SB stocks dwindling

[Mike P]

I honestly think that I never killed 10% of the bass that I released, but based on what I saw over the years, I have no problem believing it as an across the board figure.

I started noticing a decline in the fishery around 2010. By 2012, I figured, that's it for me. I walked away and never looked back.

In fact, some of my best fishing memories, the most fun I ever had, were those all-tide bluefish blitzes on MV, in the late 1980s and 1990s. I had a small group of friends that I fished with, off Islanders and natives, and we had a blast catching teen blues from the beach. Bass were an obsession, usually a solo quest, and I'd often leave pissed off after a bad night. I can't say that it was always fun.

[fishgolf]

I had a chance to visit the Weekapaug fire beaches yesterday around noon.
I used to live there and fished there since I was 9 years old. There were at least 50 people fishing the beach from the rocks all the way down to Quonnie (I had binoculars).
Have never seen that many people fishing there before, even when RIMS was in its heyday. And there were a dozen boats fishing along the shoreline as well. Many more offshore from Weekapaug point to the Weekapaug breachway. That's a lot more rec pressure than "normal". Not sure what the draw was, though there were fish and bait available. One fly-fisherman remarked he caught 5 mackerel and two stripers on the beach.

[Linesider82]

Originally Posted by fishgolf

I had a chance to visit the Weekapaug fire beaches yesterday around noon.
I used to live there and fished there since I was 9 years old. There were at least 50 people fishing the beach from the rocks all the way down to Quonnie (I had binoculars).
Have never seen that many people fishing there before, even when RIMS was in its heyday. And there were a dozen boats fishing along the shoreline as well. Many more offshore from Weekapaug point to the Weekapaug breachway. That's a lot more rec pressure than "normal". Not sure what the draw was, though there were fish and bait available. One fly-fisherman remarked he caught 5 mackerel and two stripers on the beach.

Surf club challenge (tournament) was happening.

[hq2]

Originally Posted by Mike P

I honestly think that I never killed 10% of the bass that I released, but based on what I saw over the years, I have no problem believing it as an across the board figure.

I started noticing a decline in the fishery around 2010. By 2012, I figured, that's it for me. I walked away and never looked back.

In fact, some of my best fishing memories, the most fun I ever had, were those all-tide bluefish blitzes on MV, in the late 1980s and 1990s. I had a small group of friends that I fished with, off Islanders and natives, and we had a blast catching teen blues from the beach. Bass were an obsession, usually a solo quest, and I'd often leave pissed off after a bad night. I can't say that it was always fun.

Yeah, for bluefish dem’s was the days. Used to troll up lots of nice 2-3 pound blues off Horseneck and Gooseberry back then; tried a few weeks ago and only caught one. That’s what’s sad about things now; back then you could at least catch blues, but now there ain’t much of either. Don’t know when either will come back; won’t be any time soon.

[Got Stripers]

Originally Posted by Mike P

I honestly think that I never killed 10% of the bass that I released, but based on what I saw over the years, I have no problem believing it as an across the board figure.

I started noticing a decline in the fishery around 2010. By 2012, I figured, that's it for me. I walked away and never looked back.

In fact, some of my best fishing memories, the most fun I ever had, were those all-tide bluefish blitzes on MV, in the late 1980s and 1990s. I had a small group of friends that I fished with, off Islanders and natives, and we had a blast catching teen blues from the beach. Bass were an obsession, usually a solo quest, and I'd often leave pissed off after a bad night. I can't say that it was always fun.

Those big blue days were insane. For almost a month my buddies and I would motor just outside Scituate harbor and decide which endless bird action we wanted to go in. For as for as you could see north or south, birds were everywhere and we caught double digit gators until our arms were sore.

[bloocrab]

What's the cause of the Bloofish decline?...does that fall on the recreationlal sector too or is it really all Clammer's fault?

The lack of inshore blitzing over the last 10 years or so is increasingly getting worse. The number of individual schools are fewer, the size of the blitzing school itself is so much smaller...the fish numbers just aren't there. That always helped drive my own-personal science-perspective....the times of year when you should expect to see masses of migrating fish spring&fall, but the schools are smaller and fewer. These fish haven't been skipping the inshore route all these years, they just don't exist... I think people have just grown accustomed to it or forgot how insane it used to be in the fall. Sure there are still some good blitzes every now and then, but they dont' hold a candle to the blitzes of years ago.

[Got Stripers]

Originally Posted by bloocrab

What's the cause of the Bloofish decline?...does that fall on the recreationlal sector too or is it really all Clammer's fault?

The lack of inshore blitzing over the last 10 years or so is increasingly getting worse. The number of individual schools are fewer, the size of the blitzing school itself is so much smaller...the fish numbers just aren't there. That always helped drive my own-personal science-perspective....the times of year when you should expect to see masses of migrating fish spring&fall, but the schools are smaller and fewer. These fish haven't been skipping the inshore route all these years, they just don't exist... I think people have just grown accustomed to it or forgot how insane it used to be in the fall. Sure there are still some good blitzes every now and then, but they dont' hold a candle to the blitzes of years ago.

Bunker

[Mike P]

Originally Posted by Got Stripers

Those big blue days were insane. For almost a month my buddies and I would motor just outside Scituate harbor and decide which endless bird action we wanted to go in. For as for as you could see north or south, birds were everywhere and we caught double digit gators until our arms were sore.

There were days when I had to rack the rod because I was too sore to catch even one more blue. Fish from 13 to almost 20 pounds, one day in particular, where there was just enough of a small rip to make moving one out of it a lot of work. I'd feel it the next morning, too.

[hq2]

Used to crank ‘em in at Barrington and Conimicut back then. Dozens of guys out there, fish flying everywhere. Not much now.

[afterhours]

Originally Posted by hq2

Used to crank ‘em in at Barrington and Conimicut back then. Dozens of guys out there, fish flying everywhere. Not much now.

Yup there and on the pogies when they filled Bristol harbor - solid week of up to 20+ blues and 40+ stripers with some 50's. It was insane.

[wdmso]

Originally Posted by hq2

Used to crank ‘em in at Barrington and Conimicut back then. Dozens of guys out there, fish flying everywhere. Not much now.

Only big blues I saw were early mixed in with the bass on Pogies ..

Used. To be schools in the fall in the Taunton River and MT hope bay last 10 years nothing bigger than shark bait

[bloocrab]

Originally Posted by Mike P

..... Fish from 13 to almost 20 pounds,,,,,

Today, most consider a 14lb bloofish a monster, ?? So most won't know that when bluefish get into the 17-18+lb-range, they start to take on a different shape .....can you imagine if bloofish reached the 50-60# class?

[PaulS]

Originally Posted by bloocrab

Today, most consider a 14lb bloofish a monster, ?? So most won't know that when bluefish get into the 17-18+lb-range, they start to take on a different shape .....can you imagine if bloofish reached the 50-60# class?

I had a 16# one night last week. Knew it was a blue from the fight but when I first saw it I started thinking to myself that I was wrong and had a bass on.

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by bloocrab

.can you imagine if bloofish reached the 50-60# class?

They do.
They are called Amberjack
😂
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