Are Bass on the Decline

[seabass]

The way I see it is 1) Historicaly the Chesapeake Bay class has been a major variable. 2)I've only been striper fishing for 8 years, but I've seen more schoolies then ever, and I've caught more fish in the 30 lb range then ever before. 3) I know for a fact the herring run in Middleboro has declined over the past four years as I watch this deligentley daily. 4)Pogies are almost extinct.5)Scup is hard to find near the Elizebeth Ilsands. 6) the inverse square of the 1998 population , intergrated with the logrithmic function of y is a direct correlation to the out put of a flux capacitor???? I DON"T THINK IT"S THAT BAD, JUST STANDARD FLUCTUATIONS.

[Bass Babe]

Haha, seabass. Up to date statistics last year showed a steady population level thru 2003, and a slight drop in 2004, if I remember correctly. Managers were throwing around the idea of stricter regulations, but were split over whether pressure needed to be reduced or if it was natural fluctuation. I don't know the outcome of the meetings, but I'm sure someone here knows. When the stats come out for this year, we'll know if they made the right choice.

[CANAL RAT]

Isn't it funny this subject comes up every season

[Pete_G]

Just look at the chaos off Newport for the past month. Great bass fishing despite the heat and tuna everywhere. And a LOT of baby bunker and tinker macks.

Baitfish support everything we love, and the present situation off Newport excluded, quality bait seems to be a rarity.

I think any thoughts on bass numbers is purely a guess overall. Newport has been incredible to boat fisherman that know what they're doing, yet shore anglers have struggled till the bait arrived. Boat guys would say the bass are in great health and numbers as they are catching many quality fish, while the shore angler would obviously have a very different opinion, prior to all this bait arriving.

[Maloney]

Overall populations on the decrease, or distribution of size classes?

Seemed to be more fun when on the hunt for a keeper at 36 rather than 28.

[Clammer]

No Shortage tonight //

[basswipe]

I can second Pete.I watch the boats every day from the house I'm working on.
Out front off the drive is packed with boats every morning and they be catching.

[piemma]

My opinion is that I have seen a decline of small fish. I have been successful with large. Not Eben size but 15 to 20+#. Of course I don't target small fish in that I fish large eels and large plugs. My standard plugs are 3 to 4oz Dannys and needles. And while you will occcasionally get schoolies on large plugs and eels, by and large the bigger fish will go for a bigger plug and eel. The other factor is where you fish. There are schoolie spots and big fish spots. My partner, RIROCKHOUND and I fish the night tides in big fish spots. I would bet we haven't caught 20 schoolies between us but we have caught a LOT of 15+# fish.

[MakoMike]

Well have the definitive answer in another month or so when the ASMFC technical committee releases their numbers.

[Fish_Eye]

There are more stripers around now then most anglers have ever had an opportunity to fish for -- at least statistically speaking.

2004:
Stock Size: The estimate of total abundance for January 1, 2004 is 56.7 million age-1 and older fish due to the strong 2003 year-class. This estimate is about 11 million fish higher than the average stock size for the previous five years and 23.8% higher than the 2003 abundance.

However, there are real concerns with the health of the population, the quality of their most important prey item -- menhaden, and the population of the females spawning -- too many big breeders getting culled.

THE BIG QUESTION IS WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER?

Are you active in lobbying for change?

Do you support groups that are fighting to control the overfishing of menhaden?

Are you vocal about the need to keep the EEZ closed?

Are you concerned that an estimated 2.5 million pounds of stripers are being tossed back into the water DEAD, just as a bykill by draggers?

Over the years I've observed a lot of people bitching and complaining about fishery mismanagement issues, yet they reserve their comments for forums, or for gripe sessions at the local tackle shop, or among fellow anglers. What good does it do to just complain? You need to get active. Make a difference.

People who don't vote have no right to complain about the government.

People who only gripe about the situation with stripers and don't do anything about it are only wasting their breath.

Join and support organizations like RISAA and especially the RFA.