Why has the fishing from the Cape beaches declined so much?

[numbskull]

Unfortunately, there is another possibility to consider. The genetic trait for bass to feed inshore was punished severely by catch and kill fishing (be it recreational or commercial). The fish that feed offshore have been less pressured and lived to pass on their instincts. I have no proof that is what is happening, but would anyone be surprised if it is? Lu's point about there being enough bait for the seals to thrive on is a strong argument that the absence of bait is not the real issue.

[bart]

thats a great theory Numbskull. something i've been wondering about myself....

[onsetangler]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Unfortunately, there is another possibility to consider. The genetic trait for bass to feed inshore was punished severely by catch and kill fishing (be it recreational or commercial). The fish that feed offshore have been less pressured and lived to pass on their instincts. I have no proof that is what is happening, but would anyone be surprised if it is? Lu's point about there being enough bait for the seals to thrive on is a strong argument that the absence of bait is not the real issue.

That really is a very interesting theory,I have always thought it was all the seals fault, and I still think part of it is, but that is definately something to think about.

[Flaptail]

As backup to what Numbskull put forth as theory, we often have spectacular wire line jigging upon return from chasing bluefin out east of Chatham just before we head for the barn maybe a 1/2 to 3/4's of a mile off of the beach just east of Chatham light.

Also, we have run in to herds of bass and bluefish 35 miles east of the inlet in past years that ate the spreader bars with abandon enough to be a pain in the ass.

There are plenty of bass just off of the beach all along the outer Cape. Plenty of bait too. They just won't come in to the beach. One thing we did notice is that just along shore the water temps were colder than they are just a mile or so east of the beach.

The beach will come back. When is anyones guess. It has never ever been consistent in reality. The 70's, the 90's and a ray of sunshine here and there. To believe that it and has been great year after year after year is naive, you have to beleive and hope that each year will be the one ( and then hope nobody else finds out).

Hardly anyone fishes beyond ten pm until the second rip crew shows at 4am at RP. I still do but I'm a holdout.

Seals do suck but I have seen a herd of 20 seals with an sctively feeding school of bass just inshore of them and they were not chasing the bass. I have lost hooked bass to them but have never seen them take wild fish other than in Scorton Creek in winter.

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

The beach will come back. When is anyones guess. It has never ever been consistent in reality. The 70's, the 90's and a ray of sunshine here and there. To believe that it and has been great year after year after year is naive, you have to beleive and hope that each year will be the one

( and then hope nobody else finds out).

.

ya fat chance of that happening with the internet

[Slipknot]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Unfortunately, there is another possibility to consider. The genetic trait for bass to feed inshore was punished severely by catch and kill fishing (be it recreational or commercial). The fish that feed offshore have been less pressured and lived to pass on their instincts. I have no proof that is what is happening, but would anyone be surprised if it is? Lu's point about there being enough bait for the seals to thrive on is a strong argument that the absence of bait is not the real issue.

Very possible
much as the seals have gone unchecked since there is no more bounty on them so now they have flourished since they have alot of food available(atleast it used to be till they ate all the flounder,sand dabs,skates,dogfish,bass, and so on) and there is no more bounty on them so they are free to shat all over our once pristine beaches.

Kinda ironic that Boston Harbor has fantastic fishing lately since they use the outflow pipe to take away the effluent and ruin the shoreline waters of the cape with all their polluted water

I think that has something to do with water quality close in at the beaches along with seal poop and one reason why sand eels are scarce from shoreline areas they once were abundant.


Seals
The outflow pipe
Mung
fishing pressure
lack of shoreline bait
fear of predation in close even at night
plenty of eats offshore so why would bass come in close

and the number one reason mentioned has been it's just a cycle
with seals being number 2.


I wish scientists would research this stuff
Don't the polititions know the economy is being effected out there by the overpopulation of seals?

[Slipknot]

I have also seen seals in the daytime eating bass that were not hooked by fishermen.
But most times at the rip it is a hooked bass that is easy prey for the fat seals. I usually got my blues in past them unless it was dark still.

[Clogston29]

were the cape beaches good during other perionds, like some of the 70s, when the fishing around the bunker schools was great? just curious.

also, do you guys think that large sandeel popluations are down in general or have just not been coming inshore as frequently in recent years? It seams like they've been missing or down in other areas too, not just the cape.