I disagree Numby. People are keeping teh fish becasue they're big (to everyone except BassDawg), plentiful and free. Its like a sale at stop and shop, you buy a ton of stuff you dont need or want and get caught up in the moment. Its less complicated than your example. Most of these guys that Paul is talking about are not serious fisherman, but are guys that get up early to fish at 9am, a cooler of bud and go to have fun. There is nothing wrong with that, but put them in a position ot catch decent (big???) bass, they can do a lot of damage. Its human nature. I've kept 2 bass this year, 18 and 24 and only becasue I gut hooked them . I switched to circles to avoid any further guy hooks. Its about education and conservation. The issue as Paul pointed out is that the concentration of the fish is making it easy for anyone to catch them. The same thing, can, will and did happen in other spots.

The biggest problem that I can see with this is the fact that many are snagging with snag hooks and simply dropping the pogies to the bottom to be inhaled by a fish. I dont think the novice would take the trouble and risk of reeling in the pogie they just snagged, and then unhook it, only to re-hook it to a big circle hook.

No short bass off the NJ surf for the past 40+ days. That has not happened for years and years. Don't understand that. Hundreds of boats fishing live bunker are consistently landing 20-45 pounders. Same thing goes on in Montauk with the boats in the fall--hundreds of moby bass are taken everyday. Need more of a catch and release mentality or we're going to lose this fish again.

:agree:

A spot I've been fishing lately that has been producing 20# fish consistently, has had more people fishing it day after day after day. I stopped the count at 40 people on Saturday night. - I have NEVER seen that many people at that spot.NEVER-EVER-NEVER. ...and I drive by that spot on a daily basis, the pogies are easy to spot, and once one person see's how the other person is catching them, it's history. It's like Jimmy said, easy fishing attracts more people. When the combination of easy access and easy to catch come together, it's called "Stupid" fishing. Unfortunately, it always seems to attract "Stupid" fishermen. People who do not know HOW nor CARE about properly releasing a fish.

What can we do about it?

When it's done legally - There isn't much we can do. The best thing we can do is talk amongst the people fishing, share what knowledge we have in speaking about why we think the Striper has rebounded, and what we can do to keep it strong. (While at the same time, properly releasing a Striper without sounding or seeming like a "know-it-all") If you become friends with the enemy without them knowing, they will listen to reason. When you come off sounding like a "know-it-all ...I'm going to call the D.E.M." type of person, you will not get any cooperation. ...and by the time an officer shows up (if they do at all)...the guilty party will be gone. Use your senses when fishing at night amongst strangers.

When it's done ILLEGALLY ? - - - > :call:

Numbskull:
You missed my point. These are guys that don't frequent this board or any board, for that matter. These are guys, as Nebe pointed out, are snagging pogies and just dropping it to the bottom. These guys are slaughtering large quantities of 20# + fish.
They don't know me or Bill or Dave of Jimmy. They don't know about conservation, the moratorium in the 80s, catch and release.
Now maybe you have a problem with me taking a large fish and killing it every now and then. Sorry if I offended your sense of conservation because I killed a 40.
My point was simply to inform the members of this forum that this was happening right now. It cannot be stopped or controlled because it's not illegal. If you think that the guys who have caught large for 40 years are to blame for this, you are entitled to your opinion. I can't take responsibility for someone elses actions just because I caught a big Bass sometime in the past and kept it. In my opinion, your logic is flawed.

Everyone is entitled to the legal limit. Expert , beginner , doesn't matter. No years of working at it makes anyomne more entitled to the fish.

I think if you are an expert , the burden is actually on you to talk to some of the newbies when you can. Explain ways to have fun pulling on the fish without killing them.

I understand that for some guys fishing is just a way to get out of the house with a cooler of bud and now fishing for stripers is easier than fishing for largemouth at their local pond. Let them enjoy themselves but try to bring them up to speed on techniques and a conservation awareness.

Yes , easy fishing brings more new fisherman and hurts the fishery but new fisherman also means more votes , etc. When the time comes , we may need their votes so why not nuture them a little and get them solidly on the conservation side of the issue.

I think most of you did not understand Piemma's point.

What he is saying is that there are a lot of inexperienced people snag and dropping bass, keeping 2 fish (which is fine) but then they continue to fish and kill many fish because they dont know any better. lets face it, the legit way to do this act is to use 2 rods... snag with one, reel the pogie in and stick it on the other rod which is rigged with a large circle hook.. then let it swim to its death....

many do not understand this. they might as well all be yo-yoing...

Yes , I understand his point and that is part of the knowledge that needs to be passed on to the newcomers.


Also , newbies are not the only ones snagging and catching with the same hooks. Many meat fisherman do the same and have for more years than I can remember. Might be a good discussion to have with all levels of fisherman to raise awareness.

This comment is not aimed at anyone in particular but I think if you really are an expert fisherman who believes in conservation , you need to give something back to the sport by passing knowledge and conservation awareness on to future fisherman. Believe it or not , I bet half the people fishing for stripers today do not even know that at one time there was a moratorium do to the fishery collapse.Believe it or not , some fisherman have no idea that a fish can die hours or days after what looks like a safe release.

They need to be told.