Thinning out the Crop

[MTC]

16 fish that won't see the Habba next summer...

NC Fishing charter X 30 Boats X 100 Days = a lot of fish. They looked at us like we had 3 heads when we threw fish back...

[beamie]

Tom,

Don't take this the wrong way but I don't understand what your trying to say. It's allot of fish but what is so different about the NC charter fishery and ours in Mass.

Everybody and their brother, including I, are "captains". And if you have a boat big enough to take 6 guys that's 12 fish, not much different.

If the Sea Shell were loaded with a dad, mom and 4 youngsters and they had a really big family and they told you that they wanted to keep every keeper they caught and you slaughtered 20 pounders at "dads" isn't that their right to leave with 12 keepers. What is the diff. Your a part of the madness just like all in the charter game.

Jon

[MTC]

What I was seeing was the 12 for the charter plus the 4 for the Captain and Crew. I discourage groups bring home there limit unless ther can convince me that they plan on eating all the fish. I'v never had a goup bring more than 5 fish in 3 years. I know the lobsterman think there too many fish around and most think the stocks are doing well. The fish down there are grouped in a mile long by 30' deep packs in a semi hibernation state. I saw most boats using gaffs on the fish... even the small ones. All the big fish would be dropping 800,000=2,000000 eggs in about 90 days. A little photo and release would not hurt...

[quick decision]

this post has been edited by BITE MY TONGUE

[beamie]

Glad to hear that you discourge the limit. The only time it is really necessary to limit out is on split charters. If it is one family their is no way all that meat is going to get used. Most will be in the garbage. One charter I mated for with a buddy we got into good sized fish at that tip across the bay. They took home 8 fish with 4 of them being between 30 and 38 pounds. Big fish running that day. Probably left with 130 pounds of fillet. I doubt it all got used. But they wanted to keep. It is hard to break that mentality.

Sounds like it is stupid fishing down there right now. Guess all those bass will be heading up into the inlets and rivers to do there thing.

[MTC]

Beamie... I guess thats the point I was tring to make. I'm greedy and want all the fish up here for us to catch...

What else is there to talk about when it's 5 degrees and 10" of snow comming....


Go Pats!

[Slipknot]

This same thing happens every winter, get used to it
I guess they say we have them in the summer and do the same, but I respectfully argue that in the summer it is a million times less concentrated ocean of fish, much harder to catch 100 fish each trip. To do that up this way you'd have to go to the Thames river in the winter on a sunny day but they will be schoolies not 40 pounders.
Alot of charter clients only fish for stripers once or twice a year so they don't keep much more than I do a year.

[beamie]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by MTC

What else is there to talk about when it's 5 degrees and 10" of snow comming....


Not where I'm at. I'm 2' North of the Equator in The Maldives doing some Tsunami Humanitarian Aid. Sorry to say this, but the weather is PISSA.....but I'd rather be home. Thankfully we have Sat TV to watch the Pats.

[schoolie monster]

I think the other issue with the NC stripers is they are preparing to spawn down there and if I remember correctly, the controversy is killing many, many females filled with roe.

Its not just about killing a fish... its the millions of eggs that a quality spawner (30lbers) would have otherwise laid.

[Team Rock On]

It doesn't really matter if you kill the same fish in Sep. or January, it still has the same effect. Those guys in NC have a short season due to the weather situation. Charters are lucky to get out a few days a week.

[MTC]

If I didn't have a wife and kids I'd be right there with them...

[Fly Rod]

Happy to hear that ya had good fishing!!!!!!

Seems from what I've heard over the years that them fish concragate in that area in a prre-spone mood!!! And that the government took into account the number of stripers caught down that way!!! Have ya heard anything about that???

You never mentioned their technique of catching stripers!!! Did bait or troll etc: and their style of fishing!!!!

What the charter cost and name of charter company!!!

[relentless]

So what if they take home all the fish and give some away to neighbors, friends and those at work who are always asking for fish. The way I see it most charters, especially if a family does this once a year. Lets see that is 12-16 fish once a year. Now, Mr. private boater goes out with a few friends for 6 months and often (not always) brings in a few fish for the grill. These few fish with different anglers is far greater in numbers than the family chartering once. I do agree and also encourage, if you are not going to eat it, don't kill it. Sometimes photos like this give the impression charter boats are out to kill every last fish and it upsets me. Without proepr management we will not have a fishery and I want to see our kids and grandchildren enjoy it also. I hate to see people jump to conclusions over photos of people holding fish.


Dave

[fishweewee]

I'm not that fond of striper meat.

If stripers tasted anywere near like cod, they'd be under a lot more pressure.

[Flaptail]

Slip, a 100 fish a day is not hard around here, granted mostly school fish but in some places it ain't that hard. I had a few trips last year in the skiff where we just quit cause we couldn't go on it was getting boring and the fish were nice, up to 40 inches. Got to know where to go and where to look and what to use. You got the little boat all you need to do is follow me in May and early June (weekdays of course). All light tackle and shallow water.