Bass

[snapperbluefish101]

Well, over the last few weeks I have been thinking about the Striped Bass fishery and its future.

Undoubtably, no business and fishery can be perfect. The biology and math tells the truth though, whether in reference to changes in quotas, stocks, coastal regulation, daily and seasonal fishing pressure and other factors.

I have a article I would like everyone to read, and I think you might see where I am going. I did not elaborate yet, as I would like to see a few reacting comments first of all.

Any opinions, input, and other constructive comments are welcome. If It was not proper of me to make this post, I will delete it.

http://theaverageangler.blogspot.com...riped.html?m=1

SNAPPERHEAD

[vinntastic]

Very true

[chrislars]

based on the non-existent ocean run this year, i think its safe (and UNFOOLISH) to say there is something wrong or going on. it's killed the charter and party boat fares without consistent daily reports. it's amazing what a year difference makes, but something is up. maybe the fish stayed farther out east chasing more consistent food, maybe there are still effects from Sandy in the water that we can't see or even touch, but that the fish notice or maybe they just by-passed the beaches and just went right into raritan bay, but it has been an awful spring for the SRI & Manasquan Fleets concerning bass.

on the other note, what amount of fish is enough for one person to harvest? there have been plenty of arguments on here that "catch what you legally can daily and don't worry". well, more and more people have boats or access to boats, so that needs to be taken into account. equipment is better, with rods and reels and FISH FINDING electronics, making it easier than ever to put meat in your cooler. i'm all for taking a fish now and then for a meal or to give to friends who love fish, but like the gist of this article is pointing towards, at some point the stock is going to become overfished again and we will only have ourselves to blame. just my opinion, everyone else is entitled to their own also...

[fishcounter]

I think the math is a little off. He comes to an average of 100 fish per day and seems to think that way more than that are harvested.

But........

Some days it rains, or the wind blows a gale, sometimes nobody gets out for 4 days due to storms and then the fish are scrambled and it takes days to get good fishing.

If it blows on weekends, less people fish during the week.

How many times do party boats not sail due to lack of participation.

It is a big Ocean. I'm not buying it. The Bay is on fire this year. If we overfished, the bay would have to be quiet too.

[SharkHart]

Good post -- We have to change the climate this is how it starts

i saw a post today on other site guy from RI saying the same thing! Last year one of Montauks top guides said same.

Unfortunately humans have a hard time regulating themselves

[snapperbluefish101]

Originally Posted by fishcounter

I think the math is a little off. He comes to an average of 100 fish per day and seems to think that way more than that are harvested.

But........

Some days it rains, or the wind blows a gale, sometimes nobody gets out for 4 days due to storms and then the fish are scrambled and it takes days to get good fishing.

If it blows on weekends, less people fish during the week.

How many times do party boats not sail due to lack of participation.

It is a big Ocean. I'm not buying it. The Bay is on fire this year. If we overfished, the bay would have to be quiet too.

The biggest mistake I can think of is alot of people from up here in Monmouth and Northern Ocean Counties can do, including myself, is only think of the North Jersey coast's fishing, when it comes to the daily catch of the Striped Bass. We have the Private, Charter, and Party Boats down in Central and South Jersey as everyone knows. If you think of only North Jersey's daily catch, then it probably isn't over 100 fish per day. But if you think of the whole state, it would make sense that it is 100+ per day. That is lot of fish for a days worth and for a whole entire state.

With that being said, does anyone have any spring run Bass reports from the central and southern region for reference? That would certainly help a lot.

But in correlation to my main dialogue, do you think that is feasable? If I am wrong, I would like to know what is right.

SNAPPERHEAD

[Dino]

Not exactly perfect science, but then again- that doesnt exist in fisheries management. Great post and I totally agree that if we want to keep the fishery robust we need to release more big fish, if only to keep those big fish genes in the ocean as long as possible. I know it makes for a great dock shot to pull 20 cow bass off the bunker pods, but do you really need to freeze and eat all that meat? probably not. its about the cool dock shot isnt it? I think one big fish per man, per day is plenty. what is so bad about 2 fish at 28" where only 1 can be 38" +

PS: dont feel like you need to walk on eggshells posting about conservation issue. There are a few guys on each message board that get real sarcastic any time someone mentions releasing more and killing less fish. they assume you are a some kind of tree hugger if you suggest releasing fish. dont mind them, most people on the message boards love big fish and want there to be many many of them.

[Michael82929]

Originally Posted by snapperbluefish101

Well, over the last few weeks I have been thinking about the Striped Bass fishery and its future.

Undoubtably, no business and fishery can be perfect. The biology and math tells the truth though, whether in reference to changes in quotas, stocks, coastal regulation, daily and seasonal fishing pressure and other factors.

I have a article I would like everyone to read, and I think you might see where I am going. I did not elaborate yet, as I would like to see a few reacting comments first of all.

Any opinions, input, and other constructive comments are welcome. If It was not proper of me to make this post, I will delete it.

http://theaverageangler.blogspot.com...riped.html?m=1

SNAPPERHEAD

Great post... keep em coming...

[Ol Pedro]

Originally Posted by snapperbluefish101

Well, over the last few weeks I have been thinking about the Striped Bass fishery and its future.

Any opinions, input, and other constructive comments are welcome. If It was not proper of me to make this post, I will delete it.

SNAPPERHEAD

Young Snapperbluefish , I'm glad to see that your gears are turning and you are thinking of something other than how many you can keep . I wish that I thought the same when I was your age . You and other young Fishermen/Women are the future of our fisheries . This is a forum so feel free to say/ask what ever you want . On whether or not to keep any legally caught fish it should be up to the person who caught it . People listen better when you are not yelling at them . A Man who I respect immensely stated his opinion recently on this very subject . He didn't yell or call anyone names . I think that people read it and some will take it to heart as people will give thought to your question . I feel that The Bass have been passing through for quite some time and only in the past few years we have had the knowledge/conditions to catch them . Just because we may not be catching them as well on the Ocean side doesn't mean that they are in trouble . Say we harvested 100 25lb and up Bass on a good day on Jersey's coast who is to say that 10,000 passed on the wrong side of the EEZ and will never be fished ?

[snapperbluefish101]

Originally Posted by Ol Pedro

Young Snapperbluefish , I'm glad to see that your gears are turning and you are thinking of something other than how many you can keep . I wish that I thought the same when I was your age . You and other young Fishermen/Women are the future of our fisheries . This is a forum so feel free to say/ask what ever you want . On whether or not to keep any legally caught fish it should be up to the person who caught it . People listen better when you are not yelling at them . A Man who I respect immensely stated his opinion recently on this very subject . He didn't yell or call anyone names . I think that people read it and some will take it to heart as people will give thought to your question . I feel that The Bass have been passing through for quite some time and only in the past few years we have had the knowledge/conditions to catch them . Just because we may not be catching them as well on the Ocean side doesn't mean that they are in trouble . Say we harvested 100 25lb and up Bass on a good day on Jersey's coast who is to say that 10,000 passed on the wrong side of the EEZ and will never be fished ?

I appreciate the kind words greatly. I have been thinking about the +3 mile line as well. Honestly, the only way to know is put on our thinking caps and do some science. With that being said we should fish beyond the line throughout the season. We should observe, analyze, and conclude, which is the famous, fundamental, and gratifying scientific method. Fishermen are scientists. Does this course of action make sense?

SNAPPERHEAD