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It’s always been time for conservation. The Striped bass fishing community as a whole has dropped the ball. You look at any large, popular fishery such as snook, redfish, freshwater trout and bass, etc, and you see what a real catch and release fishery should be. These fish are respected and large kills of these species by REC fishermen are looked down upon by their peers. The striped bass fishery in the Northeast has never gotten out of the tradition of bringing big fish to scale. We almost did after the swoon of the 1970/80s but keeping large fish has become in vogue again. We can’t condemn commercial fishermen as they take only a fraction of what recreational fishermen keep on a regular basis. And you can’t change the commercial mindset as $$$ controls their conscience and in some cases their livelihood. I know what its like to sell bass, I did it before the swoon changed my ways. I hated the feeling when I dropped a nice fish, it changed from losing a 30 pound fish to losing $60.
It’s the recreational mind set that needs to be changed. Police yourselves and your friends. Limit your kill, don’t kill your limit.
I’m a staunch advocate of C&R of large bass (over 30). If you want to keep a fish for the table - a 12-18 lb fish is perfect.
I look at the some of the sharpies that have caught multiple 40s/50s this season – now why would you want to keep any other 50s if you’ve already killed one for the wall? Striped Bass has always been an “ego” fishery, get away from the idea that someone needs to see you weigh in a big girl for ego gratification and then you’ll find it easier to release them. Again, I know, I’ve been there. The C&R of a real cow is gratification that can’t be described and you’ll own that memory forever.
Big Bass fishing from the beach hasn’t been that great anywhere the past few years. You have isolated instances of good fishing but just because fishing is good in one location doesn’t mean the whole coast is lit up. Seals may have screwed up the cape beaches but they’re not the reason other locations are slow.
As Flap says, the bass are there if you have a boat and they’ve never been easier to catch than now. Today’s electronics can put you on a hotspot day after day – and electronics are a great equalizer for those that lack skill and/or experience – drop a live bait on a good set of numbers and hang on - the fish don’t stand a chance.
Here is what I would consider a good policy for the recreational striped bass community on C&R: Set a milestone such as 20, 30, 40, or 50 pounds, keep your first bass at that level, release all others until you either break your personal best or reach your next milestone. If you’re in a fishing club push for allowing Catch, Weigh and Release for the club contest. This will allow members fortunate enough to catch a cow to then enter it into the contest after weighing it, then releasing it alive. How good is that! Only draw back is you have to be with someone who will witness the weight. This rule has allowed many cows to swim again in my club contest.
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