I am SOTS: MAKE STRIPED BASS A GAMEFISH! - Page 2 - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

stripermaineiac · 06-13-2010, 08:31 PM

It was interesting before the moritorium. i was doing pretty good as far as size an number of fish but I was mostly out in the boat. But from the surf it was getting harder an harder to find fish.I'd fish the Grave Yard and Fortunes Rocks and get some nice fish.Bob Pond would tell us that there was a big problem with the number of small fish and the spawning grounds were being contaminated with pesticides. at the hearings and meetings you'd hear all the comercial guys telling the same stories we hear now. Like back then the fisheries managers would only listen to the commercial interest with there high paid experts with fancy degrees tell the panels that the sportfishermen were greedy and didn't know what they're talking about and people like Bob Pond just wanted to save more fish so he could sell more plugs to sportfishermen and didn't really care about the fish.Few knew that most of the money atom lures made went right back into research and action to help save the striped Bass.I wish i had had a tape recorder back them because I could play back almost word for word what we hear today.Don't listen to the selfish sportfishermen and give the commercials more of the resourse. Well history does sure repeat itself. The difference this time is now we have to register to fish which will cut down the numbers of us fishing and give a larger voice to the commercial interest.There is no compromise as they won't give up anything till things get bad. Look what happened to the cod,halibut and haddock .Take till nothing left to take then switch to another species and do it again. Sad part is our infighting will help them. We were stupid enough to beleive they gave in on rod n reel commercial because they were being fair. LOL now we are fighting amoung ourselves instead of working together to fix the problem. The past has a way of coming around again. Ron

Nebe · 06-13-2010, 09:20 PM

Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

Raider Ronnie · 06-13-2010, 09:34 PM

The bass will still be swimming out there in great numbers when all of us and our kids kids are in boxes rotting away or in urns filled with our ashes !

bill huki · 06-14-2010, 05:39 AM

More history on regulation meetings when the 2 fish at 28" decision was made. I was living in CT at the time. I made up a survey petition and left it in all the tackle shops from the CT river to The RI border. Got like 500 opinions and signatures from rec anglers. Like 5% wanted the change. At the meetings you know who wanted the change. Charter boat capts. Cap after cap got up there and said unless they had 2 fish at 28" they would not be in business. No offense intended to any Caps just saying that money changes everything and no one does the right thing till it is too late. Short term thinking rules.

maddmatt · 06-14-2010, 07:39 AM

for what ever its worth....

my buddy had a career day off the beach sunday

over 40 fish

all keepers

at least 20 would have been comm fish

not another person in sight

maddmatt · 06-14-2010, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

The bass will still be swimming out there in great numbers when all of us and our kids kids are in boxes rotting away or in urns filled with our ashes !

agreed

so will the plovers!

zimmy · 06-14-2010, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

The bass will still be swimming out there in great numbers when all of us and our kids kids are in boxes rotting away or in urns filled with our ashes !

You sure about that? How much of my life and my kids life will it be like the mid to late 1980's? Where are the cod? Can't seem to find them from shore on the cape these days.

BasicPatrick · 06-14-2010, 11:13 AM

Some thoughts:

The problem is not the amount of Striped Bass but where they are located.
and
The problem is not that the fish are not here but that they are wicked hard to catch because they are transitioning to forage that is hard to mimic.

I suggest the problem is that we have multiple crisis regarding forage species.

Some Examples:

The reason Buzzards Bay is spotty with big areas of bad fishing and a few good is because the Menhaden have been a target by rec and commercial operations for over a month.

I was recently speakign with Throsing Timber who informed me NArragansett was great fishign until the Menhaden operations went to work. After that, collapse of fishing.

The reason MV Sound/middleground/falmouth have all been sllllooooooww is that there have been very very little squid. Why? Commercial overfishing?????

Why is there a monsterous body of fish between Chatham and Ptown? Why have there been blitxes of twenty pounders on Race Poing for the first time in many years? The answer is the presence of sea herring. The seals are not the problem with back side fishing nor is it a lack of striped bass. The availability of bait is the problem. Right now the back side is loaded with micro to large sea herring and the stripers are there big time.

Why is there reports of great fishing in CC Bay. We appear to be off to a good start for sand eels.

Why no fish off the coast of Maine? It's a fact that the State lets every possible commercial operation beat the snot out of every possible species that can be used for lobster bait.

Why no fish off NC in January? Industrial trawlers work the three mile line off the NC coast for the full month of December and decimate mullet, menhaden, shad and all the other forage. The fishgin we keep hearing aobut in the EEZ dow there is a result of no bait inside 3 miles.

Why is there a major problem with shore fishing all over in late May and early June? I think the lack of River Herring might have something to do with it.

Besdies the bait problems...

Of course a commercial increase is insane and I continue to predict that once ASMFC scientists give an updated number for natural mortality caused by the evidence of mycobacteriosis in the coastal migrating population AND and increased number for fishing mortality that includes some estimate of eez poaching during the winter than we will get our cut back to one fish.

I do want to correct the miguided assumption that a cut to one ifsh at 28" will cut the amount of the rec catch by 1/2. In fact it does not cut that catch by much at all.

Please come fight for the bait...it's our key to a healthy Striped Bass Fishery

JohnnyD · 06-14-2010, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BasicPatrick

Some thoughts:

The problem is not the amount of Striped Bass but where they are located.
and
The problem is not that the fish are not here but that they are wicked hard to catch because they are transitioning to forage that is hard to mimic.

How can you know that? Consistently, it seems as though scientists' estimates on biomass are terrible at best. A couple of large schools of fish in CC Bay and a couple of other areas doesn't make up for what seems like a lack of fish in many other areas.

I completely agree with you that cutting the rec take to 1 @ 28" would be ineffective. That's why I think at a minimum, both the commercial take should be reduced (instead of the nonsense opinion by ASMFC that it should be increased) along with the Recs being limited to 1 @ 34".

On these boards and especially during the SF bill, you harped on the idea that we should trust ASMFC and that they will make the right decisions when it comes to managing Striped Bass. However, they have consistently demonstrated and continue to demonstrate that they either manage through the best interests of the commercial industry or are completely incompetent.

If ASMFC approves an increase to the commercial bass quota, it should be the final nail in the coffin of confidence in ASMFC ever effectively managing any species. Should that occur, MSBA should really re-evaluate their support of the regulating body, else there won't be any more stripers to have an association for.

dannyplug1 · 06-14-2010, 12:26 PM

I am at the point where I say uncle. The commercials you know the ones who kill everything they can will eventually kill the striper. Literally every fish that has been commercially fished for is in bad shape. Look at the halilbut: up untill the late 1800's when had halibut on the east coast that were bigger than Alaskan halibut.... gone. Money wins over whats right finish off the bass and go on to the next species. Pretty soon we will be like england fishing for sand sharks and conger eels if any of them are left.

BasicPatrick · 06-14-2010, 03:34 PM

Johnny,

I do not know what science you are referring. Biomass estimates are down, they are not "terrible at best". Is there a reason to be concerned...yep. Does that mean close the fishery...nope. If the arguements/theories in this thread were carried over we should all be argueing to close Tuna Fishing period, or at least demand Tuna are Gamefish.

ASMFC has taken no action as of yet. They are considering an action and just like before, this action will fail. Sure it's a PIA but that is what we get when we have a democratic system. Just because there is a proposal does not mean the sky is falling

One thing for sure is that if this was a legislative decision (ie...SF proposal) we would have already lost so I stand by all that I argued for in the S-F debate.

JohnnyD · 06-14-2010, 05:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BasicPatrick

Johnny,

I do not know what science you are referring. Biomass estimates are down, they are not "terrible at best". Is there a reason to be concerned...yep. Does that mean close the fishery...nope. If the arguements/theories in this thread were carried over we should all be argueing to close Tuna Fishing period, or at least demand Tuna are Gamefish.

ASMFC has taken no action as of yet. They are considering an action and just like before, this action will fail. Sure it's a PIA but that is what we get when we have a democratic system. Just because there is a proposal does not mean the sky is falling

One thing for sure is that if this was a legislative decision (ie...SF proposal) we would have already lost so I stand by all that I argued for in the S-F debate.

What I meant by "terrible at best" is the way in which they estimate the stock and mortality. As you said, biomass estimates are down and there's a reason to be concerned, yet ASMFC has a proposal to increase the commercial take?? How does that even make sense?

Let me try and understand... biomass estimates are down and we should be concerned, but the problems people are having with catching fish aren't because of the number of bass around, it's because of the bait? 2 + 2 just doesn't = 4 for me here.

If this were a legislative decision, who exactly would have lost - recreational fishermen, rod & reel commercial, charters? In my opinion all of us (as in everyone that fishes for SB) and the striped bass population will lose completely if ASMFC is allowed to continue its reckless management of the species.

ProfessorM · 06-14-2010, 06:25 PM

I saw SAUERKRAUT smile today

Back Beach · 06-15-2010, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

I saw SAUERKRAUT smile today

Numbskull must have hooked himself in the butt with a treble...

BatesBCheatin · 06-15-2010, 10:47 AM

Please explain why cutting the rec limit to 1 fish would not have a great impact on the total catch.

I understand why it would not be cut by 50%, but I would think that a 1 fish limit would be make an appreciable difference.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BasicPatrick

I do want to correct the miguided assumption that a cut to one ifsh at 28" will cut the amount of the rec catch by 1/2. In fact it does not cut that catch by much at all.

RIROCKHOUND · 06-15-2010, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BatesBCheatin

Please explain why cutting the rec limit to 1 fish would not have a great impact on the total catch.

I understand why it would not be cut by 50%, but I would think that a 1 fish limit would be make an appreciable difference.

For Rec and charter: 1 Fish 36"
Period

piemma · 06-15-2010, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIROCKHOUND

For Rec and charter: 1 Fish 36"
Period

Bry, You got a better cance of shoveling snow in Narr in July. They just will not listen

numbskull · 06-15-2010, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ProfessorM

I saw SAUERKRAUT smile today

Proving again that even a broken clock is right twice a day.

The Dad Fisherman · 06-15-2010, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by numbskull

Proving again that even a broken clock is right twice a day.

What if its Digital???

Back Beach · 06-15-2010, 12:10 PM

Can't this topic be tabled until, say, January?

Does anyone here actually fish?

RIJIMMY · 06-15-2010, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Back Beach

Can't this topic be tabled until, say, January?

Does anyone here actually fish?

Arent you about due for your annual " Its Over" thread?

piemma · 06-15-2010, 01:41 PM

Every now and then

scottw · 06-15-2010, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piemma

I love this Board. I love the guys on it. Unless something is done SOON, it will be the 1980s all over again and S-B.com will have no Stripers to talk about.

:

I hope you released it

stripermaineiac · 06-15-2010, 06:05 PM

Sad part is that most Rec fishermen don't catch very many keeper sized fish unless they,re on a charter and those of us that catch any number of them only keep a half dozen fish a season as it is so there would,t be all that much of a difference but there would be some. Time to go chase some big ones again. Ron

StriperZ · 06-15-2010, 06:21 PM

I can speak to Barnstable Harbor in May, and the Race plus the backside in June. I am having a blast. I mark a lot of fish, and catch some on every outing. I release more fish than I keep. 2010 is awesome so far.

ProfessorM · 06-15-2010, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIJIMMY

Arent you about due for your annual " Its Over" thread?

or a you missed it thread would be much more appropriate.

but for once i won't be included.

SAUERKRAUT · 06-15-2010, 07:29 PM

Re this striped bass fishery: This fishery truly belongs to the "common man", the public. Is there any doubt about this in your mind as you watch the access and availability of a world class fishery unfold from time to time, right now at the Canal, but potentially tomorrow at your beach or your inshore waters.

The recreational fish and fisherman CAN BE AND IS MORE THAN WILLING, AND IN FACT IS DEMANDING...more stringent catch quota regulations for the health of this fishery. On the other hand, the commercial industry DEFIES regulation, and defies even existing fish law. This status quo of an existing commercial fishery, produces a regulation and enforcement nightmare and loopholes which aids and abets the greed and avarace of the commercial fishery enterprise. This public resource striped bass fishery deserves to be preserved for the 95 plus per cent of the public to access 95% of any total allowable harvest. There is no longer any room for a commercial harvest striped bass fishery to exist any longer.

Every week I watch individuals kill nothing, or kill less, or kill smaller fish than what they put on the beach or the rock. We are not doing this to save the breeder bass or biomass for a commercial fishing industry!

Last winter, in Florida there was a freeze and a giant fish kill-- specifically snook. The State, fearing it MAY have an important fishery in distress, shut down the snook fishery completely until they could assess the impact. Not a single "public comment" hearing or meeting, the DNR just did it! And, THERE WAS NOT ONE WHIMPER OF PROTEST FROM THE RECREATIONAL SECTOR. NO...WRINGING OF THE HANDS IN MOCK HARDSHIP... How could the State of Florida do this? Because Florida snook is protected by Gamefish status that's why. A legal commercial sale and commerce of snook no longer exists. Florida already fought that battle.

Make stiped bass a Gamefish! On an individual basis, TREAT your striper catch like it is a gamefish. Do not "commercial fish" just because you can (are you hearing me Professor). Respect this fish and fishery which gives back so much to you and you will find that you probably will feel good about yourself. Feed yourself some good striped bass dinners if you're good enough, but feed your neighbors, or casuals bluefish, or black seabass, or scup...

Bonds to all...SK