Striped Bass Size Limits

[Capt. Lou]

Finally someone down there got a brain , big step in right direction ! Practice CPR easily done then ever today !!

[AndyS]

You will still see the charter boats "limits with bass to 50 lbs, c'mon down, spend $$$$$$"

[NoLimit]

Originally Posted by bunkatabunka

Absolutely would be all for this. Sick and tired of the hero shots at the dock with multiple 40 pound dead stripers laid out, that we all know taste like crap and are big breeders. Enough's enough. Take care of the fishery or one day there won't be one.

We release all females that are not spawned out but after that, they taste fine plus guess what. The reason there are not too many big fish is because they die of old age. Why does everyone think taking old fish for the table is a sin? Everyone passes on young bucks and does - its the same thing to a great degree.

[Capt. Lou]

Most don't release big fish , and your to be commended for doing so. In my view the issue is majority keep and kill bigger fish for their clients , it's a business model that should change for the good of all affiliated with this business .

[bulletbob]

Originally Posted by NoLimit

We release all females that are not spawned out but after that, they taste fine plus guess what. The reason there are not too many big fish is because they die of old age. Why does everyone think taking old fish for the table is a sin? Everyone passes on young bucks and does - its the same thing to a great degree.

I have my doubts.. Die of old age?... Some I imagine, but probably not as many as you think.. Don't forget, the pressure you see in the Raritan/Sandy Hook complex plus Upper Bay/NY Harbor is only part of the equation.. those bass are hunted relentlessly throughout the entire Hudson River all the way up to Albany..

The area from the Tappan Zee up past Kingston gets hammered all spring long, and support lots of charter captains that fish hard for them daily with customers from all over the North East.. Striped Bass get pummeled during spawning and if guys keep taking the big ones, its only a matter of time before there simply won't be a lot of big ones, or little ones for that matter.. Many guys here weren't around in the 70's and 80's.. There were NO striped bass to be caught for most except a few experts that knew when and how...It can happen again with the pressure put on those fish.. Years ago, most anglers in April and May were fishing for Winter Flounder, Ling,Whiting, Mackeral and Blackfish,, Now Striper are the only thing around in numbers, and they get hit very hard.. Throw the big ones back, keep a 10 pounder to eat... bob

[WESTWIND]

Many who release the big bass don't take the time to fully revive them. If caught on light tackle can take up to 10 minutes. A few yrs back when there was an incredible bite in the Seaside Heights area, a diver told me the bottom was littered with large dead bass....

[Capt.Yasar]

Some thoughts:

1) Having slot limits will save breeders and small fish which will eventually generate enough slot fish for people to catch and release OR take home for dinner. I hope we can have a slot fish limits of 2 fish 28" to 38" (OR whatever experts agree on).

1) Our minds are trained to be proud of catching BIG Fish which is okay IMHO for CPR (no killing). Our tournaments give prizes to killing BIG fish which should change. Tournament organizers may change rules to discouraging the killing of BIG fish. For example the winners may be having a 2 fish combined weight (one between 28" to 38" (example), and one bonus fish with tag). The one with heaviest 2 fish within the slot could be winner.

As someone mentioned above people should train themselves for reviving and releasing the big breeder fish. There maybe youtube videos on how to carefully revive and release a fish.

And then there is a question on commercial fishing in loads what recreation fishermen try to save one fish at a time...

Just my 2 cents.

[abbashaya]

Totally agree.. any fish over 34 inches should be set free to fight another day!

[Aaron_Jasper]

This is a tough one. The number of spawning female fish is far below the threshold set in the Striped Bass Restoration Act. It’s past a slot limit. That would have been a great option three through five years ago when the fishery started to decline. The latest stock assessment data is up on the NOAA site. The fishery needs “fish.” I know that sounds simple, but the small fish are not making it to maturity. The attachments will show what is taking place. We need to give the fish a break for a few years ie let them swim. The irony here is that the ASMFC and NOAA both worked to make this fishery what it was in the late 90’s up until 2011 when things started to go south, however there was no stopgap to prevent what happened in the last three years.

[reason162]

Originally Posted by Aaron_Jasper

It’s past a slot limit. That would have been a great option three through five years ago when the fishery started to decline.

Yeah, the notion of not one but two daily slot fish limits...wayyy past that point.