Is this the begining of the end?

[steve]

It was much more consistent then, then it is now, believe me. Case in point- Looking and comparing logs for 1998/2008 seasons - month of april- 212 bass. 2008- so far- 143 fish.. 1998- June- 14 trips- 62 bass-- 2008- 15 trips- 13 bass. Biggest bass in June 1998- 41 pounds. Biggest bass this jUNE,'08- 18 pounds. and so on.....

[Flaptail]

Flap is lucky and gratefull the fish came this far this year and last.

And also very very lucky and gratefull to have four very close friends who network, keep thier mouths shut and go where no man goes and take me along with them as I take them with me. They are the best fishermen I ever knew in trems of combination of skill, determination and never quitting. Optimism is a central bonding trait.

One thing noticed also is that people stop fishing in the season too early be it the call afield to hunt or the cold I don't know but they do finish way too early in my opinion. Maybe they are just plain beat from the whole trip and had enough. Thankfully I can never have enough.

[steve]

Thats what keeps me going. If there's one fish left, I'll try to catch 'em

[Clammer]

IMO
the bass have been on a numbers decline since the second they lifted the morot %$%$%$%$;sp'
I know 3 schoolie monsters that choose to target schoolies ;;

ME >>> have had the worse schoolie year since we we forceed to fish large /late 70,s or early 80.s

Denis >.from this site >>>>> had a great spring >>>>> but his schoolies were from 24" tp 40 " >>n ow he,s catching nothing :;

Got Stripers Is still doing his magic jigging >>>>>>>all his fish are 26" to 33"

I never thought I,d be saying or doing this ...but to schoolie fish In Narragansett bay /right now // with plugs, lures, jigs, ;
casting /not deep trolling >>>Is the worse I,ve seen in 2 least 20 years ;;
If someone told me that at this day & time of my life /I,d be flukin & scuppin ;; I would have told them they were f #$%^&*( nuts ;;
But I havn,t seen or caught a 10 - 22 " bass since around the end of May ::

But add this to the riddle >>>>>>> the winter fishing just gets better & better .with more descent fish & numbers >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> they leave in April ... I,d bet that many of those are on the end of Steve,s rod & the guys to the north & east of RI ><><><>

[steve]

Right on Clammer. If someone told me that I would be freshwater fishing daily and struggling to catch stripers in june and july when I have gone surf fishing, I would have said they were nuts. Then again, everything changes.

[Pt.JudeJoe]

There were plenty of small ones in Newport tonight. I sent them on their way ...they promised to come back in 15 years.

[Crafty Angler]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

So many factors that are not mentioned when the fishing goes bad, water quality is a big one that gets overlooked, so many oceanside trophy homes with ChemLawn treated lawns leaching into the water....

Bingo! That's dead-on-the-nuts accurate, Flap.

Three years ago I helped my wife work on a documentary on the history of the Newport waterfront for the annual meeting of Friends of the Waterfront, an organization here in Newport that fights to ensure that ROW's are maintained to continue the public's right to access the bay as guaranteed by the constitution of the State of Rhode Island. It's a great organization whose basis in law is predicated on the concept fisherman's rights dating back to the 1600's. It's amazing to me that ROW's get co-opted by developers and private landowners and then long and expensive court battles are necessary to open the access points up again. Anyway, my bride is on the board of directors and I'm proud of her efforts.

The documentary was her first effort and very well-received, a Ken Burns sort of thing that included lots of old Newport photographs and illustrations from my collection. We also interviewed and videotaped a number of older Newporters on their recollections, some of which dated back to pre-WW I. Sadly, half of those we interviewed and filmed are now dead.

Among the people we interviewed was George Mendonca now in his late eighties who formerly owned the Tallman and Mack Fish Trap Company a block from my family home. If you don't know George's company, you may know the famous 'Kissing Sailor' photo taken in Times Square that has become an iconic image of the end of the Second World War. The sailor is George and he gave my wife and I an autographed copy of that photo. But I digress -

George is also well known for having gotten into an enormous battle with recreational fishermen back in the '60's over an old comm vs. rec issue on bass. Although I am a firm believer in the comms equal rights to to our common resources, I didn't want George to know I was a rec guy in sheep's clothing right off the bat. I even asked Johanna not to reveal that to him during the interview because I didn't want to taint it. I've known him for over 50 years and still have vivid memories of George chasing us kids off his docks because we just wanted to see what came up in the traps just off Ocean Drive and Cliff Walk. Even at his age now he's still an imposing figure and I remember all to well how he intimidated us as kids.

On his own, without prompting, the man who had spent his entire life fishing the waters off Newport started to talk about the reasons for the decline in fish stocks. His parents lived on 'Portagee Island' in the Prices Neck area of Ocean Drive in the summer to be closer to the traps they worked. In the winter the family moved back to town and for several winters lived here in my family home that I still own that my Portuguese grandmother ran as a boarding house. George's mother lit the shack they lived in with oil lamps and food and casks of water had to be rowed back and forth across the cove. As a young boy he and his brother were given the task of manning the oars and ferrying the supplies over to the island. George said, " You know, the eel grass was so thick there, we could barely row through it. You couldn't have gotten an outboard through it. Today you couldn't gather enough to fill a bushel basket. And you know who the real culprit is? I'm sorry" he said to Johanna, "but it's the housewife with her detergent."

If you're looking for a culprit, as Flap said, it's the green grass on the waterfront homes, the housewife and her cleaning products, the detergents we use for our vehicles, the pesticides we use on our gardens. Oil run-off from the roads and finally, the raw sewerage from our tourist industry that flows into Newport Harbor every time it rains by the hundreds of thousands of gallons, overwhelming a system that was inadequate years ago.

If you've made it this far, God bless you. THe point is, if you want to save striped bass start with they water they live in. Water is important. After all, like WC Fields said, fish f**k in it. Let's try to see to it that they continue to do so.

Okay, time for my second pot of coffee

[NIB]

U can see where there is a pattern to this.From 2003 thru maybe '06, as per flap the cape was dead..Fishing was slow in general.I remember one yr where he had one decent fish he released at RP..Could it be he was fishing within his normal means and did not expand out to new area's like he is now.Fish have fins they swim..There is a new pattern developing for sure with the increase of bunker.Our springs are slow.Fall runs are not what they used to be.Seems the smaller inshore bait patterns that used to bring the bass to our shores are not doing that.There seems to be a bigger offshore migration especially in the fall.My guess there is a abundance of big and small bait off shore to keep these fish at least 80 yds from the beach..I know for a fact in the last few yrs in NJ the amount of sand eels off shore has especially late summer thru fall has been off the charts.No real concentrations of em inshore cept for a small window when the conditions are right.
The mullet run is a 2 week window.Peanuts escape along the beach without any fish on em.It's just circumstance.IMO.
There are more guys out but they don't fish like there lives depended on it.So it is hard to judge.If they are not every cast the crowd dwindles fast..I have had some good periods in my year but the patterns do not hold up for any time like they used to.I still think it is a different fishery.If u want to have a good season U have to work to find em or be there when they show up..
Still I think regulations need a overhaul.If you guys could see what happens here in the late spring you would agree.So many 25-35 lb fish taken.These fish are basically committing suicide.The fisherman do all they can to help em drink the cool aid.They feel justified as they are fishing within the law.So the laws need some tweaking so that we do not ruin a good thing.Maybe like one fish @ 28" and one @ 48" or better if a trophy fish is caught you can keep it.In NJ you can take three fish with the application of a bonus tag.We have no commercial season so we have extra fish to be taken??.At least thats what they tell us.Recs are afraid if we give up the bonus fish it will just go to some other commercial quota.It is not unusual in the late spring to see three close to forty lb fish on any dock per man.. There is basically no respect for these great beasts that do not deserve to be taken by anyone with a boat and a snag hook..If it keeps up we will surely have a serious problem..

[Flaptail]

Originally Posted by NIB

U can see where there is a pattern to this.From 2003 thru maybe '06, as per flap the cape was dead..Fishing was slow in general.I remember one yr where he had one decent fish he released at RP..Could it be he was fishing within his normal means and did not expand out to new area's like he is now.Fish have fins they swim..There is a new pattern developing for sure with the increase of bunker.Our springs are slow.Fall runs are not what they used to be.Seems the smaller inshore bait patterns that used to bring the bass to our shores are not doing that.There seems to be a bigger offshore migration especially in the fall.My guess there is a abundance of big and small bait off shore to keep these fish at least 80 yds from the beach..I know for a fact in the last few yrs in NJ the amount of sand eels off shore has especially late summer thru fall has been off the charts.No real concentrations of em inshore cept for a small window when the conditions are right.
The mullet run is a 2 week window.Peanuts escape along the beach without any fish on em.It's just circumstance.IMO.
There are more guys out but they don't fish like there lives depended on it.So it is hard to judge.If they are not every cast the crowd dwindles fast..I have had some good periods in my year but the patterns do not hold up for any time like they used to.I still think it is a different fishery.If u want to have a good season U have to work to find em or be there when they show up..
Still I think regulations need a overhaul.If you guys could see what happens here in the late spring you would agree.So many 25-35 lb fish taken.These fish are basically committing suicide.The fisherman do all they can to help em drink the cool aid.They feel justified as they are fishing within the law.So the laws need some tweaking so that we do not ruin a good thing.Maybe like one fish @ 28" and one @ 48" or better if a trophy fish is caught you can keep it.In NJ you can take three fish with the application of a bonus tag.We have no commercial season so we have extra fish to be taken??.At least thats what they tell us.Recs are afraid if we give up the bonus fish it will just go to some other commercial quota.It is not unusual in the late spring to see three close to forty lb fish on any dock per man.. There is basically no respect for these great beasts that do not deserve to be taken by anyone with a boat and a snag hook..If it keeps up we will surely have a serious problem..

Tony, I have always advocated a slot limit just like you mentioned. I don't like to eat the bigger fish, I don't like to kill them anymore, I killed enough and I can't bring myself to kill a fish to weigh in for a tourney ( this year I didn't even enter the Striper Cup) then be stuck with something I don't want and have to try to unload on sombody else never mind haul it off the beach or in the skiff, keep it cold etc etc.

I lkie to munch on the little ones 16 to 24 inches, the fleah is lighter, less red line, if any, just better tasting.

Give me a slot fish of that size and I will be happy.

[Brian L]

Originally Posted by steve

RIJimmy- I think the bunker in Gansett bay has alot to do with the surf fishing or lack there of along the narraganstt shoreline. Oh, and if you want some doom and gloom reports on striper fishing, talk to surf guys who fish Rhody's south shore, bass fishing stinks down there and has been for the last couple of years. It is not even a consideration for my surf trips anymore, not even in the fabulous fall. Also, I talk to a fishing writer every week so as to give a surf report for my area for a prominent weekly saltwater magazine. He tells me that most of the surf reports from Ct. to Maine have generally been poor for the past 6 weeks. He believes there is a real problem.

I believe boat guys on the south shore would tell you something completely different. It's been a very consistantly good season out there for us, Steve. I'd say it's been good for the last three years, too, with this year being the best of the three. I've not seen fishing like 2000 and 2001, but I think it's more because I'm not out there nearly as much as I was in those years. Fall is always tougher out there by boat(at least during the day), as the blues show up and are hard to fish through, and I can't always get out there on windy days in my 18 ft'er, so I can't comment on the fall fishing as much. I do prefer Jun-July over the fall out there by boat, but most beach guys say they like the fall there better.

I'm tending to agree that bait is more offshore, since I've seen tons of fish nearly everytime I've been out in the boat this year. It was slow early in the year, but I believe that was water temp related more than anything. Water was cool until June. Unless I've been very lucky, SoCo's been very good by boat since early June, Steve.

I agree with Backbeach and think overall that we could be getting a bit Chicken Little here. The fisheries management is different, as is the management of the spawning grounds vs. the last decline. From reading here, it just seems as if the fish are in different areas than usual.

[dar3]

Ok The way that I am seeing this trend is just like deer season when we have a big crop of acorns evrybody claims the deer herd is down as it is harder hunting because they do not need to move as much. That seems to be what the general census about the bass and I would have to kind of believe that also as there is a ton of bait around not just pogies either lots of other baits. I will sit back and see how the next years unfold. Steve I appreciate the way you keep a log of your fishing activity as that was exactly what I had posted about. I just hope all the post on both sites that have been popping up make the rest of the fisherman think a little before they keep a certain amount of fish. I know it has helped me make better decisions since I got back into striper fishing this year and will defianetly reflect my decisions in the future.
THINGS THAT MAKE YOU GO HMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Dr3

[Raven]

but i think it's partly weather related

because now it seems

we have the big wet,,,

or monsoon season in july

weeks of rain....

that's a definite change....

it's related or in there some where...

[NIB]

Originally Posted by Flaptail

Tony, I have always advocated a slot limit just like you mentioned. I don't like to eat the bigger fish, I don't like to kill them anymore, I killed enough and I can't bring myself to kill a fish to weigh in for a tourney ( this year I didn't even enter the Striper Cup) then be stuck with something I don't want and have to try to unload on sombody else never mind haul it off the beach or in the skiff, keep it cold etc etc.

I lkie to munch on the little ones 16 to 24 inches, the fleah is lighter, less red line, if any, just better tasting.

Give me a slot fish of that size and I will be happy.

I just think the sheer numbers of newer recreational anglers who feel the need to kill every big fish they catch.Cause they have not done it before,is a good enough reason..When you get a few under your belt you start to realize the beauty of putting em back.
I am not sure the fishery can withstand the pressure it takes in this state an many others to the south of here when the big fish ball up an make themselves so readily available

[JFigliuolo]

Originally Posted by NIB

... SNIPPED!
I am not sure the fishery can withstand the pressure it takes in this state an many others to the south of here when the big fish ball up an make themselves so readily available

Agreed! When so many people that have ZERO respect for the bass can snag/drop/kill, it's NOT a good thing!

[RIJIMMY]

I hesitate to post on these threads since most of you will forget more than I'll ever know about bass, but I have a therory to propose. The lack of schoolies in RI seems to be a concern and one that most agree on. If you analyze the posts on this thread and other reports from this year, here is what I see and if you focus purely on the data, I think its obvious.
Fact - More bluefish that ever in Narr. Bay
Fact - They showed up very early and have not left.
Fact - Flap says there are plenty of schoolies where he fishes
Fact - Flap says he only caught 4 bluefish this year.

See where I am going with this? Lots of bluefish, no schoolies, lack of bluefish, schoolies present. We all know bluefish eat anything and at the least harass any fish smaller than them. Could it be that the mass iflux of blues has pushed the schoolies North to avoid the bluefish?

[Clogston29]

another thought along the same lines, big pogies attract big bass and blues. smaller bass can't eat them, and therefore move on looking for forage that they can handle. therefore, if you're into big bass on the pogies, you're not getting smalls. if your into smalls, your not getting large. just a though, i don't have any real experience to back it up.

also, last season up on the northshore, we had schoolies for the first half of the season. Then larger fish moved in (and seamingly they were just staging, because there was no real baitfish source around) and we didn't see a fish under 20 lbs for about a month. They just don't hang out together sometimes.

the concentration of the larger fish at the pogies is what concerns me. its too easy to catch them (given that you know what you're doing, i.e. its easy for guys who are good, hard for guys that don't know) in large numbers. Don't some people attribute part of the decline of stripers in the past to them being too easy to catch around the pogies at the time?

[WoodyCT]

I found this the other day and thought it might add to the discussion.

Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission site

http://www.asmfc.org/

Woody

PS SoCo has been lousy for the last 2 seasons. Well, except for RHM!

[Rockfish9]

I fish the northern most of the good striper grounds....Plum Island...and there is no lack of fish of any size here..... just because they are not feeding doesnt mean they are not there....

I've seen the cycle both ways,right now, the balance of small to large couldnt be better.... I see fish that obviously have been hatched in the river, conventional wisdom says that those fish dont migrate until they get much larger, teen sized fish, something we never had alot of in the 70's and 80's, it was either large or small... A good deal of the problem isnt with lack of fish, but with an abundance of bait, the fish are naturaly more selective, different tactics are a must, even when targeting schoolies,abundance of fish in a given area is cyclical, and one area may be giving up huge numbers of a certain year class, while others appear to be in a drought.... it's part of the cycle and like all other things in life,will eventualy seek a balance......

My personal feeling is that the state of the striper is in good shape,fisherman in general, are much more aware of conservation than they were 25 or more years ago when almost every bass caught got boxed , iced,and shipped to market, quoata's and fishing/no fishing days keep comercial anglers in check, something that wasnt available back during the collapse,sure,fisherman new to "the game" are killing plenty of large, but only when opertunity presents itself and when the fishing is easy,it's new to them, but in time it will pass, this is just one mans opinion, based on over 40 years of striped bass fishing,and a good deal of that time as a comercial fisherman... and IIMHO, the fishing now is as good as it has ever been, and with the amount of small, medium and large I see come over the rail of my boat( and released) on a nightly basis, I'm sure my grandchildren will be catching ( and releasing) striped bass long after grandpop is taking a dirt nap...

My .02
Roc