A Different Point of View

[Clogston29]

To me, the problem is over harvest of baitfish (menhaden, herring, mackeral, whiting, etc.) that is the problem, not the under harvest of bass. We've completely screwed up to ocean ecosystem and that is going to have consequences and everyone sees those consequences from their own point of vier. Lobsterman see too many bass eating lobsters. Striperman see bass that aren't as big/fat as they used to be. And on and on. Almost every bass that I've kept over the past few years has had nothing but crabs or lobster in their stomachs, most have nothing at all.

[Pete_G]

Originally Posted by Clogston29

To me, the problem is over harvest of baitfish (menhaden, herring, mackeral, whiting, etc.) that is the problem, not the under harvest of bass. We've completely screwed up to ocean ecosystem and that is going to have consequences and everyone sees those consequences from their own point of vier. Lobsterman see too many bass eating lobsters. Striperman see bass that aren't as big/fat as they used to be. And on and on. Almost every bass that I've kept over the past few years has had nothing but crabs or lobster in their stomachs, most have nothing at all.

This is my view on it as well. Till the ecosystem overall is managed, it's never going to be balanced.

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by Clogston29

To me, the problem is over harvest of baitfish (menhaden, herring, mackeral, whiting, etc.) that is the problem, not the under harvest of bass. We've completely screwed up to ocean ecosystem and that is going to have consequences and everyone sees those consequences from their own point of vier. Lobsterman see too many bass eating lobsters. Striperman see bass that aren't as big/fat as they used to be. And on and on. Almost every bass that I've kept over the past few years has had nothing but crabs or lobster in their stomachs, most have nothing at all.

Bingo.....

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Bingo.....

Double bingo.

[RIROCKHOUND]

And _INGO was his name-o

Lets hope ecosystem management is in the future... unfortunetly I see lots of talk, and not much implimentation

[eelman]

You cant blame the lobsterman for being upset, We had this discussion at a recent RISAA meeting. In the years I have fished I would say 90% of the bass I have gutted all have either lobsters or crabs in there gut. However many fisherman mis-identify lobster at times especially if they are a little decomposed. Not alot but enough to take notice, what the bass acually have in there gut is Manta Shrimp and, they can be a dead ringer for lobster especially in the decomposed stage.

Mant shrimp live in the muddy bottom and bass will root for them with there chins and absolutly love to eat the things!

However I agree that the ecosystem is totally screwd up...bass cant eat whats not there

[nightfighter]

So our response as a group should be....? How can we as sportsmen put our support around a solution? A true overall solution. What groups do we need to work with to make an impact? And we must identify who the opposition will be. We as a group could have some impact I would think, especially if we teamed up with others. Zealots need not apply.
Maybe we could start with folks like TimW as his work on the eel problem is obviously a piece of the puzzle.

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by Clogston29

To me, the problem is over harvest of baitfish (menhaden, herring, mackeral, whiting, etc.) that is the problem, not the under harvest of bass. We've completely screwed up to ocean ecosystem and that is going to have consequences and everyone sees those consequences from their own point of vier. Lobsterman see too many bass eating lobsters. Striperman see bass that aren't as big/fat as they used to be. And on and on. Almost every bass that I've kept over the past few years has had nothing but crabs or lobster in their stomachs, most have nothing at all.

and the numbers of seals on the cape that eat all the bait are a good part of the problem of not having enough bait for bass and blues. I have not caught a fat bass ever in the last decade.