State of the Fishery 2016

[nightfighter]

Given that I have yet to wet a line this year, my perspective is based solely on reports, posts, and pictures. Large numbers of micros, schoolies, keeper to good bass showing, even a 50 locally this week. From what I can see, the fishery looks to be in good shape and a banner year is upon us..... I guess now that the boat is in, I just need to get out there and find out.

[piemma]

It's kind of interesting Ross. I started with a lot of teen fish. quickly went into the low 20s then mid-20s and 1 30. Yesterday there was a move of fresh fish but all 26 to 32". Can't figure that one out yet but I think there'll be another move on the moon this week.

[bart]

I just finished 4 straight days/nights of fishing this moon Ditch to Westerly. Eels and plugs. Not one bump. Not even a rat. In retrospect, I might've zigged instead of zagging on a couple moves, but I fished high percentage spots that should've given up SOME fish.
There are some BIG fish around getting picked off, but I haven't been able to stick one. Just some fish in 15-20 lbs range and a bunch of skunks.

Not concerned yet, but for me, it's definitely been a strange season thus far.

[FishermanTim]

Funny how we have these same kind of "banner" years every 5-10years, the fishery is "deemed" to be in great shape (based on the fish caught early season) yet the regulations seem to be getting stricter each time around.

If the fishery is in such great shape, how come restrictions are being added almost every year? I understand the need for it to be a self-sustaining self-replenishing resource, but at what point can we say with ANY certainty that it is working?

Have the authorities fully cracked down on poaching?
Have there been any changes to decrease the amount of by-catch mortality?
Why can't there be a uniform size and catch limit for the entire range of these fish, instead of having so many variations that only help to perpetuate the ease of poaching?

Oh, and how long ago was it that the "authorities" claimed that the cod populations were rebounding? Look at the cod fishing situation now and tell me you aren't thinking the same could be in store for the stripers, black sea bass and pretty much every fish we prize here in the northeast?

[Guppy]

Originally Posted by bart

I just finished 4 straight days/nights of fishing this moon Ditch to Westerly. Eels and plugs. Not one bump. Not even a rat. In retrospect, I might've zigged instead of zagging on a couple moves, but I fished high percentage spots that should've given up SOME fish.
There are some BIG fish around getting picked off, but I haven't been able to stick one. Just some fish in 15-20 lbs range and a bunch of skunks.

Not concerned yet, but for me, it's definitely been a strange season thus far.

I Applaud your effort,,,

[Rappin Mikey]

I had a great start to the CT River run. Big fish and lots of them. The problem was no water coming over the dam and it got warm quick. Would have been a banner year if the conditions were different. I usually don't have to think about driving too far to catch fish until the end of June. This year I have to start driving to find em early June. As Clamm man says #$$#@#%T$U&$*&%

[beamie]

Originally Posted by FishermanTim

Oh, and how long ago was it that the "authorities" claimed that the cod populations were rebounding? Look at the cod fishing situation now and tell me you aren't thinking the same could be in store for the stripers, black sea bass and pretty much every fish we prize here in the northeast?

I guess you haven't been offshore ground fishing in a while. Go out haddock fishing while they are still in 90 feet of water. And while your getting your fill of haddock you will be unhooking more real nice cod than haddock and wondering why you can't keep a few when there are so many....

[Rockfish9]

I'll give the gulf of Maine perspective... which is different than the south shore...and where the "problems" stem from...

But the tune is simualr...Ground fishing on the inshore grounds is as good as I ever recall... and I've been doing it over 40 years...they tell me the fishing on the ledge is "stupid" but I don't go that far..

2 weeks ago the fish showed up on the inshore grounds where the mud and sand meet.. I was targeting haddock but was PLAGUED by non stop doubles of codfish... anything between 12" and 20lbs...haddock were few and far between at that time and most of those were short...one week latter ( 6/4) the grounds "lit up".. the bottom was paved with haddock short to keeper ratio is about 6:1... codfish were still in the mix but not as many as most appear to have spawned out and have returned to the rocks.... I was catching whiting ( silver hake) in size and numbers I had not seen since I was a boy.... mud hake ( tuna candy around these parts) were of decent size and plentiful... bass were chasing schools of tinker mackerel all around the surface... a lone Minky whale visited me a few times during the day... most of those hake were spitting up shrimp.. and lastly.. I hooked and had boats side a large halibut... being alone, after a long fight , I was unable to land the fish and the dropper loop broke before I could come up with a viable safe plan to land it.. but not until I had it boat side 3 times.. it's been 20 years since I've seen a halibut in there... I know the draggers get them in there from time to time when it's open to them.. .. it's an encouraging site...... all this 5 miles off shore...my eel pots in the river are producing and we've got plenty of bass in the river and along the beach front up to 25 lbs... I haven't seen this many micro schoolies in at least a decade.. or longer... the season is off to a great start.

[spinncognito]

Originally Posted by Rockfish9

I'll give the gulf of Maine perspective... which is different than the south shore...and where the "problems" stem from...

But the tune is simualr...Ground fishing on the inshore grounds is as good as I ever recall... and I've been doing it over 40 years...they tell me the fishing on the ledge is "stupid" but I don't go that far..

2 weeks ago the fish showed up on the inshore grounds where the mud and sand meet.. I was targeting haddock but was PLAGUED by non stop doubles of codfish... anything between 12" and 20lbs...haddock were few and far between at that time and most of those were short...one week latter ( 6/4) the grounds "lit up".. the bottom was paved with haddock short to keeper ratio is about 6:1... codfish were still in the mix but not as many as most appear to have spawned out and have returned to the rocks.... I was catching whiting ( silver hake) in size and numbers I had not seen since I was a boy.... mud hake ( tuna candy around these parts) were of decent size and plentiful... bass were chasing schools of tinker mackerel all around the surface... a lone Minky whale visited me a few times during the day... most of those hake were spitting up shrimp.. and lastly.. I hooked and had boats side a large halibut... being alone, after a long fight , I was unable to land the fish and the dropper loop broke before I could come up with a viable safe plan to land it.. but not until I had it boat side 3 times.. it's been 20 years since I've seen a halibut in there... I know the draggers get them in there from time to time when it's open to them.. .. it's an encouraging site...... all this 5 miles off shore...my eel pots in the river are producing and we've got plenty of bass in the river and along the beach front up to 25 lbs... I haven't seen this many micro schoolies in at least a decade.. or longer... the season is off to a great start.

Another North Shore perspective (from a surf guy). So far we have been getting plenty of bass but 90% have been micro bass. I am talking fish as small as 6-8 inches long. No way these came from the Chesapeake, so where else are they being created(Thoughts Joe?) There was one 50 inch bass taken on a live mac from the local river this past week but that is really the only big fish I have heard about.

[Clogston29]

The rivers and typical schoolie spots that I have hit have been very productive thus far, way better than the last two years.

[bassballer]

Originally Posted by FishermanTim

Funny how we have these same kind of "banner" years every 5-10years, the fishery is "deemed" to be in great shape (based on the fish caught early season) yet the regulations seem to be getting stricter each time around.

If the fishery is in such great shape, how come restrictions are being added almost every year? I understand the need for it to be a self-sustaining self-replenishing resource, but at what point can we say with ANY certainty that it is working?

Have the authorities fully cracked down on poaching?
Have there been any changes to decrease the amount of by-catch mortality?
Why can't there be a uniform size and catch limit for the entire range of these fish, instead of having so many variations that only help to perpetuate the ease of poaching?

Oh, and how long ago was it that the "authorities" claimed that the cod populations were rebounding? Look at the cod fishing situation now and tell me you aren't thinking the same could be in store for the stripers, black sea bass and pretty much every fish we prize here in the northeast?

I think the seabass regs are rediculous. Those fish are everywhere in good numbers.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by spinncognito

Another North Shore perspective (from a surf guy). So far we have been getting plenty of bass but 90% have been micro bass. I am talking fish as small as 6-8 inches long. No way these came from the Chesapeake, so where else are they being created(Thoughts Joe?) There was one 50 inch bass taken on a live mac from the local river this past week but that is really the only big fish I have heard about.

While the parker and Merrimack rivers both hosted spawning stocks many years ago( way before my time) I believe that the sheer number of that year class forced those young fish to migrate looking for food... they joined their brethren on their migration north and now they are here.

Another interesting side note is the size of eels I am seeing in my pots... I'm seeing an unusual amount of 6" and smaller mixed in with the larger bait and meat eels... I rail dumped one pot last night because it would have been too much trouble to sort them... it's a promising sign.

also last 2 nights we have pogies in the Merrimack...something we have not seen in numbers in decades.

[Rockport24]

holy crap pogies? that could be a great sign!

I can add another perspective that this season is much stronger for schoolies than the past 4-5 years and as Spin said, super micros.

I haven't been in your locale yet Ross, but will soon!

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by Rockport24

holy crap pogies? that could be a great sign!

I can add another perspective that this season is much stronger for schoolies than the past 4-5 years and as Spin said, super micros.

I haven't been in your locale yet Ross, but will soon!

word has it parker river has them too..but I haven't seen them myself ( or fished over there YET)

[nightfighter]

Originally Posted by Rockfish9

While the parker and Merrimack rivers both hosted spawning stocks many years ago( way before my time) I believe that the sheer number of that year class forced those young fish to migrate looking for food... they joined their brethren on their migration north and now they are here.

Another interesting side note is the size of eels I am seeing in my pots... I'm seeing an unusual amount of 6" and smaller mixed in with the larger bait and meat eels... I rail dumped one pot last night because it would have been too much trouble to sort them... it's a promising sign.

also last 2 nights we have pogies in the Merrimack...something we have not seen in numbers in decades.

I need to find that post you did years ago on how to catch your own eels.... Then figure out what an eel pot looks like and where to find....

[Rockport24]

I think I may know where to launch this weekend...

[JohnR]

We had a couple decent YOY indexes that are bring us small fish with a couple poor before and poor after YOY. While it is cyclical, we may be seeing a peak before and after the famine

[MakoMike]

Originally Posted by bassballer

I think the seabass regs are rediculous. Those fish are everywhere in good numbers.
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

That should change for next year, after the new stock assessment is done.

[Rockport24]

Originally Posted by JohnR

We had a couple decent YOY indexes that are bring us small fish with a couple poor before and poor after YOY. While it is cyclical, we may be seeing a peak before and after the famine

true if you are going off the Maryland index, but what about Hudson fish? Many up my way have caught fish tagged in the Hudson, I can't find any recent data about their YOY indices though.

[Clammer]

A few years back I was catching fish with Hudson river tags in winter fishing in eastern Ma. the sent me $5.00 quick but never any information ><><

[Rockport24]

You ever get any Hudson tags in RI Clammer?

[N.ShoreFisher]

Ross, when are we fishing? I need to get out too. Let's figure it out.

[RickBomba]

I had one bad trip groundfishing SW edge of Jeffries. Lots of action. Not many keepers.

I also had what would have been keeper cod on 4 times, along with the rest of the boat.

Bass have been good for me at the Cape. One day had lots of 12-14 inch fish in the wash at RP. Like entire 1000 foot lenghts of them. Very good sign for me. Haven't seen anything like it in 5 years or so.

[l.i.fish.in.vt]

in the area i fish,small bass 8 to 15 inches were everywhere for the last month,not just the typical small fish spots.Up until this week every trip i made an average of 3 a day saw at least a couple of fish with alot of 20 to 30 or more fish.still haven't had a keeper. typically i catch my biggest fish in this same peroid,in the same areas.the 24 t0 28 inch fish that where all over this time last year haven't hit the beach so far. the boats and kayakers are doing well with big fish,so they are around,just strange beach fishing.

[RickBomba]

Originally Posted by l.i.fish.in.vt

in the area i fish,small bass 8 to 15 inches were everywhere for the last month,not just the typical small fish spots.Up until this week every trip i made an average of 3 a day saw at least a couple of fish with alot of 20 to 30 or more fish.still haven't had a keeper. typically i catch my biggest fish in this same peroid,in the same areas.the 24 t0 28 inch fish that where all over this time last year haven't hit the beach so far. the boats and kayakers are doing well with big fish,so they are around,just strange beach fishing.

We had them one day last week, John. We were surprised as hell. I would just toss out a yellow Jobo Jr and BAM! I'd just twitch the lure like fishing for Largemouth and the big ones would take it from the beach. All the day when the wind was NW at 20+ sustained. They were pushing foot long makeral onto the beach. It only lasted for about an hour. #^&#^&#^&#^&y, Bruce's friend Pete from TN, and I were the only ones out there. It was really nice to see a blitz like that.

Maybe see you out there sometime. It's been a while.
Rick

[Clammer]

not Me Rock , ask Dennis I know he got some tagged fish ><>

[Guppy]

State of the Fishery 2016

My take is, not worse than the last couple so far. Haven't been out as much with all this f n wind but have marked tons when out,,, couple days ago came across the largest top water display of large I ever seen... Acres!

This week last year the 2 11s where thick as thieves in the shallows of CC Bay, can't confirm their absence but haven't heard about their presence either.

Nothing but circle hooks and Hamburgers this season... LOL

[redlite]

Yesterday 2 miles off the backside was the most epic surface blitz of 20-30# fish in 150 ft of water that we have ever seen. Was amazing. Dan got video. Even of the clueless still tryin to vertical jig nothin from the bottom instead of throwin topwater at them. Never seen so many mackeral drivin sand eels too. There is so much life off shore it is amazing. We were gettin bait A mile off head of the meadow and could see and hear all the seals. Was sad rememberin how many big fish i used to catch from the beach at "the trees" in the good ole days. We saw u earlier in the mornin Gup by the bath house and waved. Was epic then too. If had been a comm day we woulda been done in 30 minutes. Awseome mornin on water
Off shore fishery is just fine. Been sayin it for years that all the fish "programmed" to hit shore have already been sold so shore fishin aint as good as wed like it to be
Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Guppy]

Mike, Like dying and going to striper heaven...
I still can't sleep waiting for the wind to drop off... LOL

SORRY I MISSED THE WAVE... deaf dumb & blind... Comes with old age

[Rockport24]

would love to see that video!