Comments on Fisheries / Cod Spawning grounds - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Cod Hunter · 11-29-2005, 01:44 PM

This is a split from a previos thread that started as a report and became a fisheries thread - so I split the thread...

Thanks,

John R.

JohnR · 11-29-2005, 02:14 PM

sweet...

fishing bum wannabe · 11-29-2005, 05:38 PM

I was out floating around with you getting in the way of the Relentless. I caught a couple and hung 1 that I had on for 5 minutes but couldn't move it more than 10' off the bottom. It might have been snagged (but I have been using single hooks to limit snagging). It gets a little intimidating when you are on an 18' center console and all these 30+ foot charters move up next to you. Beautiful weather, and close enough to other boats for conversations some of the time. I met one of my neighbors form in town out there as well as some nice folks from the North Shore and CT. Not often that you fish out of a boat within normal conversation range of other boats. To say the least a unique experience. Fish were nice size as well.

ScottM · 11-29-2005, 07:58 PM

Cod Hunter,
I happen to be friends with Ken P. He asked me if I wanted to join you guys, but I turned down the invite to winterize my boat. Needless to say, I'm kicking myself knowing what type of day you guys had.

Nice work out there. You couldn't ask for better weather in late November.

thefishingfreak · 11-29-2005, 08:59 PM

nice job.
tomorrow is the last day for that area before the shut down.
thats the only way to fish them is super tight like that. "bumper boats".
15 feet out of the circle and you might as whell be on the beach. there stacked up on top of each other to spawn.

Raider Ronnie · 11-29-2005, 09:16 PM

It's not looking good for the future of cod fishing!
Not only are they closing that area 42.20 - 42.30 because it's a known spawning area for cod,
Dec. 1 the daily limit goes from 10 fish to 5 fish a day,
and I have been told that it may go to less than 5 per day (3 per day ? )
and stay there year round!

Sorry to high jack the tread,
Glad you guys had a good trip with Dave.

RIROCKHOUND · 11-30-2005, 08:45 AM

Sorry to HiJack as well;
But if you KNOW the fish are spawning and not eating; maybe it's a good thing it's being closed...
Not knocking, those are impressive cod and you're following the rules; I just think the rules shouldn't allow fishing on known spawning grounds. Not just codfish, but Blackfish in the spring etc..

That being said 58 is a HUGE cod, and hooked in the @ss had to be a pretty good fight!

Mr. Sandman · 11-30-2005, 10:44 AM

[QUOTE=RIROCKHOUND]Sorry to HiJack as well;
Not knocking, those are impressive cod and you're following the rules; I just think the rules shouldn't allow fishing on known spawning grounds. Not just codfish, but Blackfish in the spring etc..
QUOTE]

Exactly the "rulemakers" need to get the boot, they have been poisoned by fishing industry pressures. Do what must be done to preserve the fishery or step down.

RIROCKHOUND · 11-30-2005, 10:50 AM

Amem!

relentless · 11-30-2005, 02:49 PM

Ron,

Where did you see this and where is it posted, I know of no such thing?

DKW

beamie · 11-30-2005, 07:02 PM

[QUOTE=RIROCKHOUND]Sorry to HiJack as well;
But if you KNOW the fish are spawning and not eating; maybe it's a good thing it's being closed...

I can see both sides of this arguement. Some say good to shut this area down. Some say let us fish.

But think of it this way.......

What is the difference between a 40 pound cod caught 8 mi east of the bank in 290 Ft of water in June and a 40 pound cod caught in the area of the B bouy in 100Ft in November? Either way, neither will live to spawn again.

riverrat2 · 11-30-2005, 07:47 PM

But your chance of getting a 40lb fish in november at the spawning grounds is way higher then picking one off in june east of the bank.

thefishingfreak · 11-30-2005, 07:58 PM

40# cod, east of the bank, aren't full of eggs.
40# cod, off the b-bouy, are loaded.

big difference between rec and comm too. not knocking either one here.

put 25 boats into a square 1/8 mile with 6 guys snaggin' and you can wipe out the school in an few hours or so.

closure will be good for the stock.

a 58# cod is nice to reel in and makes for fine tablefare.
but dumpin' all those eggs overboard will give anyone the willys.

Raider Ronnie · 11-30-2005, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

40# cod, east of the bank, aren't full of eggs.
40# cod, off the b-bouy, are loaded.

big difference between rec and comm too. not knocking either one here.

put 25 boats into a square 1/8 mile with 6 guys snaggin' and you can wipe out the school in an few hours or so.

closure will be good for the stock.

a 58# cod is nice to reel in and makes for fine tablefare.
but dumpin' all those eggs overboard will give anyone the willys.

Well put Mike!!!
Though I want to go cod fishing as much as anyone else, and especially with a short ride!!!
I agree with the closing of that area!!!
I saw a bit of it last winter, full totes of cod with the white goo from the eggs running out of the totes!!!
It sound like you gathered the eggs and dumped them ever board ?
I wonder if the dogfish ate them anyway!!!

thefishingfreak · 11-30-2005, 10:34 PM

gilled, gutted, and iced down pretty quickly.

as for the eggs?
the doggs probly got them.

beamie · 11-30-2005, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

40# cod, east of the bank, aren't full of eggs.
40# cod, off the b-bouy, are loaded.

big difference between rec and comm too. not knocking either one here.

put 25 boats into a square 1/8 mile with 6 guys snaggin' and you can wipe out the school in an few hours or so.

closure will be good for the stock.

a 58# cod is nice to reel in and makes for fine tablefare.
but dumpin' all those eggs overboard will give anyone the willys.

Mike, Yes well said and I knew that one of you guys would say just that. Agreed it would be good for the stock. I'm just saying dead is dead and if you got that 58# cod 4 months ago it never would have been at the spawning ground. I am very glad it is closed now esp. for the netters. I am personally in favor of making commercial groundfishing a hook and line industry. A guy with a 35' boat with 3 jigging machines could do some damage. But far less than a 20 gillnets.

I'm not looking to stir anyone's pot, for I'm pissed that I am at work and can't fish but.....allot of the people, including yourself, think it is best to close the area during spawning, why have you been out there fishing?... I know, you can't say no when invited onto that awesome boat and I'd be right beside you if I had the chance. But I just find it interesting that guys say one thing but then do the other...I'd probably be no different.

Many of us have fun fished, mated or Captained on charters that sometimes see 6,8 even close to 1000 pound days when you get into a big school of "Big Cod" out east, never to squirt again.. How about all the mackeral caught in May full of eggs and white stuff, then we feed them to bass, I feel bad for them......for a minute, until Mr big is on the other end. Same goes for the herring too. Finally they shut it done but up till now guys would say they should shut it down but they would be the first one there in the morning if they could get a barrel full......it is all human nature I guess.

If the rulemakers were real serious on the stocks levels maybe they should have closed this area down to us recs on Nov 1. Who knows..Later

beamie · 12-01-2005, 12:02 AM

Looks like this thread took a high jacking.

Started off with great trip on the Relentless with Cod Hunter and his buddies. Sounded like a pissa day.

relentless · 12-01-2005, 06:59 AM

Cod Hunter posts a report where hs paty of five took 22 cod (just over four a man) and this turns into a let's bash the guys in there and a management thread. I thought there already was a fisheries mangement thread on this board elsewhere. As far as folks saying one thing and doing another we all have been in there, Raider has commercially fished this area in the past along with myself. One member who owns a tackle shop has been out there every weekend on different boats with some of you as guests. We have all enjoyed this fishery.

IMHO I intend to recommend a smaller closure of the area. In other words a one mile square instead of the entire 42-20 - 42-30 during November so folks can still soak a few clams in November around the B buoy.

Back to the fishing, lets remember, no one is limiting out there with six gus, best day 31 fish with party of six, worst 3 fish party of three.

Seeing cod hunter and father together and taking picture, priceless, that is what it is about so let's stop thinking charter boats are out there wiping out schools. I would be more interested in those boats fishng by themselves every day out there or with two people on board. I guess osme people eat a heell of a lot of fish.

Dave

Cod Hunter · 12-01-2005, 10:25 AM

Well put Dave. Thanks. I've learned my lesson here I guess. A happy report about a great, LEGAL trip shared with my Dad and friends is just not what this place is all about and that's too bad.

RIROCKHOUND · 12-01-2005, 10:38 AM

CodHunter, Dave et al;
I didn't mean to bash anyone other than the rule makers, it sounds like a great day. Some friends of mine went with Dave a few weeks ago. Not a knock on you, and sorry for the HiJack. I wont knock anyone for fishing where and when the rules allow...

Yeah a dead fish is a dead fish; but when fish were predictable, congregated and not eating (spawning) I think they should get left alone. Just my 0.02, sorry for the hi-jack
Bryan

JohnR · 12-01-2005, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cod Hunter

Well put Dave. Thanks. I've learned my lesson here I guess. A happy report about a great, LEGAL trip shared with my Dad and friends is just not what this place is all about and that's too bad.

No, it is what this place is about - as well as discussing fisheries issues, which happens a lot, and doing something about those issues which sadly does not happen enough.... This is the online version that would have happened if all of you were sitting down having a java or liquid hops and kabitzing in a conversation....

My quick fix to this is to split the thread into one for the trip and the other for cod management debate...

Thanks,

John