I am SOTS: MAKE STRIPED BASS A GAMEFISH!

[stripermaineiac]

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]

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.

[SAUERKRAUT]

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

[Typhoon]

So far this year I've seen more bass in Cape Cod Bay than I've ever seen in my entire life. You can literally walk on the bass from Race Point to the Southwest corner to Peaked Hill.

My father did his annual trip last week down to Cuttyhunk / Elizabeths and struck out completely over 3 days.

Sounds to me like the bait is the problem. Not the bass. The 30# bass are a nuisance to people tuna fishing up here.

[Raider Ronnie]

Originally Posted by Typhoon

So far this year I've seen more bass in Cape Cod Bay than I've ever seen in my entire life. You can literally walk on the bass from Race Point to the Southwest corner to Peaked Hill.

My father did his annual trip last week down to Cuttyhunk / Elizabeths and struck out completely over 3 days.

Sounds to me like the bait is the problem. Not the bass. The 30# bass are a nuisance to people tuna fishing up here.

"Sounds to me like the bait is the problem. Not the bass. The 30# bass are a nuisance to people tuna fishing up here."[/QUOTE]

Andrew, you hit the nail on the head!
You ask me, most of these guys on this site (and other sites) sit on the computers and talk about fishing more than actually fishing.
Or if they do get off the computer and go, just because the fish are not in (shore) spots from the past they think there are no fish out there.

[numbskull]

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

"
You ask me, most of these guys on this site (and other sites) sit on the computers and talk about fishing more than actually fishing.
Or if they do get off the computer and go, just because the fish are not in (shore) spots from the past they think there are no fish out there.

Sauerkraut fishes a lot.....and very, very hard.

There should be fish in here AND out there. When there is not there is a problem.

[JFigliuolo]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Sauerkraut fishes a lot.....and very, very hard.

There should be fish in here AND out there. When there is not there is a problem.

This what I've been saying for quite some time. Whenever a post like SK's is made, inevitably, people say "Fish harder, The fish are out there, just not where you are looking". They don't get the big picture. When fish are absent from a lot of places they SHOULD be, there are most likely less fish in totality. The problem is not that no one is catching fish (yet) the problem is that A LOT of people who KNOW how to catch fish, and have been doing so for quite some time are finding it harder and harder to do so. SOMEONE somewhere will always be doing well, but when less people are doing well there is a problem.

And as far as "get out more", A lot of us have lives outside of fishing and really don't want to get divorced/unemployed for the sake of catching fish. And while "getting out more" will increase my catch. It will in no way INCREASE the fish out there to catch which is the root of the problem.

A lot of us have not decreased our fishing frequency, yet our success has gone down. The writing has been on the wall for a few years now, but few want to read it.

[numbskull]

It always was that you could go elsewhere to find better fishing, but you could also always find some fishing on a resident population of fish without traveling.

When the resident populations of fish disappear it is a bad sign, even if remaining localized concentrations of fish still provide great success for those willing to travel.

Whether it is bait, overfishing, pollution, global warming, or all of the above does not really matter. Overfishing should be the one easiest to control. But it isn't.

Keep in mind also that for guys in middle age or further, if you plan to catch quality fish in your retirement years, those fish ought to be swimming out there (or be born very soon) right now. How is that looking for ya?

[ProfessorM]

Originally Posted by numbskull

Sauerkraut fishes a lot.....and very, very hard.

There should be fish in here AND out there. When there is not there is a problem.

yup, ran into him again this morning, fishing. BTW you didn't miss anything, but it was a nice morning to be out there, again
He was just busting me. I brought up the subject with him. I enjoy his opinion and perspective .

[JohnR]

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

"Sounds to me like the bait is the problem. Not the bass. The 30# bass are a nuisance to people tuna fishing up here."

Andrew, you hit the nail on the head!
You ask me, most of these guys on this site (and other sites) sit on the computers and talk about fishing more than actually fishing.
Or if they do get off the computer and go, just because the fish are not in (shore) spots from the past they think there are no fish out there.[/QUOTE]


I think the bait is a huge part of the problem but working the bait AND reducing overall bass catch is what we need IMO.

Ronnie, some of us can only get out two days per week. Life and responsibility getting in the way and all

[sokinwet]

Against you.

[Sea Dangles]

Your conclusions seem to be part fact part tooth fairy.I'm with you to an extent but I also deal in reality.I don't think you want to pay tax on thousands of pounds of bogus fish caught.Is there a black market?Yes there is.But that has zero impact on the quota.Which brings us back to reality,I don't think the state documents black market sales so the quota still will be met with or without anglerX participating.Which means any law abiding commercial angler has zero impact on the species so long as the current system is in place.I hope you understand my position.Back to the tooth fairy;if you think the recreational anglers are policing themselves you surely have to fish more in the daytime.From the immigrants filling white buckets with shorts to the aforementioned pigs who always take two.(do I recall a thread about an elderly angler friend you fish with at the canal describing just that ?)No, the recs are abusive for the most part. And that is putting it kindly.The two fish per outing at 28" is crippling the species,none of the numbers are accounted for,it is simply a nightmare as you suggest.I will say this;I have never seen as many striped bass in my life as I saw today.All day long,for acres and acres..I respectfully disagree SK,but I am not against you.I think if more anglers shared your passion the sport would benefit greatly.

[stripermaineiac]

Well a thought for everyone. Why is it ok for all the commercial inshore netters to be netting at night now so no one can see all the dead fish they throw back in.What all the sportfisherman and commercial rod n reelers catch in a season these people kill in a week in unrecorded bycatch. Squid,bunker,scup and just about any other type of fish that stripers feed on that is netted has a huge bycatch that is one of the things many of us see when we see all those stripers floating on the water in the morning.Might be an idea to make night netting illegal to put these actions back in the public eye. add this to all the other ideas and the stripers may have a chance.Ron

[Crafty Angler]

"In the sixties [1860's] many clubs were formed at Newport, West Island, Block Island and Montauk, and at Cuttyhunk and Pasque Islands where the waters were chummed with menhaden and where the members fished from rocks and from iron stands built on the rocky points that jut out into the sea.

I have known my father, the late George Griswold, who was a keen fisherman, to bring home before breakfast, four fish that would weigh over fifty pounds each, but that was in the sixties at New London where no bass are now to be found.

Last season (1914) I heard of but three large fish taken in the waters off the Elizabeth Islands. They weighed 51, 52 and 73 pounds. The summer before but one large fish was reported.

The fishing clubs have been abandoned, the stands have been destroyed by the action of the sea and the waters are no longer chummed or fished, for the large striped bass have become a tradition of the past.

This has been caused by excessive net fishing, for the bass, being a migratory fish, has been and is still netted along the full length of the coast both going and coming as well as when in southern waters and the result has been fatal."

Frank Gray Griswold
Some Fish and Some Fishing, 1921


A little history

[ProfessorM]

that is true Chris, that is one way to put your money where your mouth is. I think that a lot of the people that want it a game fish luv to fish way too much to ever be able to go that far, I know I could never do that but personally, like I said above, I think it is good to have people like Alan to keep us thinking about what we are doing with a resource that is there for everyone to enjoy, even if you are against his vision. It will be impossible to please all the people all the time but it is not a bad thing to try.

[stripermaineiac]

Well I've tagged an release a lot of fish and have seen a fes floaters from time to time but one sure reality is if the release mortality was just half what it is listed as you'd see hundreds of dead fish littering the shore line after every blitz. seems funny that with all the blitzes that have been witnessed just by those of us on this site there would have been loads of info and complaints on it about the release kill off. I've landed many fish that had hardware still hanging out of their mouths. Commercial release ie by-catch is just plain dead. netted fish don't swim away.I've worked on a gill netter as a kid. always thought it was such a waste.
Never have bought into the release mortality. especially after watching a Bassmasters show from time to time. No one is gonna ever convince me that the striped bass are that fragile and we're so poor at how we release the fish to swim another day. Ron

[stripermaineiac]

Yup I remember the study. Temps were over 90 the whole time and they didn't do a break down on how the fish were caught ie plugs,worms,mackeral and so on. still don't buy the results as over the yrs I've seen way too many fish revive and swim away from really being beat on and survive. Yes there is a mortality rate but one or 2 local studies definitly don't tell the story. Bob showed that more times than anyone. To be valid it might be an idea to do a few more say like by state and season to get the story straight. They die they float. Biology. viscara releases gasses inside the fish till a bird or other fish punctures the body so it will sink.A blitz or a lot of local fishing during a migration will show a load of floaters if the figures were even close.Netted fish however ie by-catch all die.So why do we allow the netters to ply their trade at night when no one can see the damage done. It will take a lot of different things to fix it. we did a good job on the 80's helping to bring the fish back. The problems all started with the holy price tag. as long as a buck is attached well it won't be long till the 80's will be relived. But what the heck those of us that went through the moratoriums don't know what we're talking about.I keep mabe a dozen fish a yr. Short of puttin the rods up not much more that I can do.But i will try to steer things to a course that will help the fish. Ron

[SAUERKRAUT]

No...the State DNR Enforcement never called me back regarding my complaint about the illegal striped bass commerce I witnessed. Instead, I heard more indirectly from the mother of one of our local DNR officers. Mom told me that a "Jamaican showed up at the back door of the restaurant and sold the restaurant the fish". And so I guess that's the end of the story!

All of this bodes well for the upcoming commercial season.

Business as usual.

[JohnnyD]

What's the point in even having limits if they aren't going to be enforced??

At the canal on Friday night, a group of 6 asians show up on the east end and separate into two groups - one group fished at the base of the jetty and the other a little ways west of there. There were a bunch of 14-20" schoolies around and every fish they brought in went into the cooler, another group of non-english speakers were doing the same.

I'm disgusted and walk away so that I don't have to witness it any more. Get about a half mile away and see a Bourne Cop car driving down the canal. I flag him down and mention what's going on - two to three groups, all keeping obviously small fish and their exact locations. His reply, "alright thanks." Then I proceeded to watch him drive right past all of them, turn around and drive past them all again.

[Slipknot]

program this EPO number into your phone and hopefully someone will be down if you call

1-800-632-8075


what the heck is SOTS?

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by Slipknot

program this EPO number into your phone and hopefully someone will be down if you call

1-800-632-8075


what the heck is SOTS?

Thanks... I have that number, but had the crazy idea that the local police officer already at the canal would at least take a look.

I'm guessing SOTS is - Sick of this S#%t

[Slipknot]

thanks
ya local cops don't even know the fisheries laws, most don't care, they have other worries.

If I was in the mood I'd have gone right up to them and picked up that bucket and dumped them right back in the water, told them the rule is 2 stripers at 28" and if they give me crap or the no speaka da english crap, I'd blast them some more and threaten to call epo and see them scramble. that chit goes on way too much and it really makes me sick. ignorance is no excuse

[BigFish]

Ep's often do not respond.....nothing ever gets done!!!

[JohnnyD]

Originally Posted by Slipknot

thanks
ya local cops don't even know the fisheries laws, most don't care, they have other worries.

If I was in the mood I'd have gone right up to them and picked up that bucket and dumped them right back in the water, told them the rule is 2 stripers at 28" and if they give me crap or the no speaka da english crap, I'd blast them some more and threaten to call epo and see them scramble. that chit goes on way too much and it really makes me sick. ignorance is no excuse

One of me - 6 of them and 1am.

There's no ignorance about it. At one point, one of them landed a fish within 20 feet of me and was maybe 20". I said, "Just a guppy huh? Looks like that one is going back." To which he replied, "Got go up and make check good." They knew exactly what they were doing.

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Slipknot

what the heck is SOTS?

Sick of this $hit

[chathamblue30]

The main bait source the stripers like to feed on in this area (menhaden) has been slammed so badly it's no wonder everyone is having a rough go of striper fishing vs past years. The fish seem to be staying futher south in menhaden rich waters of NY/NJ and heading into our offshore waters in seach of abundant sand eels which are not commercially harvested. Maybe if we as a group focused on protecting the bait source like the tuna fisherman have with the herring we might end up with a lot more quality fish in our waters. I agree with the 1 fish limit & reduction in commercial catch,these fish keep a lot of us happy and going all yr in thought of the good days on the water. They are much more valued as a hobby/recreational activity than a food/income source for most of us.