flyfishing LOL look around at all the guys not using circle hooks and going for the gusto as they rip the insides / gills out of a short while setting the hook only to watch as they "relaease the floater" Ive seen this so many times its beyond a joke.
Ive flyfished for several years and never had a floater I use a 9wt or 10wt . I use circles bait fishing and never had a floater.
As for spearfishing, even If a guy runs into the surf next to me during a blitz standing and spears a legal fish with a harpoon thats ok as long as hes going to eat it .[hmmm harpoon ...] :devil2:

RIROCKHOUND is defending FLY FISHING??? :hee:

Smoke 'em while you can boys and girls, the world she be ending soon :bshake:

-spence

Nebe, you Liar, you can't leave...U love the torture.. :doh:

Not defending, Spence, relax..
and yeah Pops there is a very high mortality on gut hooked fish... set the hook quickly etc.. etc..

My point is how many of those fish didnt float but died later? :huh: I dont know either, but I have seen mortality rates for stripers reported as low as 3% and as high as 25%; 8% is the consensus average... I always feel better releasing a small fish caught on heavy tackle then one caught on lighter tackle; my 0.02,

fly fishing is being grouped with ultra light?
who's smoking what here?

we ain't using no f'ing 2 weight dry fly stream gear out there kids.

Wasnt there a pic recently of one of our SB.com members on here holding a 12" schoolie by its gills just to get a cute picture and show off? Now to me thats more damaging to fish. I fly fish on occasion and get fish in as quick as i can and make sure to revive them before i let them go. Whats more damaging, me fly fishing and releaseing my fish safely or some googan holding a 12" schoolie by the gills to show off? Just my two cents.

Its Showtime...

:lurk:

Nebe secretly owns a few fly rods he just wont admit it :hidin:

haha fly fishing is not more damaging you're showing your ignorance. As soon as you pluck those 3 inch fish outta the water you did damage. I dont care if you're out there with a 1g spinning setup, or a beer can and pink mono. Once that lil fish pops its head out the water and you touch it (stressing the fish) you've done your damage. The fish you saw float by are what is called mortality, unfortunately.. It happens.

I play by my rules and stick to 'em. Notice I was'nt there for the dink fest and wont be, larger are still around..

Today's dink is tomorrow's trophy. Show some respect for the species.

:thanks:

Freediving and shooting fish takes a lot of dedication and patience.

I think that be even discussing this online you guys are promoting the sport and hurting the species :lasso:

-spence

Stop fishing then.

Spearing Fish
 

Would someone kindly show me where in the R.I. law that fishing in this manner is legal. I don't doubt those who say it is, well maybe just a little, but I'd really like to know. These guys that go skishing could have a mask, a mouthpiece, a spear, and multi task while there floating around.

Getting Mugged
 

One wrong turn and this post could go south real quick.

Yes - lets keep this as discussion, not a flame war please...

Thanks,

John

LOL..... 3 Pages and still going.....

sol...

its very legal ive ben check by buy game wardens when spearfishing

[To say spearfishing is damaging to the stocks or that it is going to catch all 'our' 5o 's and 6o's is ludacris. Rod and reel and especially fly fishermen are the real problem and the real murders of the striped bass. I counted 4 dead schoolies float by me and clammer in a half hour period why guys up current were catching them.. :hs:[/QUOTE]


Eben,

As far as Fly fishing goes I think that was a very un-educated and fairly ignorant statement. Have you ever tried it? I have subdued bass up to 30 lbs fairly quickly on my set-up. I have released all but one fish this year, and take the time to make sure they all swim away. Fly line rates between 30 and 50 lb test and I rarley go lighter than 30lbs on a leader, sometimes up to 50. Fly rods have more backbone than you think. It is all in your skill fighting fish.You really want to challenge yourself? Take a flyrod into the surf. 60 t0 80 foot distance max. Doesn't get any tougher IMHO. Don't knock it cause it's not your thing. I also like to throw plugs and eels. The flyrod is just another tool, and like any tool you have to know how to use it.

Your totally right, my case of using fly fishing as an example was toatly wrong. RI rockhound has it right by saying light tackle is theone to blame for high mortality.
I do flyfish. not for stripers but for redfish and specs in texas twice a year. its a blast:D
We are all to blame for mortality..
sorry if i offended anyone :hee: .

:bl: :bl:
Glad to here it Eben. It takes a big man to admit he might have been a little hasty. If you do fish with a fly rod and like it, and you are not using it for stripers you are doing yourself a great injustice. There is nothing like a good size striper on the fly, and they take them readily. The fly rod is the perfect tool for fishing current and we all know how much stripes love current. Shoot me a pm and I will send you some killer RI striper flies that you will never see in a shop, and man do they catch. I have hundreds. Worst case you can always use some of them as teasers. Some will be wayyy to big for a teaser though.

Bam
 

Nice Bass

felt kinda bad when he shot it though

Snorkling with a weight belt is tough... to each his own.

It is legal in RI and not in MA. It has been that way for years (can't cite the RI law but found this...http://www.picassoamerica.com/picasso_open_rh.php)
I think it is a sport and I wish it was allowed in MA. As long as he only takes legal fish and agrees to a rec limits I don't have a problem with it. There are not too many guys that can do that.

Didn't look like a world record but it is hard to tell. Have you got a link to other photos?

BTW FishEye was (and still is) quite the free diver, I think he nationally competed some years back....He is from RI.

45 pounder he got back in 1979

20 lb. test line +25lb bass=light tackle.

spearing a stripedbass is legal in RI. think in NH too.

spearfisherman get my respect. it is extremely hard work, dangerous, and friggen cold.

Websight for anyone interested in Striper hunting techniques-

http://www.freediver.net/freedivelis..._stripers.html

I think spear fishing for striped bass is like bow hunting for deer
it takes alot of skill to shot a fish and kill it. I know guys that shot
deer with arrows and had to chase them for miles before they
dropped it is a sport. IMO.

nice job.
thats a sport in my book any day.

i for one don't swim in the salt. i know whats out there :skulz:

spearfishing is legal in RI and NH.i do spear fishing while scuba diving for blackfish,bluefish and fluke in MA. i have only speard a couple stripers free diving in RI got some around 20lbs.the really cool thing about spear fishing is that you can choose how big a striper your going to spear. i also do scuba diving and scout out my fishing spots by day and write down notes on structure on my dive slate.

Sandman asked for a pic, here it is.
Not so sure I like it, looks like they get them every time ? Sure hope not!

Maybe they should have a slot limit for this type of fishing, or for the whole east coast for stripers? Shore or in the water.
VB

how nice putting down fly guys like myself. i like to see you fool stripers when there feeding on 4 inch sandeels. also how can a schoolie be more hurt by a single barbless fly than a mouth full of two sets of tremble hooks :rocketem: . as for you guys putting down spear fishing you try aiming under water while holding your breath.i urge you to try all types of striper fishing- fly fishing,spear fishing,surf casting,troll from a boat.