striped bass forever, again - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

JohnR · 04-03-2006, 12:48 PM

I think while we continue to debate for and against Game Fish status, we neglect the most important issue impacting the striped bass fishery - Forage Fish.

If the forage fish situation were addresses, there would be alot more HEALTHY fish around for us to argue shich "User Group" should have the first (or only) crack at them...

MakoMike · 04-03-2006, 12:50 PM

IMHO nothing but a naked fish grab.

libassboy · 04-03-2006, 01:32 PM

I can honestly say there are lots of schoolies out there, more than ive ever seen. There is also a huge ammount of 17-22lbers, which are breeding fish. Im not saying the bass stocks are in great shape, theres nothing for them to eat, but i am saying that his notions about a lack of small fish is just not true.

Nebe · 04-03-2006, 01:43 PM

i agree with JohnR.... protet the forage fish-

spence · 04-03-2006, 01:43 PM

I think SF has a noble cause...but as JohnR sez...the solution isn't one dimensional.

I've also seen SF push propaganda that's blantly spun...I don't agree with their methods.

-spence

inTHERAPY · 04-03-2006, 02:04 PM

I'm not kidding about undersize fish! I am not saying there aren't any schoolies. I fish from Little Compton west to Block, in a boat, using eels and scup. From the 3rd week in May last year near warrens point to the first snow in newport, literally hundreds if fish between 24-32 pounds, not a single small fish.

Hey mako, what the he== is a naked fish grab?

Squibby17 · 04-03-2006, 02:21 PM

I think if you use small scup and eels your not going to catch small fish. I caught tons and tons of schoolies last year.

We fished in west dennis in june and measured are catches by the dozen. Granted these fish were all 22 inches or smaller.

Finaddict · 04-03-2006, 02:40 PM

I am on board with John R, he seems to be on target. There are fewer and fewer forage fish for stripers to eat these days, whether it is eels, herring, pogies, or the myriads of spearing, sand eels and everything else that we have taken for granted all these years.

The bait stocks are down, bring them back and we will see stripers come back stronger than ever. There really is not an easy solution to this problem ... maybe except to use more wood, rubber and tin?

zacs · 04-03-2006, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inTHERAPY

I'm not kidding about undersize fish! I am not saying there aren't any schoolies. I fish from Little Compton west to Block, in a boat, using eels and scup. From the 3rd week in May last year near warrens point to the first snow in newport, literally hundreds if fish between 24-32 pounds, not a single small fish.

Hey mako, what the he== is a naked fish grab?

I think that the small fish hang out more "inshore" in order to avoid some of the predators that hang out in the deeper water you mentioned. Also, your choice of bait affects it as well. Throw a fly in the bay any time may 1 - june 30th and you can catch as many schoolies as you want tight to any structure you can find from the head of the bay to beavertail.

I am also curious as to what a naked fish grab is. sounds kinky.

_Z_

Diggin Jiggin · 04-03-2006, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inTHERAPY

I'm not kidding about undersize fish! I am not saying there aren't any schoolies. I fish from Little Compton west to Block, in a boat, using eels and scup. From the 3rd week in May last year near warrens point to the first snow in newport, literally hundreds if fish between 24-32 pounds, not a single small fish.

Hey mako, what the he== is a naked fish grab?

Um, whats the scup limit, 10.5 or 11"?? Not too many small fish are going to take a 10+" scup. They are all legal aren't they ??

bobfishgerald · 04-03-2006, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnR

If the forage fish situation were addresses, there would be alot more HEALTHY fish around for us to argue shich "User Group" should have the first (or only) crack at them...

This is exactly right from my point of view.

JoeP · 04-03-2006, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnR

I think while we continue to debate for and against Game Fish status, we neglect the most important issue impacting the striped bass fishery - Forage Fish.

If the forage fish situation were addresses, there would be alot more HEALTHY fish around for us to argue shich "User Group" should have the first (or only) crack at them...

I agree John... Destruction of the larger forage species (menhaden, herring, etc.) is a major, if not the major problem for the bass fishery today.

JohnR · 04-03-2006, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoeP

I agree John... Destruction of the larger forage species (menhaden, herring, etc.) is a major, if not the major problem for the bass fishery today.

Exactamundo - many of the breeder areas of these fish are suffering with fish facing several diseases. Much of the "reports" cite a lack of nourishment is as much a factor as polutants and "dead zones". All of the major fish along the eastern seaboard feed primarily on one forage - the menhaden.

I am not a commercial fisherman and don't make a dime off of it but in my opinion, we would be better with a healthy stock of fish with a reduced commercial and rec pressure with plenty to eat than to have more fish divying up a smaller piece of the forage pie...

afterhours · 04-03-2006, 08:19 PM

saw more small schoolies han ever last year.

Flaptail · 04-04-2006, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnR

I think while we continue to debate for and against Game Fish status, we neglect the most important issue impacting the striped bass fishery - Forage Fish.

If the forage fish situation were addresses, there would be alot more HEALTHY fish around for us to argue shich "User Group" should have the first (or only) crack at them...

Bingo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!