Does anyone still think the bass are declining?

[Capt Sal]

Seems like one heck of arun from the bay all the way to Cape May. The bunker are here like old times and limits are common. The looks good as far as i can see. The migratory pattern is inshore where the bait is. When the bait is off shore and outside the three mile line we would not even know it except for the reports from guys targeting bluefin tuna.

[fishunt]

maybe for the boat guys! but us surf guys are having a tuff time!:(

[Gerry Zagorski]

Yep - All depends who you talk to and where/how they are fishing.... IMHO we are much better off compared to say 20 years ago. Fall and spring runs have been off the charts and once again, catching depends how and where you fish for them.

[bulletbob]

Nature abhors a vacuum.. There are no Weakfish to compete with Stripers and haven't been for years, and Bluefish although abundant for the past several weeks were MIA for most of the summer from July through much of September, except for 12 inchers along the beaches, and there has been a lot of bait inshore. Good working environment for bass for the past several years... Stripers are doing well no doubt about it, but with Flounder, Whiting,inshore Ling all but gone, and short seasons on Sea Bass and Blackfish, the Stripers are getting HAMMERED .. Hundreds of boats chasing them on every week day, and thousands of boats every week end..
I hope the numbers stay high, but man, they are getting pummeled pretty badly, every day and night.... bob

[Duffman]

I hope the numbers stay high, but man, they are getting pummeled pretty badly, every day and night....

The rod n reel guys will never decimate a population.

[Blackfish Doug]

Nature abhors a vacuum.. There are no Weakfish to compete with Stripers and haven't been for years, and Bluefish although abundant for the past several weeks were MIA for most of the summer from July through much of September, except for 12 inchers along the beaches, and there has been a lot of bait inshore. Good working environment for bass for the past several years... Stripers are doing well no doubt about it, but with Flounder, Whiting,inshore Ling all but gone, and short seasons on Sea Bass and Blackfish, the Stripers are getting HAMMERED .. Hundreds of boats chasing them on every week day, and thousands of boats every week end..
I hope the numbers stay high, but man, they are getting pummeled pretty badly, every day and night.... bob

I had very good Flounder fishing mind you it's not the numbers that we used to get but I have had the best sized flounders that I have caught in many years. My biggest flounder this year went 3.50 on a certified scale. I don't care that it's a 2 fish limit either my 2 flounder that I average when I target them can easily feed 3 people. Also the flounder are in the bays but all I hear about is the whining about how much the bait costs. But go on a Fluke boat blow a ton of money on lost bucktails & Gulp baits & lost tackle & maybe not even get a keeper & nobody complains. The fish are there you just got to go & fish for them. As far as the Whiting are concerned they just don't come inshore anymore. But 2 years ago I caught them very good in 500' feet of water. Out in New Hampshire they get them very good in those depth's as well. There are just too many predators to survive Whales,Dogfish & bluefish & stripers etc. As far as the Bluefish are concerned they spawn inshore from July to September. But if you need to find them ask any of the Shark fisherman that get pestered with them offshore there are plenty of them out there.

[reason162]

Is the flounder in RB strictly a Spring fishery? or are they around now?

I had very good Flounder fishing mind you it's not the numbers that we used to get but I have had the best sized flounders that I have caught in many years. My biggest flounder this year went 3.50 on a certified scale. I don't care that it's a 2 fish limit either my 2 flounder that I average when I target them can easily feed 3 people. Also the flounder are in the bays but all I hear about is the whining about how much the bait costs. But go on a Fluke boat blow a ton of money on lost bucktails & Gulp baits & lost tackle & maybe not even get a keeper & nobody complains. The fish are there you just got to go & fish for them. As far as the Whiting are concerned they just don't come inshore anymore. But 2 years ago I caught them very good in 500' feet of water. Out in New Hampshire they get them very good in those depth's as well. There are just too many predators to survive Whales,Dogfish & bluefish & stripers etc. As far as the Bluefish are concerned they spawn inshore from July to September. But if you need to find them ask any of the Shark fisherman that get pestered with them offshore there are plenty of them out there.

[bulletbob]

Is the flounder in RB strictly a Spring fishery? or are they around now?

We used to have spectacular flounder fishing in Raritan Bay in the month of November, but that was a long time ago, and numbers are down.. However, there are still some out there.. Might be worth a try.. i used to catch BIG ones and in big numbers in the flats between Union Beach and Keansburg not far from the pier.. Get some mussel chum, some mussels for bait[they are better than worms!] and a dozen sandworms, and give it a try.. Some other posters say they have been catching them.. bob

[bulletbob]

The rod n reel guys will never decimate a population.

When the fish are set up in specific areas at specific times, we sure can.. The fluke along the Reach this year were there in spectacular numbers this year,, along with the fluke, the boats were there in spectacular numbers as well, all day every day.. In a few weeks, the fish had been thinned out pretty substantially.. Every year, blackfish are hot early on.. After a few weeks of heavy pounding, there are a lot less fish out there,, Happens every year,,, Does it "decimate" that population??.. Depends on your viewpoint. No it won't doom them to extinction.. No argument.. Does it make it a lot harder to catch some good size fish that season?.. certainly.... bob

[reason162]

We used to have spectacular flounder fishing in Raritan Bay in the month of November, but that was a long time ago, and numbers are down.. However, there are still some out there.. Might be worth a try.. i used to catch BIG ones and in big numbers in the flats between Union Beach and Keansburg not far from the pier.. Get some mussel chum, some mussels for bait[they are better than worms!] and a dozen sandworms, and give it a try.. Some other posters say they have been catching them.. bob

Might give it a shot, thanks!

[tombanjo]

Nature abhors a vacuum.. There are no Weakfish to compete with Stripers and haven't been for years, and Bluefish although abundant for the past several weeks were MIA for most of the summer from July through much of September, except for 12 inchers along the beaches, and there has been a lot of bait inshore. Good working environment for bass for the past several years... Stripers are doing well no doubt about it, but with Flounder, Whiting,inshore Ling all but gone, and short seasons on Sea Bass and Blackfish, the Stripers are getting HAMMERED .. Hundreds of boats chasing them on every week day, and thousands of boats every week end..
I hope the numbers stay high, but man, they are getting pummeled pretty badly, every day and night.... bob

Big Bluefish have been on the offshore reefs since early September. In fact they are still there and there in force, just ask the night or bottom boats who come up with half a sea bass. Just a shame it's only a weekend gig for a couple of boats. Saturday night was drop and reel and no doggies despite some people fishing heavy.

[tombanjo]

Seems like one heck of arun from the bay all the way to Cape May. The bunker are here like old times and limits are common. The looks good as far as i can see. The migratory pattern is inshore where the bait is. When the bait is off shore and outside the three mile line we would not even know it except for the reports from guys targeting bluefin tuna.

I assume from your title that this is a shot at the regulators.

To that end I'm concerned about 11th hour extreme regulations being rammed through by the current bureaucrats who thought they were secure in their jobs with a Hillary win looking like a sure thing. I fear a fast tracking of their extreme tree (fish?) hugging agenda before they are shown the door.

[Capt Sal]

Nature abhors a vacuum.. There are no Weakfish to compete with Stripers and haven't been for years, and Bluefish although abundant for the past several weeks were MIA for most of the summer from July through much of September, except for 12 inchers along the beaches, and there has been a lot of bait inshore. Good working environment for bass for the past several years... Stripers are doing well no doubt about it, but with Flounder, Whiting,inshore Ling all but gone, and short seasons on Sea Bass and Blackfish, the Stripers are getting HAMMERED .. Hundreds of boats chasing them on every week day, and thousands of boats every week end..
I hope the numbers stay high, but man, they are getting pummeled pretty badly, every day and night.... bob
First of all read the posts. We''limited'' out. That now means one each at 28''-43.It was two fish 28'' or better and one more if you had a bonus tag. You could have kept three fish each even if they were all 44'' or better.Now it is regulated and if you compare the dock pics. there are less bass being harvested and many more released. The next thing is they are a seasonal migratory fish. Spring and fall then wait for next year.

[Leif]

Nature abhors a vacuum.. There are no Weakfish to compete with Stripers and haven't been for years, and Bluefish although abundant for the past several weeks were MIA for most of the summer from July through much of September, except for 12 inchers along the beaches, and there has been a lot of bait inshore. Good working environment for bass for the past several years... Stripers are doing well no doubt about it, but with Flounder, Whiting,inshore Ling all but gone, and short seasons on Sea Bass and Blackfish, the Stripers are getting HAMMERED .. Hundreds of boats chasing them on every week day, and thousands of boats every week end..
I hope the numbers stay high, but man, they are getting pummeled pretty badly, every day and night.... bob


There you go. Nicely said.

Leif

[AndyS]

Still wondering how long this will last. There is a commercial fishery for striped bass in a few states. Juvenile fish hit an all time low recently, Omega Protein just got handed the lion's share of menhaden. I know rod and reel guys can not decimate a fishery, but you have to wonder some times, and with that no poor weather for the last 6 years to keep boats tied up to the dock so it is a relentless pounding. (Tack on the millions of pounds that are caught and kept illegally every year)

[NoLimit]

Do the math - if you have 200 fish x 10 lbs each per day in Raritan bay for 60 days, that is 60 ton of stripers to keep a lot of people spending a lot of money.

Meanwhile the commercial haul is 2200 tons (and used to be as high as 6600). http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/fish-wildlife-plants/fish/striped-bass.html

[bulletbob]

First of all read the posts. We''limited'' out. That now means one each at 28''-43.It was two fish 28'' or better and one more if you had a bonus tag. You could have kept three fish each even if they were all 44'' or better.Now it is regulated and if you compare the dock pics. there are less bass being harvested and many more released. The next thing is they are a seasonal migratory fish. Spring and fall then wait for next year.

Sal, I am not arguing at all.. I know that the one fish limit [or two for some] is keeping the numbers at a sustainable level for now , and I hope it stays that way.. I was merely pointing out that over the past few years there aren't other options for inshore fishermen as there were years ago, and the stripers are under really intense pressure for about 6 months each year even with a one fish limit. The Tog will take some of the pressure off bass, but the same thing happens there.. The pieces they live on get blasted every day.. If we had flounder, whiting, ling to take some of the pressure off it would be a good thing.. I doubt I will se those fish return in numbers in my lifetime.. I really hope I'm mistaken. bob

[torchee]

The rod n reel guys will never decimate a population.

Agree

Everything is declining but it has nothing to do with rec fishing.

[Mike K]

Not trying to start an argument or anything, but the run hasn't made it to cape may yet or ocean city or Atlantic City. Not schools of Bass in the ocean like what the northern areas are seeing. The back water areas like the ICW, Mullica and Great Egg have fish. I've heard of some good catches from these areas, but a "run"? Don't think it's made it to south jersey yet. If I'm wrong, then I'm sure the charter captains in Atlantic or Cape May county can correct me.

Do I think the Bass are still declining? Not sure. Things have certainly changed over the years thou. Whatever happened to the Cape May rips?

[bunkatabunka]

Nature abhors a vacuum.. There are no Weakfish to compete with Stripers and haven't been for years, and Bluefish although abundant for the past several weeks were MIA for most of the summer from July through much of September, except for 12 inchers along the beaches, and there has been a lot of bait inshore. Good working environment for bass for the past several years... Stripers are doing well no doubt about it, but with Flounder, Whiting,inshore Ling all but gone, and short seasons on Sea Bass and Blackfish, the Stripers are getting HAMMERED .. Hundreds of boats chasing them on every week day, and thousands of boats every week end..
I hope the numbers stay high, but man, they are getting pummeled pretty badly, every day and night.... bob

I agree with this completely. Most days you go out, especially a weekend, looks like the scene from jaws where a million boats are heading out shark hunting. These things are getting slaughtered. The dock pics of the carnage bother the hell out of me, especially the "overs." How much freakin striped bass can you eat? Jesus, multiple 43"+ fish? I guess guys are just packing the crap out of their freezers just because. BY ALL MEANS, take one for the table once in a while, I have no problem with that, as I do that myself maybe once or twice per season (mind you 1 30" fish feeds an entire family cooked fresh the same night). I am NOT talking so much about the guys that pay big $ for a private charter that go out once a year, I understand you want some food to take home for what you're paying. But I have a slip in a marina where I can see the same guys going out a bunch of times a week, keeping over and under limits because they'll give it to a friend of a friends nephews boss or they're "sure someone will want em." I'm not about that, feel free to disagree, but it seems there's a lot of **** measuring and egos involved for bragging rights and cool pics. My .02.

[Harpoon]

Not trying to start an argument or anything, but the run hasn't made it to cape may yet or ocean city or Atlantic City. Not schools of Bass in the ocean like what the northern areas are seeing. The back water areas like the ICW, Mullica and Great Egg have fish. I've heard of some good catches from these areas, but a "run"? Don't think it's made it to south jersey yet. If I'm wrong, then I'm sure the charter captains in Atlantic or Cape May county can correct me.

Do I think the Bass are still declining? Not sure. Things have certainly changed over the years thou. Whatever happened to the Cape May rips?

What does the bait situation look like down there? The bunker up in central - north jersey is thick and goes for miles at some spots. I'm not sure if the fish have a reason to move right now with how much food is currently available.

[NoLimit]

I agree with this completely. Most days you go out, especially a weekend, looks like the scene from jaws where a million boats are heading out shark hunting. These things are getting slaughtered. The dock pics of the carnage bother the hell out of me, especially the "overs." How much freakin striped bass can you eat? Jesus, multiple 43"+ fish? I guess guys are just packing the crap out of their freezers just because. BY ALL MEANS, take one for the table once in a while, I have no problem with that, as I do that myself maybe once or twice per season (mind you 1 30" fish feeds an entire family cooked fresh the same night). I am NOT talking so much about the guys that pay big $ for a private charter that go out once a year, I understand you want some food to take home for what you're paying. But I have a slip in a marina where I can see the same guys going out a bunch of times a week, keeping over and under limits because they'll give it to a friend of a friends nephews boss or they're "sure someone will want em." I'm not about that, feel free to disagree, but it seems there's a lot of **** measuring and egos involved for bragging rights and cool pics. My .02.

If you follow the reports here, sponsor charter boats are limiting on the biggest stripers south of Barnegat

[Mike K]

What does the bait situation look like down there? The bunker up in central - north jersey is thick and goes for miles at some spots. I'm not sure if the fish have a reason to move right now with how much food is currently available.

Take it for what it's worth since I was last offshore in my boat on 11/5, but on that day there were thick bait schools in 25' water off Ocean City. I assume bunker, since there were Gannets diving on them, but didn't snag any and they weren't near the surface. No bass or blues that day. Sticking to the backbay until something happens in the ocean. I have a buddy who works at a bait store in Ocean City and this morning there wasn't a boat or surf angler in site. (That's got to tell you something)

[jmurr711]

bass make a left last few years when they get to oc & head east. Talk to plenty of guys offshore sea bassing & togging in cape may who see miles of bass in December 15-20 off but ya cannot target em.Last year cape may had a great troll bite but it was late with the warmer fall, boats were trolling bass in January but most boats were out for the winter already.Global Climate change is a hoax I guess with such warm water in the fall lasting longer & longer....

As for Delaware bay its dead. Not even fluke & croakers were good this year for the people I know who fish the bay. As for the rips bite something changed maybe 10 years since it was good & even the fall bunker chunk bite up the bay blows. Still plenty of fish coming up the dealware as spring runs been awesome in the fresh water but they aren't sticking around in the bay.

[Blind Squirrel]

I assume from your title that this is a shot at the regulators.

To that end I'm concerned about 11th hour extreme regulations being rammed through by the current bureaucrats who thought they were secure in their jobs with a Hillary win looking like a sure thing. I fear a fast tracking of their extreme tree (fish?) hugging agenda before they are shown the door.

You've somehow managed to ascribe a consistently partisan and nefarious regulatory philosophy to NOAA Fisheries, two regional fisheries management councils, 11 other states, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, and our very own NJDEP, but I think seeing few to no striped bass clear the rails of any NJ party boat for >3 decades might lead you to reconsider the "extreme tree (fish?) hugging agenda" that we can now thank for this revitalized 21st Century fishery. How the clear winner of last week's popular vote figures into this discussion at all is yours to explain however. :confused:

[bigal427]

The people that set regs have no idea what they are doing. If anything you should be keeping the smaller fish and releasing the big ones. Almost all larger fluke are females and loaded with eggs. They are the ones you should be releasing and keeping the 16 and17". I know a lot of fisherman would not be happy releasing that 8 pounder but the smaller ones are better eating. As winter flounder the commercial guys are wiping them out netting them offshore. Down in Barnegat Bay we use to have a good winter flounder fishing it' not even worth fishing or them anymore

[Blind Squirrel]

The people that set regs have no idea what they are doing. If anything you should be keeping the smaller fish and releasing the big ones. Almost all larger fluke are females and loaded with eggs. They are the ones you should be releasing and keeping the 16 and17". I know a lot of fisherman would not be happy releasing that 8 pounder but the smaller ones are better eating. As winter flounder the commercial guys are wiping them out netting them offshore. Down in Barnegat Bay we use to have a good winter flounder fishing it' not even worth fishing or them anymore
The smaller striped bass are not only better eating and clearly less vital to stabilizing or increasing fish populations; they also have higher value commercially, but the regulators being blasted here for wrongdoing actually brought back the recreational striper fishery by shutting down the commercial one (that's practically impossible to regulate by size of fish caught), and have acceded to the wishes of us recreational anglers by not taking away our big trophy bass. Since it's been correctly stated on here numerous times that we're not the ones who wipe out a fishery, I'm truly wondering how these alleged bureaucratic nitwits and malefactors could ever make all of us happy simultaneously.
The current daily possession limits might be a little too harsh, but most of us aren't fishing primarily for meat anyway, and few of us can complain about the quality of striper fishing in the last ~20 years, least of all the PB and charter captains and crews who've benefited so much from these recent spring and fall bonanzas.

[bulletbob]

The smaller striped bass are not only better eating and clearly less vital to stabilizing or increasing fish populations; they also have higher value commercially, but the regulators being blasted here for wrongdoing actually brought back the recreational striper fishery by shutting down the commercial one (that's practically impossible to regulate by size of fish caught), and have acceded to the wishes of us recreational anglers by not taking away our big trophy bass. Since it's been correctly stated on here numerous times that we're not the ones who wipe out a fishery, I'm truly wondering how these alleged bureaucratic nitwits and malefactors could ever make all of us happy simultaneously.
The current daily possession limits might be a little too harsh, but most of us aren't fishing primarily for meat anyway, and few of us can complain about the quality of striper fishing in the last ~20 years, least of all the PB and charter captains and crews who've benefited so much from these recent spring and fall bonanzas.

Yeah, I am sure the PB/Charter owners are thankful for the spring/fall striper fishery, but IMHO, they would be a lot more thankful if they had flounder/whiting/weaks to fish for, and a less restrictive fluke /seabass quota.... bob

[Blind Squirrel]

Yeah, I am sure the PB/Charter owners are thankful for the spring/fall striper fishery, but IMHO, they would be a lot more thankful if they had flounder/whiting/weaks to fish for, and a less restrictive fluke /seabass quota.... bob

Over-regulation is hardly the reason for their not having flounder/whiting/weaks to fish for, and less restrictive fluke/seabass quotas could very easily make those species as scarce as flounder, whiting, weaks, and those Atlantic bonito we used to catch in abundance before the draggers wiped them out while destroying habitat on our inshore lumps. It seems to me that fisheries regulators are damned if they do and damned if they don't.... bud