Bass problem this year

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Nebe

I told you so.

...and you were right. The guy that called me last night had never caught a bass and had 4, 20s in the boat. It is mass slaughter out there. I just hope the water gets warm real quick so these guys get skunked a few times and give up. If it weren't for all the Pogies concentrated in one small area these guys would all be s#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&g wind. Trust me, we will pay for this down the road. Way too many breeders being killed.

Case in point: I had 8 fish over 20 one day last week. I put 7 back as I needed one for a graduation party. I was way down the Bay and there were 2 guys in a boat 50 yards from me catching an occasional 20" fish. They were "SCREAMING" at me everytime I put a 20# fish back. Called me every name you can think of. Begged me to give them a fish. I finally just moved. They had no concept of catch and release. I have actually switched to live lining using a singe Gami 7/0 eel hook so I don't hurt the fish. Live lining with a treble can be a sure kill. Literally!!!

[Nebe]

It appears to me that the fish are starting to trickel out of the bay now. my usual gansett skunking trips are starting to become fruitful, but its not like it was 3 or 4 years ago...

Paul, lets face it. If you look at everyone who is fishing now, I bet 15% of them know about the moratorium. Also, hardly anyone has a clue that these fish take almost 30 years to be come a 50 lber. They think that like anything, they can help themselves and the supply will always be there for them.

[vanstaal]

'm not seeing any little fish where I should be seeing them. I'm seeing less small bait than I think I should be seeing, and am starting to get concerned. I agree with OAK !!
this is byfar the worst I Narr. in a long time

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by vanstaal

'm not seeing any little fish where I should be seeing them. I'm seeing less small bait than I think I should be seeing, and am starting to get concerned. I agree with OAK !!
this is byfar the worst I Narr. in a long time

Im struggling a little with the points in the thread. One point is that there are so many fish that any goog can catch them, the other point is that there are no fish/bait in Narragansett. I feel the response to the second point is obvious, there are no fish in NArr, because they are for the most part keyed in on the bunker schools. If you think like a fish, which we all must do, why would I be in Narr? Scrounge the rocks for a lobster or a crab? I've found fish in Narr, no where near a bunker school over the last few weeks, but from a boat, however right along the shorline in 5ft of water. As far as bait, there have been acres and acres of small baitfish out there - not sure what they are and the blues have been all over them.
I think bluefish play a large role in the bait activity. The bay is loaded with blues and I tink they have chased the bay farther up than normal.

As far as the problem Paul brough up, what is the solution?

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

As far as the problem Paul brough up, what is the solution?

1 fish, 36"
good enforcement...

[Pete F.]

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

1 fish, 36"
good enforcement...

I think Maine has a better idea, one fish in a slot 20-26 or over 40, but I'd bump the large up further. And no silly exclusions for charters.

[Clammer]

I,ve been telling #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& all winter that each year the schoolie fishing is going down hill ....this is the worse I,ve seen in 20 years ;; I talked to jim white today @ he echoed the same thing ;;
when we had the old commercial fisherie >.i fished schoolies .. better price / less work & had fun .. when that dropped dead ...we were forced to join the commeercials guys that were fishing large >>> it didn,t take long until there was none >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>the best striper fishing I ever had /was when the moritum {SP} was in effect ><.,

[RIROCKHOUND]

[QUOTE=Clammer;597992]I,ve been telling #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^& all winter that each year the schoolie fishing is going down hill ..../QUOTE]

Mike a lot of my spots outfront have reliable schoolie spots behind them. not even seeing pops and swirls where they should be all over the place... something just isn't right....

[Rockport24]

I don't know guys, you are talking about a very specific spot here, is this happending all over the coast? I guess I really don't know, but it seems everyone chiming in on this thread is fishing the same spot.
Based on what I've read about the moratorium, there were ONLY big fish being caught everywhere, including a ton of 50's. Plus, weren't a lot of guys rod and reel commericals and keepers only had to be 16 inches? Seems like 20 or so years of that would destroy the population without a question. Sure, more people are fishing now, and there is more pressure on big fish, but I think you guys just happen to be sitting on one of the few pods of consistantly big fish.

[tattoobob]

I would call the area EP's and have a talk with them,
maybe they can give a few fines out to curve this problem

High gas prices and fines hardly makes a couple of fish worth the time