I Don't Care What Anyone Says........

[Sea Dangles]

Bass are in trouble if you ask me.I caught fish, some of which were quality, but the bass are in trouble.Look at how long comm season lasted,look at the numbers from the Derby.I have eyes from M to CC bay and nobody I know could stay on the fish with any consistancy.Sure,Team Striper won the Cup again but the majority of our anglers have the same sentiments as most of us.This could be a fluke or a strange year for bait patterns but I am of the opinion that the rec angler is destroying the sb fishery. 1 fish over 36" along the coast would be a good start in helping sustain or stabilize the fishery.Like others have noted,some had good years, or found fish in the fall but the BIG picture looks grim.

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

Bass are in trouble if you ask me.

I would concur with you if we had only one size of fish(all real large) present, which we clearly don't. The 70's crash should have been easy to spot as there were all jumbo fish and no smalls. Given the size distribution of fish present right now, I can't envision a crash coming soon under any scenario. Harvest rates may be higher than replacement rates right now for all anyone knows, but there's still plenty of breeder sized fish out there.
The recs keeping 2 fish per day is very wasteful though. I'm not sure anyone can eat that many fish. Those who keep 2 a day in many cases do it simply because they can...therein lies the problem... its a "tragedy of the commons."

[Back Beach]

Can anyone answer this?

How many stripers do we need to have in order to keep everyone happy? 50 pounders every other cast? 60 pounders every third cast? On what do you base your opinion of the fishery?

I think there's a lot of ego involved too. You have a less than stellar year and suddenly the fishing stinks.

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Can anyone answer this?

How many stripers do we need to have in order to keep everyone happy? 50 pounders every other cast? 60 pounders every third cast? On what do you base your opinion of the fishery?

I never thought I would say this given my romantic reminisscence of the 70's and early 80's and the dropping ooff of a lot of bass at Old Harbor fish market but:

#1, bring back the 36 inch one fish a day limit.

#2, stop the commercial sale of Striped Bass along the entire coast, you want to eat one then catch it yourslef or go hungry.

#3 In other words, it's time to realize the greater importance of this fish and it's economic impact and make it a gamefish.

#4 The menhaden fishery needs to be stopped. No harvet for commercial nees and no harvest for supply to bait shops either.

There I said it, I have come out of the Gamefish for Striped Bass closet.

Let the persecution begin.

[JFigliuolo]

Burn him... BUUUUUUUUUUUUURN HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIM!!!!!!!

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

I never thought I would say this given my romantic reminisscence of the 70's and early 80's and the dropping ooff of a lot of bass at Old Harbor fish market but:

#1, bring back the 36 inch one fish a day limit.

#2, stop the commercial sale of Striped Bass along the entire coast, you want to eat one then catch it yourslef or go hungry.

#3 In other words, it's time to realize the greater importance of this fish and it's economic impact and make it a gamefish.

#4 The menhaden fishery needs to be stopped. No harvet for commercial nees and no harvest for supply to bait shops either.

There I said it, I have come out of the Gamefish for Striped Bass closet.

Let the persecution begin.

Flap:
We were all guilty of selling in the 70s. We also learned what that massive abuse led to. The management of the entire fishing ecosystem is out of whack. It's not only the Bass, as you pointed out, it's the bait. They are so GD intent on making fertilizer and fish oil capsules that they are completely ignoring the bigger picture.

[redlite]

[QUOTE=Flaptail;



#2, stop the commercial sale of Striped Bass along the entire coast, you want to eat one then catch it yourslef or go hungry.

#3 In other words, it's time to realize the greater importance of this fish and it's economic impact and make it a gamefish.

.

There I said it, I have come out of the Gamefish for Striped Bass closet.

Um, maybe I'm a bit misinformed by "Gamefish Status", but doesn't that mean that you can't keep them at all, even for personal gratification or consumption???

On another note, second best year I have ever had in my life. Again, just like last year, the fish were just in different spots. Had to figure them out, but once I did, it was consistently great for nice fish. The weather was a major, major factor in this (as well as real life things). BAsed upon my slips, I fished half as many nights this year and caught half as many fish, but the avaerage poundage was still the same as last year.
I quit after Columbus day last year, and the reports last year were pretty bleak. I am giving it a half hearted effort once in a while this year, but I haven't caught a fish since columbus day weekend. The reports from my network of guys that are still pounding it hard are doin little more than poundin' their pud.
I have been saying it for years that the rules of the commercial fishery here in Mass have destroyed the inshore stocks of bass. Yes, I have helped contribute my small effort to it, but a very small part. Do I feel "guilty" or bad about it? Not really. Would I miss it if they did away with the commercial fishery? Not really. everyone fishes for different reasons. Normally I don't even keep fish as I don't eat it.
Good luck to everyone that is still givin it hell, all it takes is one cast for that fish of a lifetime, and it could be on the next cast, so keep at it.
Good luck cause it ain't over yet.....the fat lady is only on the first verse of the song..........

[Odizza]

i am having the best seson i have ever had. 4 times as many keeper bass than any year prior and my personal best. Not a lot of big fish but an overall good year for me.

[afterhours]

game fish status prohibits the sale of said fish, it allows public consumption. i'm in favor of gamefish status for stripers with a limit of 1 fish at 36". i'm glad some of you guys have had great years but the writings on the wall and some of us have seen/lived it before.

[piemma]

Originally Posted by Odizza

i am having the best seson i have ever had. 4 times as many keeper bass than any year prior and my personal best. Not a lot of big fish but an overall good year for me.

Just my and AH's point. 4 times as many keepers but if the size limit were 36" how many then?
I am glad some are having a great year. I had a super Spring myself. That's not the point. You guys are missing the point entirely. The point is: The MAJORITY of the guys are not having a great year and the consensus seems to be that there are less fish and less quality fish and fewer periods when there are good fish. It's not about one or two or three guys having a good year. Read the posts. I'm betting that the number will be like 80% having a &%*^% year.

Second question? Why not a lot of big fish. Could it be because there are a high percentage of guys and gals fishing that are killing 28" fish?

When we went to 34", then 36" then the moritorium you couldn't buy a 30# fish. I won 2nd place in 90 with a 32# fish in the Thundermist Club. Thundermist guys fished almost exclusively on "The Back" and the likes of Lanny Grazini, Chuck H, and a bunch of "high hooks" that were some of the best that ever threw a conventional were in that club. A 32 takes second place and a 38# fish won it. Tony Chiroppo was one of Lanny's partners.

I pray to God that it doesn't come to pass but there are 5 times more guys fishing now than there were 20 years ago. if we don't do something quickly, there will be no bass agan.

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

I never thought I would say this given my romantic reminisscence of the 70's and early 80's and the dropping ooff of a lot of bass at Old Harbor fish market but:

#1, bring back the 36 inch one fish a day limit.

#2, stop the commercial sale of Striped Bass along the entire coast, you want to eat one then catch it yourslef or go hungry.

#3 In other words, it's time to realize the greater importance of this fish and it's economic impact and make it a gamefish.

#4 The menhaden fishery needs to be stopped. No harvet for commercial nees and no harvest for supply to bait shops either.

There I said it, I have come out of the Gamefish for Striped Bass closet.

Let the persecution begin.

My thoughts exactly.. only my fish went to the local coop.... I havent killed ( knowingly ) or sold a bass since 2004...

I fish well north of most of you ( NH boarder to Gloucester), gone are my days of chasing bass up and down the coast, at 53 I'm just not inclined and have nothing to gain or prove by it.... I have my patch of "ground" and it has been very,very kind to me, even when the fishing was tough for others to the south( early to mid 80's), I always had an abundance of fish...during the moritorium, I still did well and thought the "doom and gloom" was a crock.. my thinking then ,is you just need to fish harder.. fact is.. I hadn't been at it long enough... now, being older and wiser ( the wiser part sometimes questionable) i see things differently... and with out a doubt, there are far fewer small fish.. missing mostly, are the 10-12lb class fish, Normaly Plum Island ( Mass) is loaded with these fish, there are nights I need to make several moves just to get away from them...the last few years they have all but vanished from traditional waters... we all ( or those of us that have been around a few years)know that bass stocks and their comings and goings are cyclical, some years they show in spots for several years in a row then they are gone, only to show up in big numbers somewhere else,they may be the king ( or queen) of the surf, but they have been known to hang off shore ( the bank)... and when they migrate, they dont always take the shoreward route, thus lending to the absence of a fall ( or even a spring) run, I hear/ see people talk about all the fish still in Maine... it means nothing to the fishermen ( and woman) to their south, the longer they stay in Maine, the surer the bet that they ride the outside currents out over the deeper ( and warmer) bait filled water, right around the tip of the cape( cod)...fall runs are all about location, some years some areas have banner years while others wonder where all the fish are....

are the fish in trouble... maybe, but I dont think so.. at least not yet... are there less of them.. no doubt about it.. I'm in favor with those wanting to give these fish game fish status.. personaly.. I think they deserve it....and as for the bait sorces AKA Pogies and herring.. we havent seen a sustained school of pogies in the Merrimack river since 1987... no big bait means no big fish... IMHO the main reason the river is lifeless by early August after the last of the surviving herring have returned to sea...thus most of the action is out on the beach...

[Sea Dangles]

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Can anyone answer this?

How many stripers do we need to have in order to keep everyone happy? 50 pounders every other cast? 60 pounders every third cast? On what do you base your opinion of the fishery?

I think there's a lot of ego involved too. You have a less than stellar year and suddenly the fishing stinks.

How many??? Next question.
50's or 60's??? What are you smoking?
My opinion is based on the reports of my friends who fish. Both the comm's and rec's who, in most cases, had subpar years.
Ego? Yeah it sucked for me but my observations are not based solely on my experiences.
I hope I am wrong but I don't think I am.

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

How many??? Next question.
50's or 60's??? What are you smoking?
My opinion is based on the reports of my friends who fish. Both the comm's and rec's who, in most cases, had subpar years.
Ego? Yeah it sucked for me but my observations are not based solely on my experiences.
I hope I am wrong but I don't think I am.

Chris,

My point is the fishery isn't collapsing. Based on what we see and hear there may be a fewer fish, I don't know.

My question to everyone was simply this...How do you judge what quality fishing is? Do you need a 50 or 60 every trip out in order for it to be considered good? I don't thnk so. You don't even need 30 or 40# fish to be considered good, IMO.
My belief is there's still plenty of fish out there. Just because the folks we know catch less one year than the previous doesn't constitute a collapse.

As for commercial landings, I did the commercial thing for many years (1985-2001) and can tell you in the early-mid 90's the striped bass fishery was deemed "restored" by fisheries managers. It still took 6-8 weeks to fill a quota that was less than half of what we have now. Maybe it was because fewer people were participating, I'm not sure. This means it took nearly the same amount of time back then to fill a quota that was half of what we have now...are you paying attention?

[Sea Dangles]

Aren't you still a comm guy?
Semantics don't work in this case Mike.I didn't say collapse, but I did use words like decline and subpar.The 30,40 or 50's thing isn't especially relevent in this case either.Personally,I'm happy with the thought that there MIGHT be fish where I happen to be casting.You can dig up as many skewed numbers from the past as you want to support your weak argument but my eyes and ears tell me now what many Old Salts have been saying for a few years.Please post pics of all the cows you caught this fall.(without redlite guiding)

[Back Beach]

Originally Posted by Sea Dangles

.I didn't say collapse, but I did use words like decline and subpar.

Fair enough, but you did say they were in trouble. As for what you, I, or anyone else caught this fall whether guided or not, it simply doesn't apply to the big picture. A few weeks of slow fishing in one single spot doesn't mean the fish are disappearing.

Much like me, you were the proverbial Charlie Brown waiting for the great pumpkin this fall...and he never showed.

As for the "guide" comment, I need a good guide in order to have a shot at catching something decent. I have no problem admitting it.

This is the reason I typically turn down all your "guide" offers...you simply don't produce for me...