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alot goes into the equation... and every little bit helps.... as Nebe so aptly pointed out... there are alot of anglers out there weren't around the last go 'round... I was... I wish I knew then what I know know...
as i said in my open there is so much to the whole picture... IMHO, bait is still an issue... we haven't had a sustained school of pogies in the Merrimack since the mid 80's...it seems ( from what i hear and read) not many large schools make it north of Boston anymore...and personaly, i think it's part of the bluefish issue as well...
Angler commited mortality ( com and rec) is an issue.. and along that line... enforcement of the rules comes into play.. we ( as a governing body) can make all the ruels we want.. if no one is there to enforce them they are not worth the paper they are written on...
I stopped selling my bass in 2004... something I did since the early 70's...back when 16" was a legal fish... I now release %99 of my bass especialy the cows.. I'm a trophy hunter and those get released (out of respect) as well...I kept 2 fish last season.. the last trip.. I kept a fillet off of a 10lb class fish for me and gave the other 3 to my neighbor ( with 4 kids) because they enjoy fresh fish and have to stare at my boat with the ugly blue cover all winter...
IMHO gamefish status would be a huge step... but all parties involved need to get together on this.... recs. need to quit blaming comercials.. because everyone that keeps a fish or kills it unknowingly has a hand in it.. surfman need to realize that for every boat working 100' deep offshore rips... there are 100 working the SAME skinny water they do.. they see what the surfman sees....laws need to be made to sustain the fish... not sustain a yield.. there are many other factors that go into this.. most beyond my scope of knowledge.. I only know what father time has taught/shown me.. the finger pointing NEEDS TO STOP .. and that Is something they havent been able to do in the 40 odd years or so I have been doing this...
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