Yup. That's what my research and many others have told me as well. If that were the case today, I know half a dozen people that'd be happy to pitch in with me to purchase a .50cal rifle with me. Hell, I'd do the government a favor and not even bother cashing in for my $5.

That's what happens when regulations upset the balance of nature. The seals have too few predators and once left unchecked they multiply like rats. The only thing we can hope for is a like increase in the number of white sharks.

This thread should be read (saved for ) by the people that set policy

Oh heck, slow day at the tackle shop so I'll type a little.

I used to have hair, but now, for those who know me, I wear a hat for a reason! Change change change.

I hear it every day (no play on words there) - we used to slam them, we used to rake sand eels, we used to be able to drive to Wood End and Long Pt, and so on. Nothing is like it used to be in this world.

Are there seals,yes, have the plovers(or the Park Service/Wildlife etc)screwed us, yes, have the sand eels stayed off shore and we can no longer rake them up like we did years ago, yes (our commercial sand eel rakers are raking in 8 ft of water at low tide!), are there as many fish, no.

All truisms - yet last Thursday morning from 6 til 10 three gigantic schools of bass (20 to 30 pound range) went up and down Race Pt beaches - for the less than 10 people fishing on that whole stretch they had it all to themselves, on Friday right at the lighthouse, another school, Sunday, another - all surf casters fishing from the beach. A local just walked in right now, last two nights hammered the fish, ugly conditions, tough wind and rain, but got fish.

I agree it's not what it used to be, might never be - seals suck (but go to Monomy), the plover situation sucks, the seals suck (I said that already, right?), but it ain't all that bad.

OK, done with it, people in the shop, gotta go, I just get sick of the complaining and moaning and groaning - no offense intended to anyone - everyone is entitled to their say!

we as a species have been removed from the loop as hunter/gatherers in that regard at least in this part of the world...
Salmon always get top billing it seems when it comes to protecting the resource from to many seals as seen recently on the left coast.

If you re-read my first post it states that yes...I know there will be times when there are fish to be caught.......but I am bemoaning the fact that I miss the way it used to be! That I could drive 2 hours down there, spend all night, catch a bunch of fish and drive home the next morning and it was worth the trip and the lack of sleep...and most of all I think I hate how it has affected the area and its businesses Rich. I love it down there which is why we rent down there every season......but I have not hooked a fish down there in 5 YEARS!!!!! (That is on the "Backside Beaches") And it is not for lack of trying!! I hit the beach, and 5 or 6 seals rise up out of the water in front of me......I might as well just throw my fishing rod in the water at that point and leave??? People have varying opinions...and that is mine! I am entitled to bitch about it. I miss it as do many others but hey.....aren't the seals cute?????:fury:

From talking to the old timers, *not* catching used to be unusual. Now, the fishing you post about above is the exception to the rule. With 6 months to a season, there's always going to be a string of days to point at that have good fishing. The difference is that there are *far far* more strings of days that you won't get anything from the beach aside from a kibby bass or two.

Hey Larry,TRY THE YAK. All you need to get fish and get sleep too. It seems you have accepted the changes rather than adapting to them.The determined angler will find a way so try to become just that.

I understand you have a business to run, but seriously, please don't insult the peoples' intelligence who've fished it hard their whole lives...

Lotta money to waste hoping you intersect with a few random days the fish go in close.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I know of one day in particular that dramatizes this. Remember the flayed bluefish? I've got a picture of it somewhere, but can't find it.

I saw a 12-15 pounder taken yesterday morning and four 20-25 pounders Saturday afternoon in Truro. The 12-15 I saw come in. The 20-25s were still limp, no rigor.

And a bunch of seals....

Oh yeah a 15-20 in the lot as I drove by in Bourne. Saw it come up the stairs.

shhhhhh! I like having the beaches to myself! :)

Don't worry, just look out into the water... you'll always have blubbery friends with you.

Bart not for nothing, but I've never known Rich to lie, mislead, or insult anyone's intelligence. He's a square shooter.

I have to agree with BBJ....Rich is a great guy!! :uhuh:

I believe it's called " shifting baseline syndrome ".

What some of us experienced in the 70's 80's and 90's doesn't apply to the standards of today. Back then I expected to find decent fish on the beach. Now I'm pleasantly surprised to find it. Guess I got a little spoiled. Yesterdays 25-40's are todays 15-25's.

the fact is most fishermen are a lazy bunch of guys.If they can't get in thier truck and drive to the fish,then to them there are no fish.if they have to walk more than a few hundred feet game over.with very few fishermen comes very few reports,most fishermen are not capable of finding fish on their own. you can live on memories from the past,but in fact many of the stories i hear are just that stories.you don't hear pf the weeks and seasons of few or no fish back in the day.though i didn't start fishing the cape till 97 i have some very close freinds who have been there since the early 60's and they paint a very differant story then most that i hear today.i find it rather amusing how people can say how bad fishing is yet in the last 5 years i tell you the names of every fishermen that i have come across at night in the Wellfleet truro ptown area.and i average well over a100 nights a year.in that area.no arguing that the times have changed,i have fished for more than 50 years and things have chaged every where,patterns have changed places have changed,if you don't change than you are stuck in the past.

I for one am a walker John....and I like it that way! Gets me away from the yahoos!!! All the guys you speak of or at least 90% of them....who are doing well either live down there or spend the entire summer there like yourself....so the long drive and financial cost is not a factor to you and thus you have more time to find the fish and work on a consistent game plan. As I said the fishing IS NOT as it used to be...and it is a fact.

I am far from a lazy fisherman as are the guys I fish with who live close by to those beaches. Even pre seals you would have some long dry spells but the size and consistency of the fish was better. Still a lot of people back then had trouble finding them. You always had to know the lay of the land, put in your time, have some skill and do the work.

I'm still at it and will be doing it till I walk no more. Though I sure fish a hell of a lot more areas than I had to.:fishin:

Larry - you make a good point (more than a few most of the time!!).

If I had a choice to drive 2 hours to the Race or 1 hour to a point closer, and they were both "ok" places, I guess I would go with the 1 hour.

Also, you are right, their are a group of people who live here, or summer/weekend here in the campgrounds, who fish alot, and they are the ones getting the fish - they put in their time here, go to the spots, etc etc. and catch fish.

Oh, and Bart, read my post - said it wasn't like it used to be - said things change - nothing is like it used to be - never said it was the best, greater than any other spot. I don't think that's insulting anyones intelligence (??). Also, having a fishing business here doesn't enter into this discussion - seriously, if you think that a post would sway people to drive two hours than maybe those people don't have any intelligence.

Bottom line - as Larry said in the beginning, fishing here is NOT like it used to be, I agree, but my opinion is it has changed everywhere. Also, my opinion still stands - there are fish to catch here - have to spend a lot of time and walk a lot of miles.

And yet I still go down there as much as I can Rich....because I love it down there!!! Just nice to be on the water as far as I am concerned! I just have such a great appreciation for it down there and memories of so many great trips and its just different now. As I said though......I love it down there...some of the most beautiful beaches and scenery on the planet as far as I am concerned!!! Hope you are enjoying the season Rich!:uhuh:

things change and cycle, and obviously the seals don't help. open sand beaches are tough too, and i think that's a big factor in this. you really need to stay on top of sand beaches since things are always shifting (tide to tide, never mind week to week), which explains why only the guys who can be out there all the time are doing well. i like rocks, they pretty much stay still. and with the amount i get to fish, that's a big help. i only fished the outer cape a few times, staying a week or so twice, never did that well, but did enjoy it alot. beautiful place, especially at night under a half moon.