Is it just me?

[Rappin Mikey]

Things are'nt like they usually are at my Spring haunts. I know the two week behind theory thing. Last year was late because of the cold too. By this time though I was into them good. Mainly I am fishing a river way inland this time of year. That factor can throw a monkey wrench into success depending on conditions (low water, warm water early, like we have had my way in the CT) Just wondering how others are doing??

[Linesider82]

deflate your lures a little bit, couple psi, you'll be fine

[Raven]

Originally Posted by Linesider82

deflate your lures a little bit, couple psi, you'll be fine

careful...... i heard there's hefty fines for that

[PaulS]

I'm having the same issue. Not seeing the fish I usually see. My concern is that while the herring are here, the bunker are now around and I'm wondering if the Bass will be going by the bunker to chase the herring up river. Usually the Bass arrive to chase the herring bf the bunker get here.

The lack of rain prob. hasn't helped either.

[The Dad Fisherman]

I think they cruised on past you.....fishing has been good up this way from what I'm hearing....seems early for us.

[Rockport24]

I don't know, fishing is picking up now, but it seems like that just happened this past weekend and it usually happens on mother's day, so I think we are a week behind or so...

[piemma]

I think it depends on where you are. To me, it seems we are 10 days to 2 weeks late.

[zimmy]

Originally Posted by PaulS

I'm having the same issue. Not seeing the fish I usually see. My concern is that while the herring are here, the bunker are now around and I'm wondering if the Bass will be going by the bunker to chase the herring up river. Usually the Bass arrive to chase the herring bf the bunker get here.

The lack of rain prob. hasn't helped either.

10 years of bad young of year. Except for the 20-24" fish from the 2011 class, there just weren't many fish spawned. Any class that spawned before 2008 has been hammered repeatedly by out of control harvest.
Go to http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/53...review2013.pdf and look at Fig 6 (p. 21). The recreational catch reported to NMFS was 25 million fish in 2007. In 2013 it was 5 million. We can all see it in the data and we see it on the water. There are a fraction of the fish today compared to a handful of years ago.

[Zeno]

Originally Posted by zimmy

10 years of bad young of year. Except for the 20-24" fish from the 2011 class, there just weren't many fish spawned. Any class that spawned before 2008 has been hammered repeatedly by out of control harvest.
Go to http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/53...review2013.pdf and look at Fig 6 (p. 21). The recreational catch reported to NMFS was 25 million fish in 2007. In 2013 it was 5 million. We can all see it in the data and we see it on the water. There are a fraction of the fish today compared to a handful of years ago.

bingo

[piemma]

Originally Posted by zimmy

10 years of bad young of year. Except for the 20-24" fish from the 2011 class, there just weren't many fish spawned. Any class that spawned before 2008 has been hammered repeatedly by out of control harvest.
Go to http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/53...review2013.pdf and look at Fig 6 (p. 21). The recreational catch reported to NMFS was 25 million fish in 2007. In 2013 it was 5 million. We can all see it in the data and we see it on the water. There are a fraction of the fish today compared to a handful of years ago.

Absolutely agree. All I'm saying is that whatever is left is 2 weeks late.

[l.i.fish.in.vt]

every year less fish and every year less fishermen,so why wouldn't the numbers go down?

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by zimmy

10 years of bad young of year. Except for the 20-24" fish from the 2011 class, there just weren't many fish spawned. Any class that spawned before 2008 has been hammered repeatedly by out of control harvest.
Go to http://www.asmfc.org/uploads/file/53...review2013.pdf and look at Fig 6 (p. 21). The recreational catch reported to NMFS was 25 million fish in 2007. In 2013 it was 5 million. We can all see it in the data and we see it on the water. There are a fraction of the fish today compared to a handful of years ago.

Agree. We can argue about the exact #'s, but the trend is clear.

[Fly Rod]

Never late here....mothers day has always been STRIPER DAY and they were here......

[zimmy]

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

every year less fish and every year less fishermen,so why wouldn't the numbers go down?

Less fishermen is not true. Actually, the number of fishermen has remained relatively stable and the years of the highest harvest coincide with relatively lower numbers of fishermen. Guess that makes the situation even worse. Definitely less people fishing this spring around here though since there are very few fish in many areas.

Number targeting striped bass 2002 (1.7 million), 2008 (1.4 million), 2011 (2.1 million). The highest year of harvest (2008) had the lowest number of fishermen. https://www.census.gov/prod/www/fishing.html

[Zeal]

I notice less serious fisherman and more of the typical "just bought a cheap rod and reel and a diamond jig or some bunker" fisherman that don't know much else. Lots of fishing during the day, but at night when I could write it on paper who typically shows up to fish each year (don't know any by name, just recognize the vehicles and grunts they make), that list shrunk massively over the past 2 seasons (we are talking about people who do overnighters).

Very eerie and alarming to say the least concerning actual fisherman versus fill in the blank. But I can't speak about the actual fish numbers.

Was a sad sight to see people aiming for bluefish and abandoning attempting for bass last week.

[Zeno]

Originally Posted by Zeal

I notice less serious fisherman and more of the typical "just bought a cheap rod and reel and a diamond jig or some bunker" fisherman that don't know much else. Lots of fishing during the day, but at night when I could write it on paper who typically shows up to fish each year (don't know any by name, just recognize the vehicles and grunts they make), that list shrunk massively over the past 2 seasons (we are talking about people who do overnighters).

Very eerie and alarming to say the least concerning actual fisherman versus fill in the blank. But I can't speak about the actual fish numbers.

Was a sad sight to see people aiming for bluefish and abandoning attempting for bass last week.

I know a lot of guys that "attempted" the bass thing last few weeks. I just don't know of single one that has succeeded

[afterhours]

i regularly talk to guys from maine to nj. spotty at best with a FEW good nights mixed in. everyone talks of good amounts of bait. maybe the paranoid old guys knew what they were talking about for the last 8 years.

[shadow]

Yup Don it was about 8 years ago that spots that were consistent producers stopped being consistent. At first people thought with the return of adult bunker the fish were just staging in different areas but clearly that is not the case and if it was all that did was make the fish easy pickins for anyone with a boat and live bait. Every year for the last 8 it's been worse and worse. With maybe a large mass of fish in one or two areas ,but not wide spread . Hopefully things turn around it won't happen overnight but I hope I see it slowly build back to what we once had.
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[1dozenraw]

Everything is two weeks late in SoCo, RI

[ridler72]

I can't speak for anyone but myself. I had a good group of bass up in Boston that was consistent last week up to 20lb class, than it puffed northeast wind last week , blew hard westerly, and it's been tough going and the water temp dropped 10 degrees to 47.

If the bass numbers are down and Mother Nature does her thing, it makes it that much harder I guess. Just got the roll with the punches I guess and hope for the best.
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[Got Stripers]

A good number of small bass in the Westport River yesterday, but nowhere near the number I'd have expected this time of year, did catch one nice keeper which was a hoot on the light tackle. Also managed a couple keeper tog near the cottages at slack on plastic, again nice fight on light gear. Cold thou, water in low fifties and raw without much sun. Nice to get out with one of my boys and get that first run behind me with everything working.

[Paul D]

I agree with Zimmy. Look at any of the data and it's easy to see that the striper fishery is in decline. I've fished the Housatonic River here in western CT for almost 50 years. The spring fishing 2015 can only be described as poor to fair. Not many seem concerned.

[thefishingfreak]

Out of Boston the Bait & Bass are Right on schedule.
as usual

[JohnnySaxatilis]

Cape has been pretty decent. lots of small fish with a few keepers mixed in but steadily becoming more frequent. Haven't seen or heard of anything over 16 or 17# though. Got my first blue the other night about 8lbs. I hope that strong sw blow the last few days brings some bigger fish up here...

[Jackbass]

Originally Posted by JohnnySaxatilis

Cape has been pretty decent. lots of small fish with a few keepers mixed in but steadily becoming more frequent. Haven't seen or heard of anything over 16 or 17# though. Got my first blue the other night about 8lbs. I hope that strong sw blow the last few days brings some bigger fish up here...

Remember that long walk I took you on a couple years ago that's the place to be these days. Bigger fish out there with the sustained SW
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[JohnnySaxatilis]

Well what the hell lets go

[iamskippy]

Originally Posted by Linesider82

deflate your lures a little bit, couple psi, you'll be fine

Agreed.
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[piemma]

Upper Narragansett Bay SUCKS!
I have been fishing hard with Pogies both chunking the heads and live lining. I have been skunked on my last 2 outings with a total of 10 hours put in.
If there is any doubt that the stocks have declined I am proof they have. maybe you guys in Mass are getting fish but except for schoolies I have 2, yes, 2 decent fish this year---18# & 23#.

Pitiful and sad. Reminds me of the late 80s.

[ivanputski]

Last years theme to sum up my season was: " never worked so hard, for so little"

This season is shaping up as the sequel so far for me
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[PaulS]

Def. my worse spring ever.