Released Fish Pool

[muskynut]

Question, why should someone who wants to release his/her fish not be allowed into a pool on a party boat???? With the state of striper stocks, as I said in a previous post if we keep taking and taking everyday....you WILL see a decline in population numbers over time. It is inevitable.....just think about what one boat does....and then multiply it by all the boats in the fleet doing the same thing.....if everyone keeps just because it is a keeper....there will be no keepers left. So, if someone wants to be in the pool but release his/her fish why can't a quick pick/weight be taken, recorded with witnesses and the fish released??? I bring this up because on one trip I couldh've won the pool but decided to release my fish. Capt. Dave

[tautog]

Because too many second place guys would complain and cause trouble. It is amazing how many arguments some guys try to start over the pool, even arguing that certain species shouldn't be allowed when publicly posted pool rules with qualified species are present. If I had a party boat, I wouldn't even have a pool because of the amount of jerks causing trouble about them.

[NJsaltfisher]

+1

We all got digital scales now-a-days!

[Seamus]

There would be an ocean full of fish with sinkers in thier gut.

[1captainron]

Question, why should someone who wants to release his/her fish not be allowed into a pool on a party boat???? With the state of striper stocks, as I said in a previous post if we keep taking and taking everyday....you WILL see a decline in population numbers over time. It is inevitable.....just think about what one boat does....and then multiply it by all the boats in the fleet doing the same thing.....if everyone keeps just because it is a keeper....there will be no keepers left. So, if someone wants to be in the pool but release his/her fish why can't a quick pick/weight be taken, recorded with witnesses and the fish released??? I bring this up because on one trip I couldh've won the pool but decided to release my fish. Capt. Dave
Depends Which "PARTY" Boat's you fish. Our pool rules clearly state "Catch and Release will be honored".....however, this is still a free country with Captains and Boat owners making their own rules.....ask before you enter, as stated many times before.:D

[tuna john]

do it by length and the fish can be easily released, sometimes its not always the heaviest but it seems to work, that's the way its done on M star in MD

[JerseyCoast]

do it by length and the fish can be easily released, sometimes its not always the heaviest but it seems to work, that's the way its done on M star in MD

+1 on this idea. Besides..... All those eggs in a female shouldn't be worth pool money!!!.

[Super]

This is exactly why I don't do the pool. Has nothing to do with the $4. I don't like keeping fish just because they may win the pool.

[PAMonger]

A Chesapeake Bay survey just showed the strongest population in years.

So, with fluke we complain if one dredge shows a low number... but if one striper dredge shows a low number, we say the population is failing.

Makes sense... :eek:

[Foul Hook]

A Chesapeake Bay survey just showed the strongest population in years.

So, with fluke we complain if one dredge shows a low number... but if one striper dredge shows a low number, we say the population is failing.

Makes sense... :eek:
No. Not getting what you're saying. Sorry

[SharkHart]

Thumbs up to your post, Musky

[bulletbob]

Personally, I like the idea of a Draw the Number pool.. If you are in the pool, and your ticket is drawn, you win.. This way, everyone has the same shot, no drama, no arguments, most likely fewer fish killed, and last but not least, the guy that fishes 7 days a week isn't going to automatically win the pool because he knows all the tricks, and has an edge..
Just a thought.... bob

[Capt Joe]

Personally, I like the idea of a Draw the Number pool.. If you are in the pool, and your ticket is drawn, you win.. This way, everyone has the same shot, no drama, no arguments, most likely fewer fish killed, and last but not least, the guy that fishes 7 days a week isn't going to automatically win the pool because he knows all the tricks, and has an edge..
Just a thought.... bob

Yee gads,
The State offers that its called the Lottery, 7-11, Wawa, etc. all sell em':eek:

[Angler Paul]

Don't know what survey PaMonger is referring to but here is what I read:
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced that the 2013 Striped Bass juvenile index - a measure of Striped Bass spawning success in Chesapeake Bay - is 5.8, a substantial increase over last year's results of 0.9, but below the 60-year average of 11.7. The survey is conducted to track the reproductive success of Maryland's State Fish, which is known to be highly variable from year to year.

[SnackAttack]

No One ever makes you get into the pool. If you do not believe in what they do, don't get in it. This is still America, and No One is forcing you to get into something you don't want to, at least on a fishing boat

[tombanjo]

Ditto Snack. Don't go in the pool is your answer, not bending the rules to satisfy your sensibilities. Pools can be controversial enough as is, can you imagine the headaches pictures, early weigh ins or measurments would cause? End of the day the fish go on the balance scale. Fairest way. And if you release all your fish all the time is keeping one possible pool winner that abhorrent to you? Not like it's going to waste like a barrel full of blues sometimes do, people will eat it.

[Fun King]

I think pools should be outlawed. Pools encourage people to keep fish they might not want or keep more than their limits just for a chance at the money and bragging rights. They encourage non-sportsmanlike behavior. I don't think the captains would mind if they were eliminated.

[ScowardNJ]

Me and my buddies often do our own side pot. We make our own rules, sometimes we rake in a few other randoms on the boat. I won 40bux on a dogfish once :D

[JBird]

The easy solution is don't join the pool and release all your fish.

[chrislars]

+1

We all got digital scales now-a-days!


only problem with this is that they don't work too well with a vessel bouncing up and down... i've seen 3-5 pound ranges depending what part of the swell the boat is at, haha!

i know some boats are charging less and less on the pools to almost discourage people from entering or so that the emphasis is not on trying to win the pool.

it is great to see people throwing back 30 pounders though, even before they reach their limit!

[M Rod]

2nd tuna john Monty has a system that works and I happen to think its the most reliable. Never heard a complaint or seen any drama down there. I've seen a 19 pound tog (female) lose to a 18 pounder(male) lol imagine that 19 pounder lose the pool !! Makes for some good ball bustin while heading for the barn as capt would say

[mickrazz]

2nd tuna john Monty has a system that works and I happen to think its the most reliable. Never heard a complaint or seen any drama down there. I've seen a 19 pound tog (female) lose to a 18 pounder(male) lol imagine that 19 pounder lose the pool !! Makes for some good ball bustin while heading for the barn as capt would say
+1. I like to release bigger tog and I like to get in and maybe win the pool. A length measurement would be the best way, especially for tog in NJ. Its rare that anyone catches an 18lber let alone a 19 to go along with it. Balance beams, unless the weight difference is a lot, is a judgement call. It happened to me already this year. The fish were very close and we both agreed to split the pool without a second thought. Just my opinion.

[jimmythegreek]

thumbs up for the post capt dave......anybody should have the right to release a fish, if there was more C+R going on things would be better in this state and lots of other bodies of water too

[Capt Sal]

I think pools should be outlawed. Pools encourage people to keep fish they might not want or keep more than their limits just for a chance at the money and bragging rights. They encourage non-sportsmanlike behavior. I don't think the captains would mind if they were eliminated.
Realllllly?????????????

[reely]

The last pool I was in on a party boat was a cup of coffee $2 before that $10. For that price let the the breeders go if you wish

[slammer]

Stay out of the pool if you don't like the way there run.I have no problem using the balance beam. Once in a while you get a tie and split the pool .I don't mind,it happened to me this year.I would never get in a pool if I had to draw a number out of a hat .That's what happens when the boat gets skunked.

[Joey Dah Fish]

It's real simple guys ask the crew when you board if catch and release will be used in the pool. Then if they say yes ask them to announce the rules to all aboard. If they don't allow C&R in the pool just decide what you want to do. In the pool keeping fish or out!!!! What's the big to do? It's the Captsins boat he makes the rules? If you don't like them fish on another boat!! Shut up and fish!!!!

[milhouse]

I don't think the captains would mind if they were eliminated.

Not so sure about that.

The mates get tipped out of the pool, and if that is eliminated, they probably would ask for a raise from the captain. Whether or not the captain does it is a different story altogether, but either the captain has to give raises to the mates, or has to deal with a bunch of unhappy guys.

[MohawkJD]

I fish for the sport and have plenty of enjoyment without a pool. I get in some pools, but there are some I don't get in because of things I've seen with the mates. I was even told by someone how they cheat and get away with it regularly on most boats.

Just like a pool table in a bar, without rules clearly posted, there's always the potential for trouble. Pools are for the mates to earn an extra large tip. The problem is, most don't want to earn it. It's too much trouble for them to keep accurate lists or be sure the person entering is the one that caught it.

Fish caught early will weigh less by the end of a trip, therefore the balance scale is unfair. I checked with a well known, respected captain from New England that promotes catch and release of breeders on how he handles the pool and released fish. He actually gives away free tee shirts to those that release breeders. They weigh fish as soon as possible when it is landed with a digital scale. This insures the person that caught the fish is the pool and not his friend sharing the same cooler that's not in the pool. People have the opportunity to release their catch or can bleed them and not hurt their chance at the pool. This is more work for the mates, but without the pool, they can lose the biggest tip.

If a side bet like this is so important, I'd recommend buying a lottery ticket or going to AC.