Some good news on Striped Bass

[jkswimmer]

I like the implications that made between the lines that comercials are pros and the recs are hacks that can not unhook a fish. I have seen more comercial hacks than any other group. Has anyone seen the YOY report?

[RIROCKHOUND]

Originally Posted by jkswimmer

I like the implications that made between the lines that commercials are pros and the recs are hacks that can not unhook a fish. I have seen more commercial hacks than any other group. Has anyone seen the YOY report?

Maybe commercials are hacks too, but I've seen many a schoolie kicked down the beach by people who didn't want fishy hands!

I agree with Sandman, discard is high and unaccounted for, but the bottom line is our hands aren't clean, both in the number we keep and release. I remember bits of those studies mentioned above from a few years back, and I HATE circle hooks, but more and more think it's time to give them a shot.

[afterhours]

the maryland study was good- just wished they used plugs. the .8 on mouth hooked fish sounded a bit more realistic. sounds like they may forgotten about the c&r guys that mostly use plugs/lures not bait- i bet that # might have been even lower.

[Pt.JudeJoe]

How many little stripers will have their jaws ripped up by jigs this April when they first arrive? "I got 50 fish today! woo hoo!"

....and another thing,say the comm. limit is X pounds of stripers ...if they had to keep ALL stripers until the X limit is reached instead of shoveling dead "shorts" overboard and fishing until X was reached with a certain length fish ,a lot more stripers would live to breed later.

[Mr. Sandman]

Originally Posted by Pt.JudeJoe

How many little stripers will have their jaws ripped up by jigs this April when they first arrive? "I got 50 fish today! woo hoo!"

....and another thing,say the comm. limit is X pounds of stripers ...if they had to keep ALL stripers until the X limit is reached instead of shoveling dead "shorts" overboard and fishing until X was reached with a certain length fish ,a lot more stripers would live to breed later.

PJJ,

I agree with you on all counts. Frankly I get little thrill catching tiny bass and nothing turns my stomach more then to see a baby gut hooked. (that could be a 50 someday!) There is next to no chance of getting that out of a tiny fish and have it live....and then most guys to go back and try and catch another is downright sad.... Catch a few and move on.


Re comm limit. I have mentioned this VERY THING to several influential people and the response from the comm types is always the same... Oh no we don't want to do that...you see then the comm draggers would make a point then to catch the total limit as a by-catch and put the rod and reelers out of business. " Then my response was...so be it! let the rod and reelers work it out with the draggers, your using an indiscriminate fishing method to kill edible fish."... No we don't want comm fishermen fighting amongst themselves for a quota. Then my point was then...what about throwing DEAD FISH (or nearly dead) back only to die?..."then his response was..."This is not that big a problem yet", it is the recs that do all the damage. We only take our quota.,,,,Big sigh...OK, you only take your quota, so what does it matter WHO takes it? If we can save lots dead fish by selling by-catch and eliminating the entire R&R comm fishery I say lets do it!
These guys are dug in like a tic and will not budge. IMO the only way to achieve protection for the fish is thru game fish status and taking the $ off the fishes head. There is no other way. They must be forced into submission. I say this and I HAVE A COMM LIC!!! The fishery regulation at the state level is CURRUPTED by comm influence right up to the top. There is an apathy among recs which makes it easy to run rough-shot on the regs without much rec influence. They will do what is good for them, you will take what we give you. This is their approach.

[Abodeon]

Thanks for posting that report. We should all feel good about how we treat our sportfish...it's continuing to make a long term difference. I'm so encouraged that I may keep one for the dinner table this year.