[SAUERKRAUT]

I stick a tag in about a dozen fish a year. The above tag went in two nights ago at in a 17 lb. plus fish when Numbskull was around the corner and couldn't criticize me.

So, a lightly hooked fish, a quiet low energy beach, a nice relaxed patient fish, tagged, released, it just saunters away. Bullsh. that they die! I have had many tag returns...some on huge fish that I had to release in storm surf where I had to lay them in undertows and receding waves to get them back in the water.

I am sure I do not have a 100% release survival rate. I have picked up some of my releases, floating and belly up after the try. However, invariably, these kills which I have created were invariably bait, gut, heavy or deep hooked fish, or very warm water, and long out of water exposure times. And usually a combination of many of these factors all in unasyn. I too have to live and learn the hard way.

But the idea of "huge" release mortality argument against the hook, C&R fisherman is pure bunk, and it is the argument that the commercial striped bass fishery industry uses to justify their kill against the recreational fishery. And remember: the commercial fisherman will be culling their catch, and releasing their "shorts", far more likely, statistically, using bait than artifical lures (and certainly lures with barbs crimped).

Freshwater fish are wimps compared to the survival strength of hook striped bass. Yet, every single healthy and well regulated freshwater fishery is managed with C&R.

Make this public resource, striped bass a gamefish for the 98% of the public who demand a restored, healthy, and no longer threatened fishery.

End of rant. Thank you for the opportunity.