Re: Weakfish Whereabouts
Thanks for linking us to the article. I'm glad that I'm not the only one asking questions. The article seemed to ask more questions than to give answers. Loss of forage is something I'll agree to. Water temps? I'm not sure about that one. Predation? There would have to be untold numbers of them to deplete the spikes so much. If I were to lean toward a major factor, it would be the absence of the lowly sand eels. When they are prolific, the fish which prey on them are abundant. Inshore tuna, bluefish, stripers, cod, even the legendary frost fish and other predators are attracted to them. In their absence, we have to look far and wide to make a catch. I can't explain the decline in winter flounder catches or the missing schools of peanut bunkers that would hug the beach in the fall. Cycles? Probably, but the highs and lows of those cycles is very wide.
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