Would be nice if there were real fishermen on the DMF advisory board so that some effective steps towards managing the fishery would be put on the table... Who are these people and what are their qualifications? Scientists? Political appointees? What is their agenda? This is the best they can come up with? If this were a corporation that answered to shareholders, the advisory board would be out on their azzes with this proposal.....

I believe you will see a more restrictive catch limit next year. Rumors are flying. I'm thinking 1 fish but they will keep it at 28" for the masses that don't know how to fish.

That's high class, expensive whiting chum these days, sir.

And you're absolutely right about 1 @ 36" if you really want to bring the levels back up.

My point is this - circle hooks have been proven to decrease mortality, therefore good in my book.
There are certainly bigger problems out there - total catch, black market, poachers, Mid-Water trawler by-catch, draggers culling in the Carolinas - but this is one step that is easy to implement without hitting any one group too hard, and without hitting anyone in the pocketbook. This is one step, and there should be more.


And anyone that doesn't think this will make any difference, didn't see the sh*t show that went on at P-town 3 seasons ago.

Good luck tubing with a circle hook..............

At least in RI, the proposal was for circle with live and dead bait only...
didn't make it as far as this one....


Jay, excuse me....

While circle hooks may have their place for chunking they are virtually worthless for many other types of fishing. Try slow trolling live bait, fishing a tube, etc with a circle hook and see how that works out for you. My guess is the same crybabys who can't catch a fish now will be joined by the rest of us who won't be able to hook a fish. Try setting the hook when you get a hit.....works wonders.

Thought you'd get a chuckle.

I agree Jay, an easy step that will make a difference, but as you explained it is just a small drop in the huge bucket of problems. The changes that must be made to make THE difference in ensuring healthy future stocks are the ones that will hurt a lot of guys financially and they are just dancing around it because of the uproar it will cause.

And it is understandable, someone who makes part or all of their living off the species will not want to be told they can no longer fish it or can only fish it to an extent where it will not be profitable, but if we want to see these fish in the future something drastic has to be done.

Thats pretty much the same proposal in MA.....Whole or Chunked bait

Billfish tournaments all require circle hooks with bait, live or rigged.

I fished for Sailfish in FL and we "kited" live blue runners
We used nothing but circle hooks. Tally was 3 "sails" and 1 white marlin all on circle hooks
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Unpossible! :hihi:

"Billfish tournaments all require circle hooks with bait, live or rigged."Good... you use em! I'll stick with a treble w/treble stinger like I have for the last 40 yrs. I "like" to set the hook...one of the more exiting parts of the catch to me. I believe the problem with gut hooking is letting the fish "take" the bait. When you feel a tap a big bass has that bait....they don't bite it, they inhale it. Stick em immediatly and a majority of the time the hook is right in the mouth. Feed them line, count to ten, etc. and they're gut hooked.