Ban the Striper Cup now!!!

[GregW]

Originally Posted by Just n time

good luck

JnT,
I think if you approached the subject with a more reasonable(not ideal) objective people would listen to you.
Looking at your avatar you certainly didnt catch and release that turkey. Im guessing you legally harvested it in a managed resource environment. And some fishermen will harvest fish. That is a fact. In the 15 years I have been fishing I have kept 1 freshwater fish and 0 saltwater fish. But, I will not be made to feel bad if this year I harvest a fish. I have paid my dues, literally and figuratively.

Furthermore, I ask you this. Do you think that banning the striper cup will accomplish a complete 180 with the stock? I think your intentions are to ensure stock for the future. Have you thought about how to ensure this? You make suggestions on size and quotas. But, suggest no ways of making this even possible other than your thoughts. what actions does degrading fellow fishermen who compete in a perfectly legal tournament accomplish?
Wouldnt a more logical approach be to team with these very fishermen, to help ensure the future stock be a better avenue of appoach?
Why cant we all help eachother? My idea would be to have one form letter that we could all print out, sign and individually send to the politicians who can help make things happen. One post on a forum might not make a difference. However several thousand letters showing up in politicians mailboxes might.
In this letter we could explain:
1)our concern for the resource
2)explain our concern with gill netters and trawlers taking the striped bass and their food source.
3) Explain that we would like to see better enforcement of illegally taken fish
4) Explain that we all now hold a license that cost us money
5) explain that we spend our money in the pursuit of this fish
6) And explain that we would appreciate their support on our behalf
7) and explain that we vote.

Sounds like that might be a better avenue than ranting and raving against fellow fisherman who may only harvest one fish a year, in a derby or not.

[Just n time]

Look you can spin it anyway you want, make me a villian because I harvest turkeys, try and logic me, the bottom line is the striper cup and some other major tournaments that run all season long encourage people to kill breader fish all season long! Turkey season is a month and about 1 out of 30 hunters bag one. Not to many people weigh in 28 inch fish for the striper cup. It targets large fish 30 plus pounds to weigh in for prizes.If there was a major consensus by the big bass clubs to pressure OTW to stop this it may have a cascade effect and cause everyone to look at this a little different. I applaude your conservation habits and hope others follow your example. To ignore the facts about the stocks going south is There are many ways to manage the stocks but killing big bass should not be one of them. Like I said the tide has not turned yet.I fear it will not change until some people have really bad years.OTW should at least alter the way they do the tournament due to all of the science that screams of overfishing.

[Just n time]

Some people will never change their position so be it. I wish all of you a safe and productive season and for god sakes if you fish the surf get a PFD please!!! I almost went under about 10 years ago and promised my wife I would always wear a PFD and have since that day.. PlEASE get a PFD if you don't have one...godspeed..