Fish Tank
05-08-2013, 10:56 AM
You know what guys, this has been some spring. I'm sitting here looking at the marine forcast and guess what, the wind is going to be out of the East for the next 4 days. Just wonderful!! It's been blowing for 3 weeks, I took the W off my compass, who needs it. I have to admit it's been a great spring for the bass fisherman in the Sandy Hook area, but the rest of the state is taking it on the chin.
They opened blackfish on April 1st, but it never really happened til the last week. Now we have this gap until May 18th when fluke and then sea bass open up. Wouldn't it be nice if they extended blackfish for another week? NO WAY!
I am all for regulations, but they need to make sense. I don't want to get into this commercial fishing thing, but the hook & line fishermen never depleted any fishery. Many of you folks are too young to have experienced the great whiting fishery we used to have. I recall the commercial fleet would catch so many that they would drive the price down to pennies per lb. I was friendly with some of the commercial guys and I suggested to them to get together and put a limit on their catch. In so doing, they would preserve the stock and keep the price where they could make a living without killing themselves. In one ear and out the other. How's about the millions of pounds of ling being shoveled off the deck in order to catch a couple of boxes of whiting? I have to admit, we have all been guilty of gluttony at one time or another. There is no doubt that the hook & line fishermen are being hurt the most when it comes to the regs.
Some good news, I got from a reliable source the powers that be are going to give us an extra 3 months of fluking next year. No bag limit or size limit! The 3 months are January, February and March. Thanks a lot gentlemen, should be a lot of fun! I'm planning my next trip to Cuba to coincide with the next revolution, also should be a lot of fun. :D
Stay well all!
~Capt. Tommy Joseph
They opened blackfish on April 1st, but it never really happened til the last week. Now we have this gap until May 18th when fluke and then sea bass open up. Wouldn't it be nice if they extended blackfish for another week? NO WAY!
I am all for regulations, but they need to make sense. I don't want to get into this commercial fishing thing, but the hook & line fishermen never depleted any fishery. Many of you folks are too young to have experienced the great whiting fishery we used to have. I recall the commercial fleet would catch so many that they would drive the price down to pennies per lb. I was friendly with some of the commercial guys and I suggested to them to get together and put a limit on their catch. In so doing, they would preserve the stock and keep the price where they could make a living without killing themselves. In one ear and out the other. How's about the millions of pounds of ling being shoveled off the deck in order to catch a couple of boxes of whiting? I have to admit, we have all been guilty of gluttony at one time or another. There is no doubt that the hook & line fishermen are being hurt the most when it comes to the regs.
Some good news, I got from a reliable source the powers that be are going to give us an extra 3 months of fluking next year. No bag limit or size limit! The 3 months are January, February and March. Thanks a lot gentlemen, should be a lot of fun! I'm planning my next trip to Cuba to coincide with the next revolution, also should be a lot of fun. :D
Stay well all!
~Capt. Tommy Joseph