My thoughts on the Canal (Not that anyone gives a &^%$)
 

All the goings on at the canal both fills me with jealousy and saddness.

We have witnessed what has been described as some of the most epic fishing in recent memory. I think anyone who wasn't there and loves fishing as much as most of us we do would be lying to themselves and others if they say they were not jealous, at least partially. I know that I am.

Could I have gone to the canal? sure, I mean anyone and everyone was catching. I've only fished there once so it is fair to say I know nothing about the area. But if the fishing was as good and as easy as being described I would have had little problem taking part in the epic catching that was going on. It was the fishing of dreams, and with almost complete certainty something I will never experience in my lifetime.

I wasn't fishing during the hey day of striped bass. All I know of those times, the blitzes of large, the epic tides, the 1000 lb nights are the stories of those on this site, and those I have had the pleasure of fishing with, Steve McKenna, Joe Brotz, Mike McElroy and others who I shared a tide with and whose names I have long forgotten.

Truth be told, (as long as i am being completely honest) I don't even consider myself a very good fisherman. I'm not very good at finding fish or keeping logs. For years I fished the shore and had what I would call moderate success, the past 5 years I've had a boat, which really has only extened my range of mediocraty. So I can honestly say I have CHOSEN to not partake in what would have been the highlight of my fishing career. I am not entirely sure why...

I have for many years (longer than most on this site) believed that the Striped Bass were in decline. I saw in in my dwindling success as well as the reports of others. Stories of many areas that were once reliable, reduced to areas not even worth getting up for. Vast areas of water barren of bass while bait is abundent. As I think about what has happened at the canal, the carnage is mind numbing. Not just in the fish purposefully killed, but also in the treatment of fish returned to the water. I believe mostly due to peoples ignorance and too little respect for the fishery. Both due to a lack of knowledge and a lack of caring. So while I am jealous of what i missed, I am saddened by what happened to the fishery I so love. The fishery that has given me so much pleasure when life gave me otherwise.

So while all was going on in the canal I chose to fish a spot a freind had given me a tip on. I caught one bass, my first "keeper" of the season just before dawn as the sky began to lighten to end my night. It was small and I'm sure pathetic to canal standards. But to me, It was one of the highlights of my year.

One last thing... Before anyone tells me to join PETA, I fully admit to killing bass... for myself, for family and for freinds. I am proud to say I have never killed one for glory... But I've yet to have to make that choice.

JFigliuolo,

You are not alone in your opinion.

Most of my friends and myself would match your notes word for word.

I would love to have been witness and fished that most recent bite,
but after hearing what has transpired, I am equally glad I missed it.

Plain and simple, most anglers are not true fisherman and most do
not care about the resource. Strip some of them of easy fishing,
bragging rights, or financial gain...and they would never wet a line.
Not that I fault a single one for their behavior, as it is all perfectly
legal and expected. It is all very human to act this way. The problem
is not with them, but rather with the government's management of
the resource.

The hearing about the canal reminds me of the times when I pull up
to a beach and see litter, the dead skates, and dogfish that an angler
discarded. Behavior just sad and an embarrassment to human beings.

I am with you. I will go fish a tide that no one wants to fish on some
other beach, over joining them.

I am with you, Joe. I have not gone to the Canal as all of my surf fishing has really been limited in the last few years due to my knees. I have never fished the Canal, having no desire to go try to learn the area, especially with the crowds that were there recently.

I'm sure that there were plenty of folks fishing that caught their first, biggest and best action of their lives and deserve to have had some fun. I can't knock the guys with the upside down spinning reels catching a fish either. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to enjoy the fishery, regardless of their skill or effort level.

What I'm heartbroken about is the carnage. How many fish have been wasted during this epic fishing frenzy? Do you really believe that people catching fish night after night and taking their one fish per night home will ever live to know that all of that fillet made it into someone's stomach and did not get tossed out of the freezer when it was old and soured? Yes, I too eat striped bass and I'm not against keeping a couple per season, but I feel no need to try to feed my neighbors with fillet that I'm not even certain they will enjoy.

And I don't profess to know the answers to managing this cherished fishery. Maybe we need to have an allotment of tags for each angler that allows each to only tag and keep a couple of fish per year. but what happens to the extra fish on these banner tides? I know that not everyone takes the time to get down to the waters edge, carefully land and unhook their fish and help revive it prior to the release. Too many fishermen carelessly haul their fish on shore, tear the hook out and toss the fish back towards the water, the only care being to get the lure back out there and repeat the process.

I cherish the fishery too much to see any fish disrespected by being killed when there is no need for more meat and negligence in a proper release. I am with you, Joe. It would be a pleasure to fish with you and respect the fish that we catch.

Good thread.

I’ve fished the canal two times in my life and that was over 30 years ago. I’ve also been fortunate enough to be in on some special bites of big bass.

The current Canal massacre is very unique on many different levels. First off it’s happening in a very public place that is very accessible to John Q Public who can fish in shorts, t-shirt, and sneakers without any specialized equipment. Just grab Uncle Joe’s old rod from the basement and go fish. Hell, everyone likes easy fishing. Even I like those times when I don’t have to work my ass off for a fish.

Another aspect is it’s happening in the middle of the day in full view in the heat of the August sunshine. I mean traditionalist surfcasters shudder and think how this can possibly happen? Is it possible to have an epic bite that doesn’t occur at 2am on a 4 wheel drive beach or offshore island where only those in the know take part?

Another aspect is that it has lasted long enough for word to get out and for others to take part. Generally good bites are short lived through a few tides. This one will have new fishermen thinking the canal will always have fish. Now couple this aspect with the social media information explosion. This Canal massacre is perhaps the first epic striped bass bite in the information era. The first bite that occurs in real time where friends and strangers can watch you catch a fish from around the corner... or 2000 miles away!

It is what it is. It’s not the future – it’s now. We have to realize that our community of “concerned avid fishermen” such as the members of this site is but a very small segment of the fishing community. We will always have a tough time advocating what we perceive as the “correct practices” of fishing to those new fishermen joining the ranks as recreational anglers – we have lots of work ahead of us.

I'm looking forward to the next 10 years of people b*tching and moaning that the fishing sucks because they can't just walk down to the canal at 10:30 am and catch 1/2 dozen 40" fish.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I'll never make fun of a fellow RESPECTFUL fisherman for doing what we all love, fishing and catching fish...

too bad only like 98% of fisherman I see have any respect for the resource, others, or themselves.

things will only change through proper education of all the new anglers. They have to realize for themselves the damage they are doing. They will learn the hard lesson come next year when the canal is devoid of fish.

So I posted a number of different thought in places on this board regarding the "carnage" that took place at the Canal.
Was it wrong? No! I have been part of a few (actually many) epic blitzes. There were times on the Back (I wrote and article in the Fisherman call "Fishing with Legends"), that were epic in nature.

Did we kill every fish...no. Was it in broad daylight...no. Did you have to have put in your time to have participated in some of these blitzes...YES. And that's the difference. We fished all night out of Beach buggies that we drove to find the fish and then follow the fish. If you just stopped on the beach and fished you caught nothing. You had to know when, where, what stage of the tide, the Moon phase, the wind and if the wind changed direction, where to go next.

Now, I'm not trying to make this sound like rocket science. For Chris sake it was and still is fishing. What bothers me about the Canal debacle that just took place is the lack of appreciation by the novice fishermen that indiscriminately killed all they caught.
If yopu are not selling commercially, and I use to myself, how many 30# fish can you keep and not waste. This BS of "oh, I gave it to my neighbor" is just that in most cases....BS. An inordinate amount of those large breeders got tossed in dumpsters.

It may happen again but I think we are headed for 1988 again.

I'm with you joe
Crazy bites with a couple guys joking around is a heck of a lot of fun but nothing beats 2 am without another bow light in site all alone and the eel starts doing mark 5 through the water after showing him every rock for 2 miles...

Great thread

Nice Post Joey .Hey ya got a keeper :kewl:

I'll never forget the easy TON of fish I caught on Friday, if I didn't experience it for myself I'd call bull#^&#^&#^&#^& (literally over 2000lbs in one day) from 230 am on my first cast to 11am on my last cast.

But 8.5 hours of non stop 25-30 lb class fish, broken lures, hooks, laughs and no drama cause we weren't near the crowds is something I'll never forget

A new PB on my own plugs is also nice, and it wasn't a blitz fishy

I've never stopped fishing from fatigue or exhaustion but this was something insane.

I'll write a full tale, good and bad later on.

I know some spots were a #^&#^&#^&#^& show but we had 4 guys, all friends just crushing fish and no one for 200-300 yards In Either direction, laughs and just pure fun and excitement. Something we all enjoy.

Was it easy fishing, 100% yes

Was it the most insane and memorable day of fishing I've ever experienced 100% yes.

I understand all sides of the canal bite argument but this past week was one for the ages especially if you talk to the guys that have fished it for 30-40 years

I might never experience another night/ day like ever again but this past Friday will forever be a lasting memory and I feel blessed to have been a part of it especially after the last few years.

All released as well.

Over 75 fish for myself, over 60 for my buddy and the other two guys have 30-40 each
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

That is awesome Chef. Congrats and thanks for sharing.

Its good to hear that it was not as much of a chit-show as I had heard.

thanks for the positive vibes!!!

A shop owner was just telling me yesterday that I needed to get to the canal. He had a hard time believing that with all of the surf fishing that I do I’ve never been there and that I had a desire to fish it even with the recent epic bite that has been going on. I’ve always like the challenge of surf fishing and I think that’s one of the reasons that the canal has no appeal to me. I grew up doing a lot of boat fishing, then tried kayak fishing for more of a challenge and finally settled on surf fishing. I find it very rewarding spending months or even years trying to figure out a spot and finally, if I’m lucky, cracking the code to getting big fish there. Walking down to the bank of the canal at noon and throwing pencil poppers or magic swimmers to schools or 20-40# fish with 100 other guys just doesn’t have the same appeal to me. I also hate crowds and fishing around most other people so the canal is pretty much the opposite of what I find appealing in surf casting.

I’m not trying to say that guys shouldn’t enjoy fishing up there especially when the bite is on it’s just not something that I would find very enjoyable.

Great thread, and lots of great opinions.
That said I have fished in a couple of all day canal Blitzes also have had the pleasure of a full fall of the same at Plum Island.
My fishing has brought me to Sitting on the beach with my camper and fishing Sea Worms or sand eels I like the peace and solitude and would rather stay away from the crowds. I'm glad everyone that fished that "epic Blitz" enjoyed there own version of fishing.
I drove by Saturday morning full knowing that was going on and just went to Sandy Neck I saw guys standing by the road with 30# class fish but I don't need the stress that fishing the canal has brought me in the past, I won't go into details

Anyway I hope everyone enjoys the rest of there season

Great post Chris. Really happy you got to experience such great fishing.

And I got an offer to stay at My Uncle's place in Yarmouth this coming weekend for the sh^t show....of course I will be bringing my canal rod, and will fish the canal at some point. I can't pass up the opportunity...but, mark my word the bait and fish will be long gone and the canal will be deadsville this coming weekend....my luck.

I wrote a page about the Love/Hate relationships a lot of guys have with the canal....mostly sarcastic but true in every sense. Every canal fisherman will relate. I will see if I can find it somewhere.

Great post right here....I had to read every response!!

It is pretty simple.
If you live for the catch, a canal blitz is as good as it gets.
If you live for the hunt, a canal blitz is as bad as it gets.
No reason you can't enjoy both, although not everyone does.

I'll throw in my 20 cents.

Blitzes like what just went down show the greed that fishermen are capable of. When I started surfcasting back in the early 90's you really had to think hard on killing a fish. People still had memories of the moratorium fresh in their minds. You worked hard for a fish and you knew that if you wanted the fishing to improve in the future, you should release the fish you catch so they could spawn.

Sadly, I don't think 90% of fishermen think like this anymore.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Poachers stealing other poachers fish hidden in the bushes.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Big fish change people.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

I enjoy both. I have had many great nights where I didn't catch fish. The stars, the weather, friends, etc.

I've also gone to the canal and have been in on the massacre and left with feeling less enjoyment that I thought I would.

I have fished a couple epic canal bites over the past 10 years. I had a great night a few weeks ago, easy pickins on large fish. As someone who loves the fish its tough to see the carnage of a blitz like what happened last week. I feel bad for the fish on the rocks. Seeing that many fish being taken while legal for the most part is just tough to stomach. I left a blitz a few years ago, i was heading further east on my bike and kept going past breaking fish and headed home after seeing so many fish on bikes, the road etc... I figured the fish took enough of a beating that day and by stopping it made me feel like i was doing my part.

With that being said i had the greatest day of fishing with my dad there a number of years ago. We hit it just right, and before the crowds really got out of control. Sunrise till about noon, all the fish you wanted to catch 20-40 lbers. We got lots of pictures and still talk about that day all the time. Glad the canal gave me that awesome memory with my dad.

my thoughts exactly. I only really fish with like 3 different guys, and that bite was something my buddy and I will never forget. I feel honored to witness it, and blessed to experience it with one of my best surf buddies and some respectful locals. we will talk about that morning when we are old and can't rock hop anymore.

the laughs, the chaos, the screaming drags, watching macks and squid beach themselves, is something I'll never forget, especially because we have had to work so hard the last 3 years to catch quality fish down here in CT

Do i ever expect to see something like that again? hell no, but I'm glad I was there to experience it.

And I did really well at the flea market that day (even if I was a little late). So I got paid to fish ;)

Great and simple post.

Would have loved to be in on the epic Blitz would not want the crowds.

If you were lucky enough to be in simpatico with experienced people around you it was doable. Some days it was, other days I had croc wearing, 7 ft ugly stick throwing refugees around me. So I'd move to more friendly areas. It was certainly entertaining.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

You'd have to know what it was like before the moratorium........then of course, DURING the moratorium.....to understand the impact of things. It's those who've lived through it and those who've heard or read about it that are most concerned right now.

I wouldn't doubt that a lot of the people that hit the canal this past week, wouldn't miss fishing if they never fished again or if a certain species went MIA for a few years...they wouldn't blink twice. Kind of like someone who goes with a friend to the shooting range, "yeah, that was a blast!!"....but then talk to them about gun rights, laws, etc...and you'll lose em' 5 minutes into the conversation. They're not guilty of anything, they didn't break any laws, they just don't have the same mind set. They simply enjoyed the "moment". One doesn't think futuristic-ally about something they don't truly love?

I'm not saying anything is right or wrong, I guess we just need to accept that it is....what it is.
There's a huge variable to consider when fishing the canal that I don't think many consider...catch and releases are like no where that I've ever fished before. So much energy is exhausted from the fish that a much longer release is most times required. Those that don't understand that, cause the most harm. It's a lot different than a fleet of boats sitting on top of a school off RP or Chatham. Those releases are less harmful in many ways...(not to say those releases are perfect, but they're definitely easier on the fish as a whole IMO,)...I'm not including any commercial factors to this, I'm strictly focused on the Rec. group with this post.

I'm also guilty of once thinking that... "it's a circle of life, if the fish doesn't recover, it will feed the ocean in many ways"....so I wasn't too concerned about a fish that might not make it,.... perhaps I've gotten smarter...or less dumb, but that's not the way it's supposed to work. We're unknowingly speeding up that process with the "deaths"....while not considering how long it takes for a fish to mature to that size again, adding back to the "life" of the species.

All that being said, I still wouldn't hang up my rod during a full out blitz, nor drive by one out of fear of hurting too many fish. I'd concentrate on my releases more, but my natural instinct would be to get that lure back out there. I'm not trying to sound hypocritical, but I can't lie about my actions either.

I highly doubt 3/4 of those people will be back again this year. They just came cause it was easy and were told about it by others or the internet.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

It's like the life cycle of the cicada....some years we get lots, other years we get few.
Some years we see an influx of "wonder-anglers" as in "I wonder how I can catch a fish", or "I wonder where he got his fish", or even worse..."I wonder if he locked any valuables in his car?"

Once the "one-hit-wonder" anglers realize it can take hard work and determination to find and then catch a good fish they will disappear like a fart in the wind, because they don't want to work for the catch, they expect the fish to jump right on their cheap, crappy baits and lures!

Luckily I've been able to appease my fishing habit with some rewarding freshwater outings. I will definitely get back to the salt, but during the dog days of summer the freshwater predators call my name!

there's SO much truth in that statement..... I'm more of the latter. I purposely didn't go because of the Sh!TTshow factor- and I hate to see fish being slaughtered wantonly by people who have no idea how fragile the fishery is.....

was tis really happening??

(there really is NO HONOR among thieves, huh?)

Yup guy puts a 40 plus up near bike in dark goes back fishing. Comes back up on path to find a 20 something.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device