I'm with frank

[Swimmer]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Daignault preaching C&R now is right up there with Michael Vick advocating for animal rights.......... although maybe that is a bit unfair to Vick.

The aforementioned individual is not wholey responsible for 60"s and 70's rape of the commercial striped bass fishery, and the rec. striped bass fishery, but he is in the top ten.

[Sundowner]

Forgive me if I am wrong, but it seems to me that last year I hardly saw the words catch and release on here. This year its everywhere. As an example, look at the debate that just happened on how to run a C&R tourney here.
That said, I believe "to each his own", and the people who eat the fish because it helps them financially have every right to eat them. We don't have many rights left.
Those who really care about thier survival will limit thier kill when they can. Another thing, shore and boats, what is the percentage they take vs. commercial? I dont know just a point, especially when you take into account the amount of needless/overkill. I just think now, EVERYONE KNOWS what is going on, thats why its a hot topic

[Doublerunner]

Originally Posted by Paul Bunyan

Forgive me if I am wrong, but it seems to me that last year I hardly saw the words catch and release on here. This year its everywhere. As an example, look at the debate that just happened on how to run a C&R tourney here.
That said, I believe "to each his own", and the people who eat the fish because it helps them financially have every right to eat them. We don't have many rights left.
Those who really care about thier survival will limit thier kill when they can. Another thing, shore and boats, what is the percentage they take vs. commercial? I dont know just a point, especially when you take into account the amount of needless/overkill. I just think now, EVERYONE KNOWS what is going on, thats why its a hot topic

I agree with this 100%. I said so last year and I also complained about Striper Cup and I basically got blasted with the exception of a few agreeing posters. Maybe the people here are seeing what I have been preaching or maybe there's some new blood in here. But I hardly ever come back to this forum after what happened last year. Remember that what is legal is not always right.

If people feel they need to keep every legal size striper they catch then they are gluttons. And then what will you do when the stock collapses? Wouldn't it be better to keep 1 now and help? I hear people say if they change the law to one a day then that is what they will keep. If it stays at 2 a day then that is what they will keep. How about thinking for yourself? From past history the fisheries managements typically don't do enough until it is too late. It's up to the people on the water every day to make a difference

If the fish hit the freezer then you know you are taking too many. For those who say it's only me and what difference does one person make. Well that's basically burying your head in the sand. We all can make a difference. I've written letters and sent emails and made phone calls to politicians and fisheries mgt. It feels like you're beating your head against a wall. Change is slow. People in power have certain arrangements that benefit them. Doing the right thing is the harder thing to do sometimes but boy you will feel so good afterwards

[bloocrab]

To each his own.

[djlesco]

I guess I'm the new blood..i didn't come on here to start the presidential striper bite.. bird did I come on here to find "were are they biting" I came here too learn.. The best learning is getting out there and try diffrent things. I fish to free myself of the daily crap that boggs my mind. Things of which I can't control.. The challenge of hooking a fish any fish is what I live for (even though I fish for only stripers). But thus year I am after it all...
I read about the good ol days and..."five years ago this spot and that spot were great" then I look at my daughter who is two and goes fishing at the beach with me (she's almost three) and I think will she one day make the hour ride to search for the fish that no longer exist???. we need to protect this for or future for or children. Look at the cod fisherie??? You use to be able to get then from shore at the breachway... Try that now ... And where will it stop,? No more stripers, then what bluefish, then black fish, then fluke then scup? Theses fisheries are already suffering and I believe if we don't take a stand now Then my daughter is going to really try to bring her dora pole to mystic aquarium again but this time she'll be 40

Originally Posted by Doublerunner

I agree with this 100%. I said so last year and I also complained about Striper Cup and I basically got blasted with the exception of a few agreeing posters. Maybe the people here are seeing what I have been preaching or maybe there's some new blood in here. But I hardly ever come back to this forum after what happened last year. Remember that what is legal is not always right.

If people feel they need to keep every legal size striper they catch then they are gluttons. And then what will you do when the stock collapses? Wouldn't it be better to keep 1 now and help? I hear people say if they change the law to one a day then that is what they will keep. If it stays at 2 a day then that is what they will keep. How about thinking for yourself? From past history the fisheries managements typically don't do enough until it is too late. It's up to the people on the water every day to make a difference

If the fish hit the freezer then you know you are taking too many. For those who say it's only me and what difference does one person make. Well that's basically burying your head in the sand. We all can make a difference. I've written letters and sent emails and made phone calls to politicians and fisheries mgt. It feels like you're beating your head against a wall. Change is slow. People in power have certain arrangements that benefit them. Doing the right thing is the harder thing to do sometimes but boy you will feel so good afterwards

Posted from my iPhone/Mobile device

[Plum Crazy]

bloocrab Well said. I agree 100%.
I get skunked enough times to be grateful for my keepers and I will take my limit when and if I can. Every single one gets eaten and sometimes that is all I have in my freezer. I give to those that love it and cannot fish. When I think I have enough in my freezer then and only then do the keepers go back. That happened early last year. I was very fortunate and many fish went back to swim another day.
The only time I feel guilty is when I happen to gut hook a small fish and I have to send it back dead.

[l.i.fish.in.vt]

iguess i am another selfish fisher,i keep between 40 and 60 bass a season to eat.usually try to keep small keepers that are a meal or two.if i happen to keep alarger fish i have enough people that i know who love fish but aren't able to fish that are grateful for some fresh fish. during the season i eat fish at least 3 times a week.in the fall i will freeze some up that i will eat up in a few months.i have fished from the late 50's and have seen many types of sea life come and go.personally i have to say if bass stocks are in trouble,it is because spawning success is down,not that there aren't enough bass out there to spawn. i think even if no bass were allowed to be keep that it wouldn't have any effect on future stocks ,the only differance is there would be lots of big fish till theydie of natural causes.find out why there is a decline in spwaning success and fix the problem if it is man made,but i would say it is more a natural cycle than a man made one

[Saltheart]

Originally Posted by Paul Bunyan

Forgive me if I am wrong, but it seems to me that last year I hardly saw the words catch and release on here. This year its everywhere. As an example, look at the debate that just happened on how to run a C&R tourney here.
That said, I believe "to each his own", and the people who eat the fish because it helps them financially have every right to eat them. We don't have many rights left.
Those who really care about thier survival will limit thier kill when they can. Another thing, shore and boats, what is the percentage they take vs. commercial? I dont know just a point, especially when you take into account the amount of needless/overkill. I just think now, EVERYONE KNOWS what is going on, thats why its a hot topic

Look back to when the Striper Cup was first announced and its rules. Read about the stink that we here and on other sites put up to let the organizers know they were being irresponsible with the way the tourney was to be run and the changes in the rules that resulted from the bad press generated primarily here on S-B.com and on SOL at that time.

Many people here have caught several thousand fish in their lives but probably have kept less than a hundred. I personally have seen more undersize fish taken by morons than I have kept in legal fish in my lifetime. C+R is often discussed here but its not something we try to ram down peoples throats. Just fish within the law and people here are OK with it. Now would many of us like to see the laws cahnged to reduce the legal take , of course.

Oh . and as far as FD writing about catch and release, all I can do is roll my eyes.