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There are a zillion fish, trouble is they are mostly small. There is, or was, a lack of bait, big bait up around these parts ( Cape Cod) but there are signs that at least maybe, just maybe, the bunker are coming back (adult bunker), jury is still out.
The outer beach has issues. Seals eating bait and bigger seals eating fish we like to catch and occasionally the fish we are hooked up to at the moment. Work ethic was much more inspiring when there was cash to be made without all the red tape, now the fish for sport crowd for the most part doesn't put that extra little push into it, so..... the real picture is somewhat still fuzzy.
Right now the bait is thick off of the beaches (hence finbacks and Humpies close in chowing sandeels). Seals made little seals and are preoccupied with that but not for long and then they will be back patrolling the shore fom Monomoy to P-Town. Fish have a slight touch of intelligence and stay away from the beach and go to where the seals aren't and the bait is. This leaves the shore bound guy s#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g wind while a mile away his boat bound buds are bailing them on Salty's needles.
What we needs to be done ( and I cannot for the life of me believe I am saying this) is a. make it a gamefish and b. install a slot limit. c. ban forever the taking of river herring and menhaden for commercial or sport purposes.
Lastly, and the tree huggers will love me for this one, we need to thin the seal herds by 2/3rds and control them to practical levels. Seal birth control would do. Just lace something in a bunch of treated baits. Don't kill them (though it would make fine sport) just make them infertile.
Lastly practice catch and release whenever your need for food fish has been met and satisfied.
( fixed the damm soapbox don't ya know)
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