RIGHT NOW...this Sat. evening, the best fish dinner in town (Falmouth) is on the blackboard "Specials" menu at the humble Falmouth Grille (the former Hearth and Kettle). It is fresh caught this morning, local waters, striped bass. I sent the waitress back, twice, to make sure that the fish wasn't black sea bass, and then again to make sure that the fish wasn't farm raised striped bass, or otherwise imported. My brother ordered it, $19.95.

I called Jim Young at Eastman's to make sure my emotioal investment in this avocation of mine wasn't otherwise clouding my judgment. Then I called the DNR, 800-632-8075, and spoke to a Boston area official on the recorded line. His response was underwhelming. He lectured me that it is perfectly legal for a restaurant establishment to misrepresent their product (as "local waters and wild caught, not pen raised"); and it is perfecty legal for a restaurant to sell striped bass, unless it was harvested from local (meaning MA state) waters. I told him that a Green Uniform should show up at this restaurant at a very minimum. Maybe they will, on Monday or so. So I also called one of our local Falmouth DNR officers whom I know personally.

Here is what I see and hear on the homefront; but first, here is what I "feel": First cast, WH, 11:30 last night. Perfect tide; about 1.2 hrs. Nobody home. Then a long snotty boatride to another venue...perfect bottom of the low tide conditions. I think, but I'm not sure, some mini fish slapping at microscopic sized sand eels; but I hooked nothing on my adult sized tackle. Result: nobody home. Back just in time to drive up to the Canal for a 4:15 AM start, skinplugging 150 yards of bank at dead slack perfect conditions water to full daylight, and then doing the standard "canal thing" like the considerable number of everybody else that was there this morning. Nothing. The five fishermen to the right of me in my view: nothing. The four to the left of me, two smalls. Across the canal from me, one lucky fisherman had two fish probably 15-20 lb. class. The myriad of others over there otherwise, pretty awful. And this is by far the HOTTEST canal I have seen in almost two weeks.

Alright, so I have a monkey on my back this season, so I am told by Dave Stiff Tip, my canal guru. But this is what I'm feeling...there just isn't a lot of fish now, for all of us, and all of the geographic water environment.

So Dr. Art C. goes boat fishing Middle Ground. He's a pretty good boat fisherman. He saw one squid jump. Then he daytime plugged a huge swatch of our Elizabeths. He hooked nothing! He and Numby have had several literally sterile boat trips so far this year in Vineyard Sound.

Capt. John C. is now turning down charters because there are no fish.

So how many of YOU, my fellow friends, are having a great season this year-- honestly?

The point I want to state after this long rant is: MAKE STRIPED BASS A GAMEFISH! TAKE THE $$$ DOLLARS OFF THE HEAD OF THIS PUBLIC RESOURCE. ELIMINAATE ENTIRELY THE COMMERCIAL STRIPED BASS FISHERY INDUSTRY, THE EXISTENCE OF WHICH DENIES AND DEFIES ANY ATTEMPT AT MEANINGFUL, RESTRICTIVE FISH HARVEST LAWS OR QUOTAS, AND MAKES IRONCLAD ENFORCEMENT OF PRESENT STRIPED BASS REGULATIONS IMPOSSIBLE. GAMEFISH!

I heard from a fellow S-B'er there are acres of bass in CC Bay!!!! I by no means am slayin' them and I have more than put my time in!!

If my 2010 season is any indication of the health of striped-bass, they are extinct.

fortune enough to have have some great outings so far this season :) i too believe that it would greatly benefit all if the stripers did'nt have a $$$ bounty on them. i contributed to the 80's decline as a comm and see it headed the same way. gamefish status in state waters is the way to go.

Hogwash!
There are plenty of striped bass, our harbor is full of em. They are rolling outside the breakwater.

So you had a bad few days, get over it. You'll hit em good some other day. I only managed hald a dozen rec keepers today when looking for large. You want bass? Try tuna fishing on Stellwagen. Nice Bass 36" to 40 pounds gourging on sand eels. This obviously empties the livewell meant for tuna allot faster.

I agree on the sound and elizabeths being surprisingly quiet this year for me. Poked around Middle round this am and it was pretty dead other than a few squid coming up here and there, no bass. Last year at this time the sound and elizabeths were loaded with fish. I'm guessing the majority of the fish are on the outer cape from reports I've gotten but there should be more fish than this around IMO.

Have to say there are more fish around my parts at this time than have been in past years. Been showing on top for the past four or five weeks, pretty regularly. And while not thirty or forties, a good mix of young to low twenty pound fish. And this is before we've even seen the pogies arrive. It is about the bait. They're on young herring and macks.

I agree with you about the restaurant though. Just be able to tell me what you are serving........

Why stop there--let's make striped bass a catch and release only species, the way some trout steams have only C&R regs. Let's eliminate tournaments. And the EPOs won't have to tape every fish they see being carried off the waters. After all we kill at least 5 times the number of bass (estimated because there are no catch reports filed or accurate records kept) than the commercials do.

Seems to me the answer is clear cut---6 million documented pounds versus an estimated 28 million pounds, season after season. Who's the bigger threat to the fishery?

You really want to take the price off the heads of the fish--and ego boosting is a cost that they pay--do the right thing.

Yes, it's intended to be over the top sarcasm--but why not? All Gamefish will do is reserve more of a species to our death warrants.

If you guys really believe that the fishery is in decline--let's eliminate the biggest threat to them---us.

mike, some of us believe there there should be no comm fishing AND cut the rec take in half. using your numbers this would reduce total take from 34m down to 14m...betcha that would help the fishery.

sounds good to me.

If my 2010 season is any indication of the health of striped-bass, they are extinct.

Well, now I know how you did yesterday.

RIJimmy and I were on Narr Bay yesterday. 2 boats, outfitted correctly. 2 guys, years of experience, overcast, live bunker and an incoming tide. ZERO fish!!

I love this Board. I love the guys on it. Unless something is done SOON, it will be the 1980s all over again and S-B.com will have no Stripers to talk about.

I am telling you I lived through the 0 Bass days and the moritorium. You guys will not enjoy it and this is EXACTLY the way it started.::wall:

I have never liked the 2 @ 28" per day here in Mass! 1 fish a day is enough for any recreational fisherman.....heck 1 a week is enough!

Sad thing is that no one wants to listen. Either they're tainted with a commercial ticket and won't give up the play money or the fight is too much to do so they would rather give it lip service. I just spent a week on the Cape. Between the Tri-State Tournament-catch an release= and my own fishingI saw only 170 fish landed and another possible 75 to 100 landed by several hundred anglers to include 5 exscursions along the canal,which on swveral day showed no fish landed. When Bell rd and Freindlies is MT of hard cores by 7am and only has a couple fishermen at anytime tells the story.Yes there are a couple huge schools of stripers sitting on the sandeels and spearing out at Stellwagon and some fish in the Bay where are all the other fish that are normally around. There are hardly any small fish in their normal haunts ,blues are scarce and loaners on rock piles don't exist.Those that want to keep their heads in the sand will one day find the morratoriums back in place cause it was either too easy to ignore it all or the money was too good for the toys and fishing trips it bought.Your right Larry 1 fish is enough.Ron

Wow. You guys sound like me 3 years ago. :hihi:
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

It's sad to see but it is the nature of fisheries. Fisherman for the most part always say there are plenty of fish. The govt never does the right thing.

In some ways I have had my best spring ever, over 60 fish 34"or larger. 90% of those fish came in 5 outings. I have only gotten 20 fish less then 28". The downside is that 3 out of 4 trips you don't catch anything.

Most of the action is while it is light. Only 2 night bites.

It's a different game. It seems you are targeting big migrations of fish. You get a few booms but a lot of busts. No resident fish. Very hard to find a pattern one day or night to dial in the next outing.

We NEEEEEED the numbers in from ASMFC. It's not perfect, it might not even be good, but it is loosely consistent.

And we need to cut back on all take - not just commercial (I don't have a commercial ticket). Cut the whole coastwide take back by 40% but we need to fix the forage as well.

Bill thats what a few guys are saying....not just lack of fish but lack of small fish!:confused:

You can tell just how frustrating the fishing is getting. look at how many of us are here to even post on a cloudy Sunday morning.LOL At least I have loads of gear to tinker with and a bunch more plugs to make LOL Ron

Bill thats what a few guys are saying....not just lack of fish but lack of small fish!:confused:

Larry, ....and that's how it started in the first massive crash in the early 80s. We were catching nothing but COWS. A 40 didn't even get noticed. Schoolie? What the hell is a schoolie? Then it was fewer big fish and NO small fish (like this year). And then there was nothing. If I remmber correctly 92 was the year of 1 36" fish.

When we had the moriotium and I was in the surf, one morning I caught 6 fish about 12 to 15". There was a bait store in narragansett call Top of the Dock. I went in there after fishing Deep Hole and catching these fish and told the owner. The store had it's regulars of which I was not one. They were all hanging around and they looked at me and called me a liar and that I should be ashamed for fabricating such nonsense.

That's how rare Bass got. Makai remembers, Back Beach remembers. The young guys on the Board might think I am crazy but there were NO bass. A 30 got written up in the newspaper. I won 2nd place inThundermist Striper Club in 92 with a 32# and most of these guys were the high hooks of legends.

During the moritorium (thanks to Sen John Chaffee, I think) it was keep nothing for 3 years, to keep 1, 36", to keep 1, 34". To this stupidness of 2, 28".

There are fish to catch. It is slower than years past and the trend is disturbing.Some may have to change their tactics but the fish are there.I have listened to those who catch for a living lay claim to the best spring ever in lower Buzzards Bay.Sauer,try to be sweet.The first place you tried has given up some cows recently.The fishery of convenience has subsided but those who are determined and dedicated will be rewarded.

Well, now I know how you did yesterday.

RIJimmy and I were on Narr Bay yesterday. 2 boats, outfitted correctly. 2 guys, years of experience, overcast, live bunker and an incoming tide. ZERO fish!!

I love this Board. I love the guys on it. Unless something is done SOON, it will be the 1980s all over again and S-B.com will have no Stripers to talk about.

I am telling you I lived through the 0 Bass days and the moritorium. You guys will not enjoy it and this is EXACTLY the way it started.::wall:

zero fish my arse, while fluking later in the day I foul hooked a scup! I am a master! :devil2:

How was the fluking ? I can't catch a bass or blue so I'll be looking for scup and fluke.

For fluke, I had no clue what I was doing, just drifted aimlessly under the Jtown bridge for a few hours. Got nothing and didnt see anyone get anything.
On a side note, I just think that its an off year for N. Bay. I did see thousands of bass on worm spawns - one in a harbor and another in a S. Count pond. Tons of healthy stripers. Just none on my line. It is odd that I have fished many hours the last 3 weeks with live bunker and have only 2 fish to show for it. Pretty sad. I look forward to fishing nights w/eels and hope things turn around.

For fluke, I had no clue what I was doing, just drifted aimlessly under the Jtown bridge for a few hours.

Maybe before canyon season I can join you for a lesson....

did you try the southern spot I mentioned?

there are definitely less fish around this spring, however we have very little bait around local waters as well....

I am pretty dedicate to a certain area in the month of May and early June. I live for this period of time each year fishing at least 3 day a week. I fish from a tin boat so I get to access and chase these fish around, not being stuck on land. I had no problem finding the fish this year and the pattern was the same as in many years past. It was quite impressive what I saw, size and quantity, all month and plenty of smaller fish too. The problem this year was getting the fish to eat. To see wave after wave of large fish move past you on the tide and not get a hook up was very disappointing. Thinking the next time out they will be hungry and eat but it just never materialized. No interest. What I threw the last several years, plugs that several fish at a time would fight over, would not trigger a response this year. They followed to the boat time after time but when they noticed me or the anchor rope they just wandered off. I would get a few to bite and I think it was more I was aggravating them, but compared to the last several years the hook up rate was way, way off. Plenty of quality fish but not much catching. I was not alone in this result. Heard the same thing over and over from some very accomplished fisherman. They were there in numbers, but just not interested. Still really don't understand why. That is the mystery of fishing. Eventually everyone gave up and the place is barren of boats now, very unusual this time of year, which actually is a good thing. Hopefully these newer guys, because of some loose lips, will go back to where they usually fish thinking all the raves were overrated, at least that is what I pray for.
I recently read Striper Wars while on vacation, truly a must read for any striped bass fisherman, and it really made me think about how I fish and what we are doing to my favorite hobby. I am thinking real hard about renewing my comm. license any more. Still up in the air. Deep down I would really luv to see all keeping of bass be done with and the taking of their food be a thing of the past too.

ASMFC is looking to increase the commercial catch by up to 50%. They are now accepting public input on addendum II until 10/1/2010. They will also be having public hearings. Now is the time to be heard. Send the letters and attend the hearings. Below is a list of the locations and dates of the hearings.

8/16 (6 PM):
Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, Holiday Inn, 55 Ariadne Road, Dedham, Massachusetts. For more information, please contact Jared Silva at (617) 626-1534.

8/17 (6 PM):
Rhode Island Division of Fish and Wildlife, URI, Narragansett Bay Campus, Corless Auditorium, 215 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, Rhode Island. For more information, please contact Mark Gibson at (401) 423-1935.

9/13 (7 PM):
New Hampshire Fish and Game, Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Road, Portsmouth, New Hampshire. For more information, please contact Doug Grout at (603) 868-1095.

9/14 (6 PM):
Maine Department of Marine Resources, Town of Yarmouth Log Cabin, 196 Main Street, Yarmouth, Maine. For more information, please contact Terry Stockwell at (207) 624-6553.

Almost makes me glad I've had to work all this weeks

Maine is also having ANOTHER slow year....3rd in a row for us....save some for us up here guys

There are fish to catch. It is slower than years past and the trend is disturbing.Some may have to change their tactics but the fish are there.I have listened to those who catch for a living lay claim to the best spring ever in lower Buzzards Bay.Sauer,try to be sweet.The first place you tried has given up some cows recently.The fishery of convenience has subsided but those who are determined and dedicated will be rewarded.

Chris, no argument. I have gotten my usual share of fish. I am not talking about a specific, I am speaking in general. Take a look at the board and you will see that the majority of the guys are having a bad year. Is it an anomoly? I don't know as I am not a fisheries biologist. Does everything point to a down turn OVERALL? Yes, no question about it. The bass fishery is off. I hope to God I am wrong but this is just so reminisent of the last crash.

It was interesting before the moritorium. i was doing pretty good as far as size an number of fish but I was mostly out in the boat. But from the surf it was getting harder an harder to find fish.I'd fish the Grave Yard and Fortunes Rocks and get some nice fish.Bob Pond would tell us that there was a big problem with the number of small fish and the spawning grounds were being contaminated with pesticides. at the hearings and meetings you'd hear all the comercial guys telling the same stories we hear now. Like back then the fisheries managers would only listen to the commercial interest with there high paid experts with fancy degrees tell the panels that the sportfishermen were greedy and didn't know what they're talking about and people like Bob Pond just wanted to save more fish so he could sell more plugs to sportfishermen and didn't really care about the fish.Few knew that most of the money atom lures made went right back into research and action to help save the striped Bass.I wish i had had a tape recorder back them because I could play back almost word for word what we hear today.Don't listen to the selfish sportfishermen and give the commercials more of the resourse. Well history does sure repeat itself. The difference this time is now we have to register to fish which will cut down the numbers of us fishing and give a larger voice to the commercial interest.There is no compromise as they won't give up anything till things get bad. Look what happened to the cod,halibut and haddock .Take till nothing left to take then switch to another species and do it again. Sad part is our infighting will help them. We were stupid enough to beleive they gave in on rod n reel commercial because they were being fair. LOL now we are fighting amoung ourselves instead of working together to fix the problem. The past has a way of coming around again. Ron

:claps:
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

The bass will still be swimming out there in great numbers when all of us and our kids kids are in boxes rotting away or in urns filled with our ashes !

More history on regulation meetings when the 2 fish at 28" decision was made. I was living in CT at the time. I made up a survey petition and left it in all the tackle shops from the CT river to The RI border. Got like 500 opinions and signatures from rec anglers. Like 5% wanted the change. At the meetings you know who wanted the change. Charter boat capts. Cap after cap got up there and said unless they had 2 fish at 28" they would not be in business. No offense intended to any Caps just saying that money changes everything and no one does the right thing till it is too late. Short term thinking rules.

for what ever its worth....

my buddy had a career day off the beach sunday

over 40 fish

all keepers

at least 20 would have been comm fish

not another person in sight

The bass will still be swimming out there in great numbers when all of us and our kids kids are in boxes rotting away or in urns filled with our ashes !

agreed

so will the plovers!

The bass will still be swimming out there in great numbers when all of us and our kids kids are in boxes rotting away or in urns filled with our ashes !

You sure about that? How much of my life and my kids life will it be like the mid to late 1980's? Where are the cod? Can't seem to find them from shore on the cape these days.

Some thoughts:

The problem is not the amount of Striped Bass but where they are located.
and
The problem is not that the fish are not here but that they are wicked hard to catch because they are transitioning to forage that is hard to mimic.

I suggest the problem is that we have multiple crisis regarding forage species.

Some Examples:

The reason Buzzards Bay is spotty with big areas of bad fishing and a few good is because the Menhaden have been a target by rec and commercial operations for over a month.

I was recently speakign with Throsing Timber who informed me NArragansett was great fishign until the Menhaden operations went to work. After that, collapse of fishing.

The reason MV Sound/middleground/falmouth have all been sllllooooooww is that there have been very very little squid. Why? Commercial overfishing?????

Why is there a monsterous body of fish between Chatham and Ptown? Why have there been blitxes of twenty pounders on Race Poing for the first time in many years? The answer is the presence of sea herring. The seals are not the problem with back side fishing nor is it a lack of striped bass. The availability of bait is the problem. Right now the back side is loaded with micro to large sea herring and the stripers are there big time.

Why is there reports of great fishing in CC Bay. We appear to be off to a good start for sand eels.

Why no fish off the coast of Maine? It's a fact that the State lets every possible commercial operation beat the snot out of every possible species that can be used for lobster bait.

Why no fish off NC in January? Industrial trawlers work the three mile line off the NC coast for the full month of December and decimate mullet, menhaden, shad and all the other forage. The fishgin we keep hearing aobut in the EEZ dow there is a result of no bait inside 3 miles.

Why is there a major problem with shore fishing all over in late May and early June? I think the lack of River Herring might have something to do with it.

Besdies the bait problems...

Of course a commercial increase is insane and I continue to predict that once ASMFC scientists give an updated number for natural mortality caused by the evidence of mycobacteriosis in the coastal migrating population AND and increased number for fishing mortality that includes some estimate of eez poaching during the winter than we will get our cut back to one fish.

I do want to correct the miguided assumption that a cut to one ifsh at 28" will cut the amount of the rec catch by 1/2. In fact it does not cut that catch by much at all.


Please come fight for the bait...it's our key to a healthy Striped Bass Fishery

Some thoughts:

The problem is not the amount of Striped Bass but where they are located.
and
The problem is not that the fish are not here but that they are wicked hard to catch because they are transitioning to forage that is hard to mimic.

How can you know that? Consistently, it seems as though scientists' estimates on biomass are terrible at best. A couple of large schools of fish in CC Bay and a couple of other areas doesn't make up for what seems like a lack of fish in many other areas.

I completely agree with you that cutting the rec take to 1 @ 28" would be ineffective. That's why I think at a minimum, both the commercial take should be reduced (instead of the nonsense opinion by ASMFC that it should be increased) along with the Recs being limited to 1 @ 34".

On these boards and especially during the SF bill, you harped on the idea that we should trust ASMFC and that they will make the right decisions when it comes to managing Striped Bass. However, they have consistently demonstrated and continue to demonstrate that they either manage through the best interests of the commercial industry or are completely incompetent.

If ASMFC approves an increase to the commercial bass quota, it should be the final nail in the coffin of confidence in ASMFC ever effectively managing any species. Should that occur, MSBA should really re-evaluate their support of the regulating body, else there won't be any more stripers to have an association for.

I am at the point where I say uncle. The commercials you know the ones who kill everything they can will eventually kill the striper. Literally every fish that has been commercially fished for is in bad shape. Look at the halilbut: up untill the late 1800's when had halibut on the east coast that were bigger than Alaskan halibut.... gone. Money wins over whats right finish off the bass and go on to the next species. Pretty soon we will be like england fishing for sand sharks and conger eels if any of them are left.

Johnny,

I do not know what science you are referring. Biomass estimates are down, they are not "terrible at best". Is there a reason to be concerned...yep. Does that mean close the fishery...nope. If the arguements/theories in this thread were carried over we should all be argueing to close Tuna Fishing period, or at least demand Tuna are Gamefish.

ASMFC has taken no action as of yet. They are considering an action and just like before, this action will fail. Sure it's a PIA but that is what we get when we have a democratic system. Just because there is a proposal does not mean the sky is falling

One thing for sure is that if this was a legislative decision (ie...SF proposal) we would have already lost so I stand by all that I argued for in the S-F debate.

Johnny,

I do not know what science you are referring. Biomass estimates are down, they are not "terrible at best". Is there a reason to be concerned...yep. Does that mean close the fishery...nope. If the arguements/theories in this thread were carried over we should all be argueing to close Tuna Fishing period, or at least demand Tuna are Gamefish.

ASMFC has taken no action as of yet. They are considering an action and just like before, this action will fail. Sure it's a PIA but that is what we get when we have a democratic system. Just because there is a proposal does not mean the sky is falling

One thing for sure is that if this was a legislative decision (ie...SF proposal) we would have already lost so I stand by all that I argued for in the S-F debate.

What I meant by "terrible at best" is the way in which they estimate the stock and mortality. As you said, biomass estimates are down and there's a reason to be concerned, yet ASMFC has a proposal to increase the commercial take?? How does that even make sense?

Let me try and understand... biomass estimates are down and we should be concerned, but the problems people are having with catching fish aren't because of the number of bass around, it's because of the bait? 2 + 2 just doesn't = 4 for me here.

If this were a legislative decision, who exactly would have lost - recreational fishermen, rod & reel commercial, charters? In my opinion all of us (as in everyone that fishes for SB) and the striped bass population will lose completely if ASMFC is allowed to continue its reckless management of the species.

I saw SAUERKRAUT smile today

I saw SAUERKRAUT smile today

Numbskull must have hooked himself in the butt with a treble...

Please explain why cutting the rec limit to 1 fish would not have a great impact on the total catch. :confused:

I understand why it would not be cut by 50%, but I would think that a 1 fish limit would be make an appreciable difference.



I do want to correct the miguided assumption that a cut to one ifsh at 28" will cut the amount of the rec catch by 1/2. In fact it does not cut that catch by much at all.

Please explain why cutting the rec limit to 1 fish would not have a great impact on the total catch. :confused:

I understand why it would not be cut by 50%, but I would think that a 1 fish limit would be make an appreciable difference.

For Rec and charter: 1 Fish 36"
Period

For Rec and charter: 1 Fish 36"
Period

Bry, You got a better cance of shoveling snow in Narr in July. They just will not listen

I saw SAUERKRAUT smile today

Proving again that even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Proving again that even a broken clock is right twice a day.

What if its Digital???

Can't this topic be tabled until, say, January?

Does anyone here actually fish?

Can't this topic be tabled until, say, January?

Does anyone here actually fish?

Arent you about due for your annual " Its Over" thread? :soon:

Every now and then

I love this Board. I love the guys on it. Unless something is done SOON, it will be the 1980s all over again and S-B.com will have no Stripers to talk about.

:

I hope you released it :uhuh:

Sad part is that most Rec fishermen don't catch very many keeper sized fish unless they,re on a charter and those of us that catch any number of them only keep a half dozen fish a season as it is so there would,t be all that much of a difference but there would be some. Time to go chase some big ones again. Ron

I can speak to Barnstable Harbor in May, and the Race plus the backside in June. I am having a blast. I mark a lot of fish, and catch some on every outing. I release more fish than I keep. 2010 is awesome so far.

Arent you about due for your annual " Its Over" thread? :soon:

or a you missed it thread would be much more appropriate.:wall: but for once i won't be included.:)

Re this striped bass fishery: This fishery truly belongs to the "common man", the public. Is there any doubt about this in your mind as you watch the access and availability of a world class fishery unfold from time to time, right now at the Canal, but potentially tomorrow at your beach or your inshore waters.

The recreational fish and fisherman CAN BE AND IS MORE THAN WILLING, AND IN FACT IS DEMANDING...more stringent catch quota regulations for the health of this fishery. On the other hand, the commercial industry DEFIES regulation, and defies even existing fish law. This status quo of an existing commercial fishery, produces a regulation and enforcement nightmare and loopholes which aids and abets the greed and avarace of the commercial fishery enterprise. This public resource striped bass fishery deserves to be preserved for the 95 plus per cent of the public to access 95% of any total allowable harvest. There is no longer any room for a commercial harvest striped bass fishery to exist any longer.

Every week I watch individuals kill nothing, or kill less, or kill smaller fish than what they put on the beach or the rock. We are not doing this to save the breeder bass or biomass for a commercial fishing industry!

Last winter, in Florida there was a freeze and a giant fish kill-- specifically snook. The State, fearing it MAY have an important fishery in distress, shut down the snook fishery completely until they could assess the impact. Not a single "public comment" hearing or meeting, the DNR just did it! And, THERE WAS NOT ONE WHIMPER OF PROTEST FROM THE RECREATIONAL SECTOR. NO...WRINGING OF THE HANDS IN MOCK HARDSHIP... How could the State of Florida do this? Because Florida snook is protected by Gamefish status that's why. A legal commercial sale and commerce of snook no longer exists. Florida already fought that battle.

Make stiped bass a Gamefish! On an individual basis, TREAT your striper catch like it is a gamefish. Do not "commercial fish" just because you can (are you hearing me Professor). Respect this fish and fishery which gives back so much to you and you will find that you probably will feel good about yourself. Feed yourself some good striped bass dinners if you're good enough, but feed your neighbors, or casuals bluefish, or black seabass, or scup...

Bonds to all...SK

Does anyone here actually fish?

I'm pretty sure the answer is yes, but you knew that.

I was wondering yesterday if anyone actually works anymore:huh:



BTW, congrats:fishin::uhuh:

BTW, congrats:fishin::uhuh:

NOW what did he do?

he went fishing

NOW what did he do?

I managed to be the only person who didn't catch a single fish from the canal in the last five days...:huh:

Redlite completely missed it too, so I don't feel so bad.:devil:

SK, perhaps some fish and another sunrise have cleared the cobwebs.The fact that Paul participates in the comm harvest makes no impact whatsoever.The recs who take home a few dinners a year are hurting the fishery much more.I urge everyone to enjoy their time on the water,it's the gift that keeps giving.

it's the gift that keeps giving.

Did you get that quote from christmas vacation?



YouTube - Christmas Vacation - Jelly of the Month Club (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1K8-kNuDgoA)

So far this year I've seen more bass in Cape Cod Bay than I've ever seen in my entire life. You can literally walk on the bass from Race Point to the Southwest corner to Peaked Hill.

My father did his annual trip last week down to Cuttyhunk / Elizabeths and struck out completely over 3 days.

Sounds to me like the bait is the problem. Not the bass. The 30# bass are a nuisance to people tuna fishing up here.

SK, perhaps some fish and another sunrise have cleared the cobwebs..

His cobwebs are permanent, without them his skull would collapse.

SK, perhaps some fish and another sunrise have cleared the cobwebs.The fact that Paul participates in the comm harvest makes no impact whatsoever.The recs who take home a few dinners a year are hurting the fishery much more.I urge everyone to enjoy their time on the water,it's the gift that keeps giving.

The Prof. and I had this Canal side talk...initiated by him incidentally as I slid my 29# er back in the water and he was doing likewise, with a close relative (and several others) which I photoed for him. So, all of this in jest and good humor.

However, the business is serious: The harvest and kill at present levels from all abuser groups is overboard excessive and the stress on this fishery is palpable. Individually, we must now take,harvest, and kill less than the regulations fish law presently legally allows. THEN, when it comes a time to act collectively, we can demand what we deserve: 95% of this accessible, public resource for 95% of the public who wants access to it!

I repeat, there is no room any more for a directed commerce and commercial fishing industry for this species. If any fishery deserves gamefish status, it is this one.

Act accordingly my fellow sleep deprived and marriage stressed partners.

Incidentally, I started this Thread being P.O.'d coming out of the Falmouth Grile restaurant here in Falmouth where they were illegally engaging in the commerce of serving "fresh, local waters, wild caught, striped bass", and I reported this to the DNR. So far, the DNR locally has rec'd no communication, notice or action followup on my complaint. How absolutely typical and predictable!

This is just great. Now, I risk the poisoning of my 90 year old wheelchair bound mother or myself when we return (it's Mom's favorite spot).

So far this year I've seen more bass in Cape Cod Bay than I've ever seen in my entire life. You can literally walk on the bass from Race Point to the Southwest corner to Peaked Hill.

My father did his annual trip last week down to Cuttyhunk / Elizabeths and struck out completely over 3 days.

Sounds to me like the bait is the problem. Not the bass. The 30# bass are a nuisance to people tuna fishing up here.






"Sounds to me like the bait is the problem. Not the bass. The 30# bass are a nuisance to people tuna fishing up here."[/QUOTE]

Andrew, you hit the nail on the head!
You ask me, most of these guys on this site (and other sites) sit on the computers and talk about fishing more than actually fishing.
Or if they do get off the computer and go, just because the fish are not in (shore) spots from the past they think there are no fish out there.

The Prof. and I had this Canal side talk...initiated by him incidentally as I slid my 29# er back in the water and he was doing likewise, with a close relative (and several others) which I photoed for him. So, all of this in jest and good humor.

However, the business is serious: The harvest and kill at present levels from all abuser groups is overboard excessive and the stress on this fishery is palpable. Individually, we must now take,harvest, and kill less than the regulations fish law presently legally allows. THEN, when it comes a time to act collectively, we can demand what we deserve: 95% of this accessible, public resource for 95% of the public who wants access to it!

I repeat, there is no room any more for a directed commerce and commercial fishing industry for this species. If any fishery deserves gamefish status, it is this one.

Act accordingly my fellow sleep deprived and marriage stressed partners.

My point,in case you missed it, is that any angler who chooses to participate in the commercial harvest of striped bass is not doing the species a disservice.As you know,quotas will be met regardless of his participation.Some choose to supplement their income or fuel fund by helping to meet the quota.The selfish pigs who choose to take 2 fish every time they catch are the ones killing the fishery.Until the laws have changed his participation makes zero impact.Please tell the collective masses how you plan to implement gamefish status for this regional treasure,or are you merely waxing poetic?The 95% part has me slightly perplexed also. What exactly do you mean by that?As for mom,do not burden her with the details,take her out for a growth hormone burger.

"
You ask me, most of these guys on this site (and other sites) sit on the computers and talk about fishing more than actually fishing.
Or if they do get off the computer and go, just because the fish are not in (shore) spots from the past they think there are no fish out there.

Sauerkraut fishes a lot.....and very, very hard.

There should be fish in here AND out there. When there is not there is a problem.

"Sounds to me like the bait is the problem. Not the bass. The 30# bass are a nuisance to people tuna fishing up here."

Andrew, you hit the nail on the head!
You ask me, most of these guys on this site (and other sites) sit on the computers and talk about fishing more than actually fishing.
Or if they do get off the computer and go, just because the fish are not in (shore) spots from the past they think there are no fish out there.[/QUOTE]


I think the bait is a huge part of the problem but working the bait AND reducing overall bass catch is what we need IMO.

Ronnie, some of us can only get out two days per week. Life and responsibility getting in the way and all :tooth:

Sauerkraut fishes a lot.....and very, very hard.

There should be fish in here AND out there. When there is not there is a problem.

This what I've been saying for quite some time. Whenever a post like SK's is made, inevitably, people say "Fish harder, The fish are out there, just not where you are looking". They don't get the big picture. When fish are absent from a lot of places they SHOULD be, there are most likely less fish in totality. The problem is not that no one is catching fish (yet) the problem is that A LOT of people who KNOW how to catch fish, and have been doing so for quite some time are finding it harder and harder to do so. SOMEONE somewhere will always be doing well, but when less people are doing well there is a problem.

And as far as "get out more", A lot of us have lives outside of fishing and really don't want to get divorced/unemployed for the sake of catching fish. And while "getting out more" will increase my catch. It will in no way INCREASE the fish out there to catch which is the root of the problem.

A lot of us have not decreased our fishing frequency, yet our success has gone down. The writing has been on the wall for a few years now, but few want to read it.

It always was that you could go elsewhere to find better fishing, but you could also always find some fishing on a resident population of fish without traveling.

When the resident populations of fish disappear it is a bad sign, even if remaining localized concentrations of fish still provide great success for those willing to travel.

Whether it is bait, overfishing, pollution, global warming, or all of the above does not really matter. Overfishing should be the one easiest to control. But it isn't.

Keep in mind also that for guys in middle age or further, if you plan to catch quality fish in your retirement years, those fish ought to be swimming out there (or be born very soon) right now. How is that looking for ya?

Sauerkraut fishes a lot.....and very, very hard.

There should be fish in here AND out there. When there is not there is a problem.

yup, ran into him again this morning, fishing. BTW you didn't miss anything, but it was a nice morning to be out there, again:)
He was just busting me. I brought up the subject with him. I enjoy his opinion and perspective .

[QUOTE=Sea Dangles;774313]My point,in case you missed it, is that any angler who chooses to participate in the commercial harvest of striped bass is not doing the species a disservice.As you know,quotas will be met regardless of his participation.

SD: No way will you get me to buy into the above rationalization...unless I could find a way to "go commercial" for the season, and report three or four thousand pounds of bogus striped bass I didn't catch or kill...so I could do a small, individual part to offset the mass under reporting and over the quota harvest presently taking place in the present existing commercial fishing industry.

The present, existing recreational fishing interests are not in any way responsible for the nightmare of enforecement failures and monitoring failures of striped bass harvest coastal wide. It is the existence of, and the commercial commerce in, a striped bass fishery which produces the individual, the restaurant, the fish buyer, who will break the law with impunity for the sake of the dollar $$$ greed.

The recreational striped bass public is now sensitized and savvy to the issue; as a result, the public (yourself included Mr. SD, I know), fish with restraint and we are surely self policing. I saw a Greek taking sh.. up at the Canal 5 days ago for killing two rubbery old breeders, 30 and 38 pounds, which "legally" he was "entitled" to do!
And the sh.. wasn't coming from me!

The commercial fishing industry defies any regulation much less self policing and self enforcement. And so the nightmare goes on. Are you with me or against me? Bonds.

Against you.

Your conclusions seem to be part fact part tooth fairy.I'm with you to an extent but I also deal in reality.I don't think you want to pay tax on thousands of pounds of bogus fish caught.Is there a black market?Yes there is.But that has zero impact on the quota.Which brings us back to reality,I don't think the state documents black market sales so the quota still will be met with or without anglerX participating.Which means any law abiding commercial angler has zero impact on the species so long as the current system is in place.I hope you understand my position.Back to the tooth fairy;if you think the recreational anglers are policing themselves you surely have to fish more in the daytime.From the immigrants filling white buckets with shorts to the aforementioned pigs who always take two.(do I recall a thread about an elderly angler friend you fish with at the canal describing just that ?)No, the recs are abusive for the most part. And that is putting it kindly.The two fish per outing at 28" is crippling the species,none of the numbers are accounted for,it is simply a nightmare as you suggest.I will say this;I have never seen as many striped bass in my life as I saw today.All day long,for acres and acres..I respectfully disagree SK,but I am not against you.I think if more anglers shared your passion the sport would benefit greatly.

[QUOTE=BasicPatrick;773789]Some thoughts:
I do want to correct the miguided assumption that a cut to one ifsh at 28" will cut the amount of the rec catch by 1/2. In fact it does not cut that catch by much at all.


patrick, please correct this for me, i guess i'm under that misguided assumption. i agree on the bait issue.

Some thoughts:
I do want to correct the miguided assumption that a cut to one ifsh at 28" will cut the amount of the rec catch by 1/2. In fact it does not cut that catch by much at all.

broken record.
one fish @ 36"

if 1 @ 28 doesn't cut it, I bet 1 @ 36" does...

Last I checked if you cut the daily rec take from 2 fish at 28 inches a day to 1 fish at 28 inches a day (1 @ 34" would be better) that equates to a half???????No???? If I put up 2 fingers.......and then put down one of the fingers......then I have half as many fingers as I did before?????:jester::hihi::rotf3::rotflmao::laughs:

Last I checked if you cut the daily rec take from 2 fish at 28 inches a day to 1 fish at 28 inches a day (1 @ 34" would be better) that equates to a half???????No???? If I put up 2 fingers.......and then put down one of the fingers......then I have half as many fingers as I did before?????:jester::hihi::rotf3::rotflmao::laughs:

The problem is Larry, while you are trying to be funny, most people don't take 2 fish anyways, either don;t need or can't catch two. so dropping it from 1 to 2 at the same size reduces it by some % less than half.... up the size.
1 @ 36", keep the comm open but crack down on enforcement.

Most of the people I see do in fact take all they are allowed every time they go out! You may not be seeing it but I do! I can gaurantee the folks slaying fish earlier in the week at a certain spot were all taking their limit!

Larry, I believe that the majority of the recreational take is attributed to assumed/estimated catch and release mortality.
That won't change even with a 1 fish limit.

Everyone has their "theories"! If you keep it at 1 fish......then that is ALL they will take.....legally! If you keep it at 2 fish......many will take them both....not all but many! If the limit is one I do not see how you could possibly not see that as making a difference????

Everyone has their "theories"! If you keep it at 1 fish......then that is ALL they will take.....legally! If you keep it at 2 fish......many will take them both....not all but many! If the limit is one I do not see how you could possibly not see that as making a difference????

Of course it makes a difference. But it does not reduce the recreational mortality by 1/2.

Technically....by the take limit.....it does!

How is it possible this can even be a debate?One will REDUCE the rec impact dramatically.Don't forget that boaters also fall into the rec category,and they have an even better opportunity to skirt the regs.

Amen Chris....it really is just that simple!

I understand and agree with your guys point, but I think the actual effect is not as big as you think (although ANY reduction is good by me).

The actual mortality numbers for 2008 estimate 2.2 million fish were kept recreationally, and about 1 million fish (950,000) were released and died. Since many anglers do not catch 2 fish or keep 2 fish (and since the recreational community does not fish to a hard quota determined season), a reduction to a 1 fish limit would not automatically reduce the recreational kept number to 1.1 million. Rather it would probably be more like 1.5 million (a guess). The release mortality would increase a bit (@60,000 fish) since 8% of those extra 700,000 released fish would die.

That means dropping the recreational limit to one fish would reduce the total recreational kill from 3.2 million fish, to 2.5 million......a drop of about 20-25%. To reduce the recreational kill further would require a size limit increase as well.

Sure would love to know where they derive the "released and died" numbers from????? They must have followed the fish or later took a survey!:rotf2:

Again.....the switch from 2 fish to 1 fish would be significant. Lets all agree on that...K?

And I already mentioned the size should go up...34...36 inches....either works for me!

Sure would love to know where they derive the "released and died" numbers from????? They must have followed the fish or later took a survey!:rotf2:

Again.....the switch from 2 fish to 1 fish would be significant. Lets all agree on that...K?

And I already mentioned the size should go up...34...36 inches....either works for me!

How long will we minority keep saying 1, 34 or 1, 36? No one wants to listen.

It's like this nitwit on the "other board". Said he fished from April to Nov and keeps 4 fish a WEEK. I was going to point out that amounts to 108 fish that he keeps. WHAT THE *&%$@# DO YOU NEED TO KILL 108 BASS FOR???? I haven't killed 108 bass in 10 years.

But what's the use! With that kind of mentality, anything I said would have started one of these *&%$^throwing wars. "IT's my right blah, blah, blah....."

4 fish a week is insane!!! Love to know how much of that fish is being eaten and how much is actually tossed in the dumpster?!?!?!

George loves numbers and analysis,but if there were a 20-25% reduction it would be substantial bordering on monumental. Push the size limit to 34" and the numbers increase exponentially.
I still want to know how SK intends to help make it a gamefish.

I still want to know how SK intends to help make it a gamefish.

by eliminating the opposition :smash:????? seriously..... i believe in gamefish status in state waters. chris -that is the $64,000 question :). gamefish status in state waters, no comm, and 1 fish @36" could'nt help but improve the fishery in a large way.

Don which state??

Don which state??

all states big feller...

I still want to know how SK intends to help make it a gamefish.[/QUOTE]

Don't know. No idea how the State of FL managed to do do this with snook, but it was an all out war down there. Maybe all of the recreational sector should fish commercial, early fill the Almighty Quota, and work to once again CRASH the fishery in the hope that we get a better deal from the next time...if there would be a next time. Otherwise, I will follow my heart and remain a verbal advocate for Gamefish status for this public resource. Bonds.

Big

On

Not

Depleting

Stripers!

Way to go Alan!! Bonds to you!:uhuh:

Well a thought for everyone. Why is it ok for all the commercial inshore netters to be netting at night now so no one can see all the dead fish they throw back in.What all the sportfisherman and commercial rod n reelers catch in a season these people kill in a week in unrecorded bycatch. Squid,bunker,scup and just about any other type of fish that stripers feed on that is netted has a huge bycatch that is one of the things many of us see when we see all those stripers floating on the water in the morning.Might be an idea to make night netting illegal to put these actions back in the public eye. add this to all the other ideas and the stripers may have a chance.Ron

"In the sixties [1860's] many clubs were formed at Newport, West Island, Block Island and Montauk, and at Cuttyhunk and Pasque Islands where the waters were chummed with menhaden and where the members fished from rocks and from iron stands built on the rocky points that jut out into the sea.

I have known my father, the late George Griswold, who was a keen fisherman, to bring home before breakfast, four fish that would weigh over fifty pounds each, but that was in the sixties at New London where no bass are now to be found.

Last season (1914) I heard of but three large fish taken in the waters off the Elizabeth Islands. They weighed 51, 52 and 73 pounds. The summer before but one large fish was reported.

The fishing clubs have been abandoned, the stands have been destroyed by the action of the sea and the waters are no longer chummed or fished, for the large striped bass have become a tradition of the past.

This has been caused by excessive net fishing, for the bass, being a migratory fish, has been and is still netted along the full length of the coast both going and coming as well as when in southern waters and the result has been fatal."

Frank Gray Griswold
Some Fish and Some Fishing, 1921


A little history

Otherwise, I will follow my heart and remain a verbal advocate for Gamefish status for this public resource. Bonds.[/QUOTE]

And I truly respect that, even if I am on the other side of the fence at this time. It is not easy taking the hard route and it is good to have an opposite opinion to anything we do in life as then you get to see both sides of an issue and sometimes after reviewing your path you may change your mind. But without an opposite opinion you may never know what you are missing. The bottom line is everyone cares about this fish just some differently than others. I am concerned and I just hope the side I am on at this time is not wrong, and I end up living to regret my decision.

Paul, i for one fished comm. leading up to the decline of the 80's. i (now) regret having a negitive effect on the fishery. sure i have a vested interest in this fishery running a plug business, but my main interest comes as a fisherman first and foremost. some of the older guys have this flashback back in the day.....when a 20# made your day. it's not rocket science- less killed on both sides equal more fish swimming.

It can get past the point of absurd at some point.Maybe some of these so called advocates will stop fishing altogether at some point for fear of the impact on the fishery due to the so called release mortality rate.This is probably the only way to make certain you are having are not making a negative impact on the fishery.

that is true Chris, that is one way to put your money where your mouth is. I think that a lot of the people that want it a game fish luv to fish way too much to ever be able to go that far, I know I could never do that but personally, like I said above, I think it is good to have people like Alan to keep us thinking about what we are doing with a resource that is there for everyone to enjoy, even if you are against his vision. It will be impossible to please all the people all the time but it is not a bad thing to try.

Well I've tagged an release a lot of fish and have seen a fes floaters from time to time but one sure reality is if the release mortality was just half what it is listed as you'd see hundreds of dead fish littering the shore line after every blitz. seems funny that with all the blitzes that have been witnessed just by those of us on this site there would have been loads of info and complaints on it about the release kill off. I've landed many fish that had hardware still hanging out of their mouths. Commercial release ie by-catch is just plain dead. netted fish don't swim away.I've worked on a gill netter as a kid. always thought it was such a waste.
Never have bought into the release mortality. especially after watching a Bassmasters show from time to time. No one is gonna ever convince me that the striped bass are that fragile and we're so poor at how we release the fish to swim another day. Ron

Sure would love to know where they derive the "released and died" numbers from????? They must have followed the fish or later took a survey!:rotf2:


They come from several studies done in VA and MD. They caught and released the fish into a giant pen, so they could watch them. Most of the mortality comes days after the release, which is why you don't see dead fish floating around after a blitz.

on that mortality rate....how were they caught? bait, fly, plug....

on that mortality rate....how were they caught? bait, fly, plug....

They have tested bait and plugs. Gut hooked bait is the worse. But what really kills fish is temperature. As I recall (always iffy these days) when water temps are in the 70's almost half the fish you release probably die.

Watched a guy in the canal land a 25-30ish pound fish on a plug. He lipped that fish (plug and all) and unhooked it without ever taking it out of the water, then spent a few minutes reviving it even though it looked fresh enough to swim sooner. I was duly impressed.


Here is some stuff from another thread:

Here is a link with some data http://www.acuteangling.com/Reference/C&RMortality.html

Here is a study (FW Striped Bass) that mentions temp effects. There is a better one somewhere that I can't find.
http://web.vims.edu/GreyLit/MDNR/ftm016?svr=www

At RP a number of years ago I witnessed an angler filet a fish without removing it from the water.I can't stand watching a floater go by,what a waste.
George,as a result of that study do you curtail your fishing when temps climb to such levels?

Yup I remember the study. Temps were over 90 the whole time and they didn't do a break down on how the fish were caught ie plugs,worms,mackeral and so on. still don't buy the results as over the yrs I've seen way too many fish revive and swim away from really being beat on and survive. Yes there is a mortality rate but one or 2 local studies definitly don't tell the story. Bob showed that more times than anyone. To be valid it might be an idea to do a few more say like by state and season to get the story straight. They die they float. Biology. viscara releases gasses inside the fish till a bird or other fish punctures the body so it will sink.A blitz or a lot of local fishing during a migration will show a load of floaters if the figures were even close.Netted fish however ie by-catch all die.So why do we allow the netters to ply their trade at night when no one can see the damage done. It will take a lot of different things to fix it. we did a good job on the 80's helping to bring the fish back. The problems all started with the holy price tag. as long as a buck is attached well it won't be long till the 80's will be relived. But what the heck those of us that went through the moratoriums don't know what we're talking about.I keep mabe a dozen fish a yr. Short of puttin the rods up not much more that I can do.But i will try to steer things to a course that will help the fish. Ron

.
George,as a result of that study do you curtail your fishing when temps climb to such levels?

Nope. Too selfish for that. I prefer to delude myself that they all make it. I do try to get them back into the water fast. I had a 34lb fish (which is big for me) go belly up and get swept away from me a rough August night 2 years ago after I weighed, photographed, then thought I'd revived it. Sort of ruined most of the pride I had in catching it.

I ditched the scale a couple years ago,it really serves no purpose in the surf.I still remember scrambling to get the tin fired up to chase a large fish that was released after an unsuccessful revival.It became people food instead of fish food.

Any study done where fish are "released" into a pen is skewed imo.Fish don't do well in pens.

I don't disagree with the 7% rate because of the way many people handle the fish. For people who really care and are careful 1% may be right but for others 50% would be closer. Go down to the popular beaches during the day and watch them drag fish up the beach and keep it out of the water for 20 minutes while they show everyone, then just throw it in. Even if it can swim away in the weaken state something will often eat it. Watch how they free line bait on the bottom just asking for a gut hook.

If your schoolie fishing with barbed treble hooks your going to kill more fish then single hook with the barb crushed. Watch how some people will just grab the plug and rip the hooks out rather than pulling them out the way they went in. You damage their mouth they will have trouble feeding. Too many people just don't care or think the fish can live through anything.

No...the State DNR Enforcement never called me back regarding my complaint about the illegal striped bass commerce I witnessed. Instead, I heard more indirectly from the mother of one of our local DNR officers. Mom told me that a "Jamaican showed up at the back door of the restaurant and sold the restaurant the fish". And so I guess that's the end of the story!

All of this bodes well for the upcoming commercial season.

Business as usual.

Spots in NH & ME that have held small schoolies since the recovery have been disturbingly quiet the past few years. To catch small fish is notable -- especially in abundance.

Our fall blitzing activity up here has really been minimal the past three seasons...There haven't been enough fish around to drive any widespread, sustained surface feeding.

Conservative measures are needed. Even if exactly what's going on is uncertain, wouldn't taking a conservative stance on striped bass mortality make sense?

One major concern is the Gulf oil spill. With a collapse of that region's fisheries, striped bass will be more valuable than ever. Think it's a tough fight against the $$ now? It'll get worse.

Spots in NH & ME that have held small schoolies since the recovery have been disturbingly quiet the past few years. To catch small fish is notable -- especially in abundance.

Our fall blitzing activity up here has really been minimal the past three seasons...There haven't been enough fish around to drive any widespread, sustained surface feeding.

Conservative measures are needed. Even if exactly what's going on is uncertain, wouldn't taking a conservative stance on striped bass mortality make sense?

One major concern is the Gulf oil spill. With a collapse of that region's fisheries, striped bass will be more valuable than ever. Think it's a tough fight against the $$ now? It'll get worse.

taking the conservative route would make way to much sense.... so you can count that out... :scratch:

unfortunately, it feels like nothing substantial will be done about this until its too late.

Nope. Too selfish for that. I prefer to delude myself that they all make it. I do try to get them back into the water fast. I had a 34lb fish (which is big for me) go belly up and get swept away from me a rough August night 2 years ago after I weighed, photographed, then thought I'd revived it. Sort of ruined most of the pride I had in catching it.

Back in 92 I was fishing at the Second Rip with a bunch of commercial rod and reel guys. I had given up my commercial license so I was catching and releasing. I caught a fish that was about 25# and after a long fight landed it, revived it (or so I thought) and released it.
Well the fish washed up on the beach about 10 minutes later and the late and great George Calzone grabbed the fish and threw it in his fish tote. I told him that I had released that fish earlier and it swam away. He said, "Paulie, in the Summer (this was at the beginning of July, maybe the 5th or 6th) most of the released fish don't survive because of the lactic acid build up and the water temps." I believe he was correct.

I think the reallocation of Gamefish status is wrong. That the goal is reduction of pressure on the fish regardless of usergroup. But the longer this fishery remains in disarray the less confident I am that it can be managed WITH commercial interests.

At minimum we need to see a rollback of total catch, rec & comm, by a third. Or better, go back to limits of a few years ago and then cut back by a third.

On the rec side this will likely mean 1 fish max per day minimum 34 (I can live with that) and for example Mass comm going back to 800K pounds off 2006 and then taking off a third.

The way this is rolling, those commercial fishing better hope for just reduced allocation rather than no allocation. Recs best push for reduced too.

What's the point in even having limits if they aren't going to be enforced??

At the canal on Friday night, a group of 6 asians show up on the east end and separate into two groups - one group fished at the base of the jetty and the other a little ways west of there. There were a bunch of 14-20" schoolies around and every fish they brought in went into the cooler, another group of non-english speakers were doing the same.

I'm disgusted and walk away so that I don't have to witness it any more. Get about a half mile away and see a Bourne Cop car driving down the canal. I flag him down and mention what's going on - two to three groups, all keeping obviously small fish and their exact locations. His reply, "alright thanks." Then I proceeded to watch him drive right past all of them, turn around and drive past them all again.:fury::fury:

program this EPO number into your phone and hopefully someone will be down if you call

1-800-632-8075


what the heck is SOTS?:huh:

program this EPO number into your phone and hopefully someone will be down if you call

1-800-632-8075


what the heck is SOTS?:huh:

Thanks... I have that number, but had the crazy idea that the local police officer already at the canal would at least take a look.

I'm guessing SOTS is - Sick of this S#%t

thanks
ya local cops don't even know the fisheries laws, most don't care, they have other worries.

If I was in the mood I'd have gone right up to them and picked up that bucket and dumped them right back in the water, told them the rule is 2 stripers at 28" and if they give me crap or the no speaka da english crap, I'd blast them some more and threaten to call epo and see them scramble. that chit goes on way too much and it really makes me sick. ignorance is no excuse:fury::smash:

Ep's often do not respond.....nothing ever gets done!!!:fury:

thanks
ya local cops don't even know the fisheries laws, most don't care, they have other worries.

If I was in the mood I'd have gone right up to them and picked up that bucket and dumped them right back in the water, told them the rule is 2 stripers at 28" and if they give me crap or the no speaka da english crap, I'd blast them some more and threaten to call epo and see them scramble. that chit goes on way too much and it really makes me sick. ignorance is no excuse:fury::smash:

One of me - 6 of them and 1am.

There's no ignorance about it. At one point, one of them landed a fish within 20 feet of me and was maybe 20". I said, "Just a guppy huh? Looks like that one is going back." To which he replied, "Got go up and make check good." They knew exactly what they were doing.

I am a lot bigger than you
6 of them, I understand,
I'd say atleast 3 of them would end up in the water if they had the nuts to challenge me. They gotta learn sometime.
maybe that's why I don't go there at night much

poachers suck

I am a lot bigger than you
6 of them, I understand,
I'd say atleast 3 of them would end up in the water if they had the nuts to challenge me. They gotta learn sometime.
maybe that's why I don't go there at night much

poachers suck

I can guarantee you are.

It's a joke how under-enforced this stuff goes. I go at night to avoid the chaos of the crowds, but the scumbags definitely show up to avoid being seen.

what the heck is SOTS?:huh:

Sick of this $hit

The main bait source the stripers like to feed on in this area (menhaden) has been slammed so badly it's no wonder everyone is having a rough go of striper fishing vs past years. The fish seem to be staying futher south in menhaden rich waters of NY/NJ and heading into our offshore waters in seach of abundant sand eels which are not commercially harvested. Maybe if we as a group focused on protecting the bait source like the tuna fisherman have with the herring we might end up with a lot more quality fish in our waters. I agree with the 1 fish limit & reduction in commercial catch,these fish keep a lot of us happy and going all yr in thought of the good days on the water. They are much more valued as a hobby/recreational activity than a food/income source for most of us.