ALL..

I'm reading the Robert Post book "Reading The Water" and I am thinking " no wonder the fishing is not like it used to be". Those guys caught alot of large bass and kept everything. I can imagine what the commercial guys kept. Does anyone know what the current regs are in the Mid Atlantic states where the bass spawn. What are we currently doing to protect and re-establish the fishery??? I often wonder : where is the demand for bass meat?..I have never gone into a restaurant and ordered it or have seen it on the menu. Am I just niave or what. What are your thoughts....
Thanks

There are so many factors at play here that you need to read another book - Striped Bass by Nick Karas. It's not the bible but it has the most info ever assembled into the biology, migration habits, and stock assesments compiled into one book.

The decline was a combination of overfishing by everyone - comms & recs, high pollution, low size limits, and a down cycle in the fish that caused the stocks to crash.

A lot of those guys you read about probably would have done things differently if they new what was going to happen and things might have been different if it were managed differently.

As for current fishery management: it is broken into 2 main sections, coastal and the Va, Md, & Potomac fisheries. The rules and regs are far different between these.

The overall fishery is in decent shape - but getting better or worse is what's in debate. Also many (myself included) feel that more needs to be done for the big fish.


Lots of demand for bass meat. Many restaraunts use it, sometimes as Striped Bass, but also called other things too from sea bass to whatever...

John is right. The problems "back then" compounded each other. Bass meat was going for a decent $ and it was a free for all. I remember the surf guys loading up the ferry boat at block I each morning, and the fish market would pick it up in pt jude and mail you a check. ( I am embarressed to say I particiaped in that abuse for a couple years) Couple that with insane commerical netting quotas (including big time scene netting from shore) compounded by the biggest problem of all: fertilizer run-off into the breeding waters which reacted with the O2 in the water and wiped up stocks completely for several years. When you look back the come-back is impressive. Yeah the fish are small but at least we have fish.

IMO I repeat IMO! I think the best way to control the stocks forever is to do the following:

1) remove the $ from the fish. This means no stripers on the commerical market. this will remove the commerical interests completely and stop the rec's for having a reason to take a lot of fish.

2) Keep a reasonable rec level (several fish)

3) Keep the breeding waters in good shape.

Getting everyone to agree as what to do is the hardest. The problem is the commerical interests "want their take" and think they have a right to the resourse just as recs do....this is where I disagree. Rec's are not in it for the $.

I agree with both of your replies...it just seems to be out of our hands here in the northeast. It seems to be up to the Mid-Atlantic states to take care of our Bass fishing..I'm not too confident that that they are acting in the best intrest of us rec fisherman. I for one don't keep any Bass, just for pictures...my personal choice.

I think that the government is trying to conserve it. We have outfished striped bass in the past because of the commerical boats and new and improved fishing outfit technology. You can find some striped bass on the menus in Cape Cod and southern states.

It is a complimentary effort of many groups, comm & rec, federal & state, that have gotten together to restore the fish. The differences for years boils down to which group gets how much at the expense of the other groups & the fish.

The other facto that most everyone often forget is that there are now more hooks in the water than ever before. That means that is is crucial for us to employ better & more efficient catch & release methods than ever before.

I know it isn't much but...

I'll do my part as I have decided I will not keep a striper. Hopefully I won't ever have to make the other decision due to a deep hook or too long a fight, ...

So, as long as the fish will live, it will go back so I can catch it another day! :)

Now, I may keep a blue now and then ... ;)

Rob

BTW:
Striped Bass by Nick Karas is an excellent book!