around talking about this, not NPR). Not once did they mention seals.

You'd think if it were a major cause like people are making it out to be that they would have talked about it?

So, the government can take action to try to fix problems of overfishing by humans. Unfortunatley, there is no regulation of the seals taking baitfish.

I'd put money on Omega Protein taking more menhaden than the entire MA seal population eats in a year.

One last thing, 5%-6% of a 990lb animal is much closer to 50# then 18#.

http://www.greyseal.net/ABOUT/history.htm

I'd put money on Omega Protein taking more menhaden than the entire MA seal population eats in a year.

Maybe someone can start shooting them.

no likwid, 6000 is probably not an accurate count I agree, I don't think 10000 is right either

count these in this picture and do the math

I bet there are more

http://www.greyseal.net/ABOUT/history.htm

Thats actually out of a fantastic book.

On the basis of data that are themselves suspect, the department asserts that horseheads consume 50,000 metric tonnes (1980 figures) of valuable fishes every year, or 10 per cent of the half-a-million tonnes taken by Canadian east-coast fisherman. Analysis of this charge demonstrates that less than 20,000 tonnes of the consumption attributed to horseheads (but by no means proven) is of species of even marginal commercial value. Furthermore, the presumed tonnage represents live weight-the weight of the whole fish-while the figure for the commercial catch is based on processed weight-only that portion of the fish that is packaged for sale. The live weight taken by Canadian commercial fisherman in 1980 was approximately 1.2 million tonnes. The percentage of commercially valuable fish eaton by the seals can therfore be no more than 1.6 per cent.

Maybe someone can start shooting them.

Someone push Greenpeace's buttons enough about them and they'll run over their nets and ram their ships.
See? Greenpeace CAN do fishermen good. :D

count these in this picture and do the math

What time of year was that?
What did the other haulout locations look like?

Questions that need answers to make an educated guess on real numbers.

Anyone know if WHOI has done any counting?

Well it finally happened to me... Fishing in a nice school of cookie cutters, blow ups every cast. Got a nice fish on, took a little drag; and its about 20yrds away in pretty tight to the shore. I see a giant black shape emerge behind my bass and up comes a huge grey seal. He chases my fish around for a second and pretty soon he's got it. Then my line starts peeling big time and soon enough he cuts through the line. Then the bastage comes up with my fish in its mouth, and my lefthook pilgrim, obviously taunting me.... Had a few calm choice words of course. I think it went something like:

"GO F YOURSELF YOU STUPID FING SEAL, I HOPE YOU CHOKE ON THAT DAMN PLUG!"

Luckily the fishing didnt totally shut off, just all the big fish left:fury:

Well it finally happened to me... Fishing in a nice school of cookie cutters, blow ups every cast. Got a nice fish on, took a little drag; and its about 20yrds away in pretty tight to the shore. I see a giant black shape emerge behind my bass and up comes a huge grey seal. He chases my fish around for a second and pretty soon he's got it. Then my line starts peeling big time and soon enough he cuts through the line. Then the bastage comes up with my fish in its mouth, and my lefthook pilgrim, obviously taunting me.... Had a few calm choice words of course. I think it went something like:

"GO F YOURSELF YOU STUPID FING SEAL, I HOPE YOU CHOKE ON THAT DAMN PLUG!"

Luckily the fishing didnt totally shut off, just all the big fish left:fury:

How did the seal fight? Strong steady pull that you had not chance in stopping?

I've had two fish grabbed by something in the last few weeks. It was at night so I never got a look at whatever it was. It was just swam off at a moderate pace with the fish and I had no chance of stopping it. Thinking seal but could be a shark I guess.

I gave up fishing the outer beaches of the cape a while ago. One spot I went to scout at daytime had 60+ seals, easily.

They are very intelligent. They see you with a fishing rod, they will follow you. Kinda like dogs.

Anyhoo, FWIW, the fishing is not bad on the Bay side. Not as many seals.

I haven't seen as many seals in RI as I have on the outer cape this summer.

I gave up fishing the outer beaches of the cape a while ago. One spot I went to scout at daytime had 60+ seals, easily.

They are very intelligent. They see you with a fishing rod, they will follow you. Kinda like dogs.

Anyhoo, FWIW, the fishing is not bad on the Bay side. Not as many seals.

I haven't seen as many seals in RI as I have on the outer cape this summer.

I beg to differ! I had a seal pup grab my yellow pencil a few weeks ago. Not sure if it was playing or thought it was a fish. Landed the seal but did not get the plug back...

Yeah,
I had three gray seals around my baits just outside of Rockport harbor last year.

People are getting harassed on Stellwagen by them. I never saw even ONE in my whole life in either of those places. I spent the better part of my childhood around those two areas.

They are moving beyond the Cape now. I would say that it will be a regional problem in 5 years or so. Just look at everybody arguing back and forth in 2008. It's a given out there now. Seals chase my lures now, as well, just as spin said.

I really don't care either way...I have a boat and can chose to leave them. There's not a lot of stipers on the OB's like there used to be, and the seals seem to hate blues.

Something will happen. Mark my words, it'll be something weird like feline distemper that crosses the blood-brain barrier and then...kaboom.

How did the seal fight? Strong steady pull that you had not chance in stopping?

I've had two fish grabbed by something in the last few weeks. It was at night so I never got a look at whatever it was. It was just swam off at a moderate pace with the fish and I had no chance of stopping it. Thinking seal but could be a shark I guess.

yup exactly, but could be either one I suppose.

Nature has a way of correcting imbalances, provided we don't get in the way.

I say leave the sharks alone and give 'em time to fatten up.

http://kron4.com/2015/10/13/new-slow-motion-video-shows-shark-spotted-at-alcatraz-island-preying-on-seal/

Nature has a way of correcting imbalances, provided we don't get in the way.

I say leave the sharks alone and give 'em time to fatten up.

http://kron4.com/2015/10/13/new-slow-motion-video-shows-shark-spotted-at-alcatraz-island-preying-on-seal/

Seals are not sea lions and Alcatraz is about 3,000 miles from MA and on a different ocean. :hs: