Where is all this hostility coming from???

It's not even Jan and we are having Flame Wars. I LOVE IT.:rotflmao::rotflmao::rotflmao::rotflmao:

OK, I will grant you that there is one large body of bass, dead in the center of their mid-season migratory range. This is your proof that the coastwide fishery is in great shape. Even back in the 80s, there were 6 million bass, and they were very likely concentrated in CC Bay all summer long.

You never judge the health of any fish stocks by how plentiful they are in the midpoint of their migratory range in summer, or at the southern end of it in the pre-spawn winter. You judge it by how many resident fish there are, in mid-season, on the ends of their range. Maine to Cape May.

And those of us who have been around a long time--guys like me, stripermaniac, piemma, DZ and others---heard your fathers and uncles singing that "there are plenty of bass around, they're not in trouble" song back in the late 70s and through the moratorium years.

But I'm not going to debate the point with people who view a microcosm of the fishery and judge it healthy. Even if they don't have an agenda. I don't have one. I see "gamefish" as nothing more than a feel-good thing that will not significantly reduce mortality. Recs can be just as short-sighted as anyone.

Well, you said it well Mike. One of the keys to reducing C&R mortality is crushing the barbs. Even if the fish is hooked in the roof of it's mouth you can reach in and take out a Storm or Tsunami very quickly.

It always amazes me to see guys fishing with 3 treble hooks on a pencil popper and not crushing the barbs. Even if you are an absolute expert at C&R, 3 trebles do a ton of damage. 1 treble in the middle and a Siwash on the tail with all the barbs crushed and at least the fish has a chance of surviving.

all my bards on lures are crinched. Why do people have to use a gaff on stripers or bluefish? It is beyond me.

I think that a fish could even survive being hooked in the gills if there's just one small barbless hook involved. The real damage to the gills gets done when the barb tears them when you remove the hook. The small puncture that a barbless hook makes might not prove fatal.

One of my friends from NJ has this to say about 3 hooked lures--the belly hook is for bass, the tail hook is for blues, and the middle one is for fingers.

I've never gaffed a bass. Some people are afraid to put their hands anywhere near a blue's mouth. I used to be one of them, but you learn over time.

About the only place I see gaffs used anymore in on the Breachways an boats. In Maine you can't even have them on the boat striperfishing as they're illegal. most breachway gaffs are a long pole with a 10/0 or bigger on it with no barb for lip gaffing the fish so you don't get washed off the rocks into the opening.I haven't used a gaff for over 30 yrs even in the
breachways. Ron

Only time I ever use a gaff is tuna. Bass or blue you really got to be sh#%ting me.
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I love lip gaffs. I hate nets. Haven't gotten into the boga thing.
If you ever find a Pompanette "Spin Gaff" buy it. I'll trade you something good for it.

I just started a new group called Stripers For-No-One

It's like a AA 12 step program because in a few years we are all going to need it, there will be no fish left to catch

So we can go to meetings sit around and tell fish stories

I have told this story before that during the moratorium, I caught 5 schoolies one morning at Deep Hole. I went and told the owner of Top of the Dock Bait and Tackle (since closed) that I had caught 5 Stripers. He called me a liar in front of the whole store full of Narr "sharpies".

He said everyone knows there are no Bass left.


Old timers like myself Mike P, DZ, Makai, even some young guys like Nebe and RI Rockhound have been saying it for years now. The Striper population is in trouble. YOY doesn't till the whole story.

All fisherman are liars Paul

For you George, I'll try and find one. After all your fingers are more important than mine. Besides I see something greenish may be coming my way. <°)))))>{
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Except you and me Bob:rotf2:

You wanna use something that works great try the Gripper. It's made of plastic and it floats. Rugged as all getout. Only cosy about 14 bucks. I got turned onto it by Porky Francis on the Vineyard.It even locks. Looked hedgy to me at ist till I tried it.My boga's all hang on the wall now along with the old gaffs.Couple extra pounds I don't drag out on the rocks anymore.