Dichotomy among njfishing members

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Originally Posted by Capt Sal Cathy Sea Charters

First of all stripers do not taste like a burlap bag.If they did the commercial worth would be zero$.Most of the pictures posted are for the purpose of making a living on a for hire boat.I do agree action pics are way better.I eat a few bass a year but that is because I catch tuna,fluke,sea bass etc.Not everyone has that opportunity.I also fresh water fish in Florida.When there I only keep crappie.A good day of fishing is about having a good time and if you get a couple of meals out of it consider it a bonus.We all need to practice conservation so only keep what you need.Most fish do not freeze well and fresh is best.

You're right.. Burlap bag is not correct.. More like a kerosene rag...
Its been a while but I just was never crazy about them...
Maybe the ones I ate were fresh out of the hudson... It was a long time ago that I last kept one, back when any striper was a rare catch in the 80's...
When I lived in union Beach and caught them I usually released them...
I may try another smaller one some day...

In any case, I get distressed seeing the pics of all those big girls laying in bloody piles... IMHO they are a noble fish, and we forget how they were pretty much absent for decades... I say a little self restraint goes a long way, and I give a lot more credit to the guys that keep a keeper size schoolie to eat, and release the big cows... I like fish too, but keeping all those big stripers every spring and fall to eat??.. Just doesn't bode well for the future... I hope i'm wrong, and those big stripers keep showing up every spring and fall..

I guess my problem with all of this lies in the general nature of many human beings..
A lot of us appreciate the resource and want to preserve it.. A lot simply want to exploit it... Some simply don't care either way, and sadly there are some that would be more than happy to catch the worlds last 40 pound striper and eat it, or shoot the worlds last 10 point buck and mound its head in their living room... This is a good and respectful discussion,, thanks to all.. bob