Quote:
Originally Posted by Circlehook
Was there ever a time, "back in the day" that seals were an issue? Is it cyclical, or is this a new thing over the past 5 years?
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Started around 02 or 03 then got real bad after that. Back in the "day". We had 100+ fish nights. I'm not talking schoolies either. My old partner RJ Zaldivia and I had a night in 94 when we caught so many 25 to 35# bass we left. We couldn't catch anymore as our arms were beat. All on eels and all in the surf from the Second Rip to peaked Hill Bar.
I was in the Thundermist Striper Club in Woonsocket at the time and there were some extraordinary fishermen in that club. Lanny Grazine was the president and would win the most points award every year. 1800 to 2000 points. 1 pound = 1 point. His partner was #^&#^&#^&#^& Conoyer and Tony C. George Calzone would join them occasionally. There was also a group from NY that was on the Back all season. Chucky Cigar, Eddie, NJ Charlie. Lucinni was always there. Stevie Voisonet was usually high hook from a little tin boat. he came in one morning with 1400 pounds in his boat. had an inch of freeboard.
Now these guys were all commercial and actually made a lot of money every summer. I was not commercial after 82 0r 83 so I'd just keep my 2 fish. I'm ashamed to admit it now but we use to high grade all the time. We'd give the smaller fish to the comms. Remember everything was still over 34".
For you younger guys, I hope you see this kind of fishing again. We'd start at the Second Rip or the Telephone Pole on the Front and work West with the fish as the tide dropped. Follow the fish for 15 or 20 miles. When they started closing the beach for the birds at the Mission Bell, we'd park all the trucks at the closure sign, except one. Everyone would pile into that one truck and scoot around the closure area. The rangers use to thing we were all in the trucks sleeping and never came past the closure area. Hide the one truck up inside the dunes. It wasn't unusual to see 3 or 4 mid to high 40s in a night, uncountable 20s and 30s. I remember one morning when we ended up at the Bell and Lanny was the only one who kept fishing. he nailed 3, 38 pounders right in a row.
It was amazing fishing.
SEALS!!!