Saturday Porgy Fishing Story

[pcheesesteak]

The wind was out of the NNW at 8-10 knots on Saturday morning in the Raritan bay, per the weather station at Sandy Hook. So with all the helpful comments on wind direction in my other thread, we decided to run from Monmouth Cove Marina at about 9:30 AM over to Staten Island side to tuck in out of the wind. Frank needed to be back in by 12:30. When we arrived, sure enough, we were in fairly calm water.

When we got to the rock pile, there were already about 5 boats there anchored up porgy fishing. We notice some of them had a line connected to the rock pile to keep the stern facing the rock pile (never saw that before). We anchored up between two boats and I got my pole in the water before my friend Frank. Immediately had a porgy. We both had great action throughout the morning, but poor Frank, he never did catch up with me.

Watching one of the boats next to us, we noticed that the three guys in a little boat were doing some great fishing, but they had almost no throw backs. We thought that was strange because most of the fish we caught were less than 9 inches.

After about 45 minutes, a Coast Guard AUX boat pulls up, and tells the other boats that they can't attach their anchor lines to the rocks, and that they had to pull their lines off. They circled a few times until most of the boats complied, but not everyone, including the 3 guys in the little boat. The CC AUX then took off in the Staten Island direction.

Frank and I continued to fish for about another hour or more. Several boats left, and the little boat with the three guys in it repositioned themselves on the other side of the rock pile when the tide began to turn.

We continued fishing and then out of nowhere a big NYPD boat roars in, and maneuvers themselves along side the little boat with three guys. After about 10 minutes we see their cooler being taken on board, and the NYPD guys looking in it. We really couldn't see or hear much as they were on the opposite side of the rock pile.

After about 20 minutes goes by, another boat anchored close to the NYPD boat decides to pull anchor. They had to work a bit to get their bean bag anchor off the rock pile, which they eventually did.

They turn around to take off, and the NYPD boat yells at them to stay put. At this point they are drifting, and the NYPD boat leaves the little boat and pulls up along side them. They begin to drift away so we really couldn't see what's going on.

By this time we need to leave so Frank can get back by 12:30, but I said to him, If we pull up anchor, will they come after us also? We decide to wait it out, and after about another 20 minutes the NYPD boat lets the second boat leave, and comes back over to the little boat with the three guys. Frank says, Look, they now have a second cooler on-board.

Another boat on the other side of us decides to pull anchor and leaves, so I said to Frank, Let's go too, I think we're OK. Frank keep watching as we sped away, and was convinced that they were going to take the three guys in, but we didn't see what happened.

So, what was the problem? Did the Coast Guard AUX report these two boats because they didn't pull their bean bag anchors off the rock pile?

In any event, they lost all their catch, and, I presume, they got fined. For the three guys in the small boat, they clearly had bigger problems.

For us, what a great morning on the water. Cool breeze, sunny, blue skies, great fishing action.

And home cooked pizza for dinner.

Thanks for listening.

[tjd24]

You and those other guys were fishing in NY waters and subject to NY regs. Scup must be 10 inches in NY and you may keep 30/person.
If they had shorts, they probably got issued violations for those fish. I assume that includes confiscation of their catch for evidence.
.

[linden nj]

New York laws are different then Jersey the New York police boat has the right to arrest you take you to New York precinct book you then let you go on bail and impound your boat and you'll need to pay to get it out of impound. It's like being caught drinking and driving in NJ.

[Jberg]

NJ doesn't have a zodiac boat they will ride along on the NY boat. Got boarded on a tog charter out of the highlands in October last year and they circled our boat doing about 30 mph before boarding. Left a very nice wake for us and the Captain lit in to them since they left our boat vulnerable with a 5-6ft wake. One of the very few times actually got nervous on a boat but the Captain saw what was happening and did a great job keeping the boat from capsizing.

Worse part of the whole ordeal is they didn't board one charter or head boat from NY picking our fish.

[Capt Stephen]

The NYPD doesn't enforce fishing regulations. They probably we're enforcing safety Regs .

[pcheesesteak]

Originally Posted by Capt Stephen

The NYPD doesn't enforce fishing regulations. They probably we're enforcing safety Regs .

But they did take the coolers/fish, and we saw them examining one of the two coolers they took on-board.

[Capt. Debbie]

Also most don't pay attention that you also need a NYS Salt water license to fish in NYS.

Sounds like the broke Aux's ballz and the AUx had NYPD break theirs.

I never hear of any regulation about attaching an anchor to rocks. Make it up as you go along I Guess?


[
QUOTE=tjd24;492759]You and those other guys were fishing in NY waters and subject to NY regs. Scup must be 10 inches in NY and you may keep 30/person.
If they had shorts, they probably got issued violations for those fish. I assume that includes confiscation of their catch for evidence.
.[/QUOTE]

[Duffman]

Originally Posted by Capt. Frank

I never hear of any regulation about attaching an anchor to rocks. Make it up as you go along?

The 20 rockpile is a navigational aid no? thought you couldnt tie up to one? Or am i wrong?

.....and the pizza looks awesome...

[bulletbob]

Standard replies...

1-They are only doing their job.
2- they are there for our safety, I'm glad they are out there.
3- they are helping conserve the resource.
4-If you're not doing anything wrong, you have nothing to worry about.
5- There were very respectful.
6 " Its a GOOD thing!"
Not sure how we ever survived without the myriad of " authorities" keeping watch on the waterways today..

Why, we old timers that have been fishing salt water since the 50's should all be DEAD, no?.. I mean, how did we ever get by without all the "protection" that todays fishermen are afforded?..... bob

[bulletbob]

I regularly fished the 20 rockpile for blackfish decades ago.. Guys would throw a hunk of metal or wood into the jumbled rocks, with a rope attached, it would wedge in the rocks, and then you simply tied up and fished.. when done, you left the rope for others to use.. We usually had a few existing ropes that we could grab and tie up to.. Low tech but it worked.
Back then, in the 80's we never fished there with other boats around, maybe one and then ,only on a rare occasion.. Different world today, with 5 rigs vying for position on that little rockpile, and for porgies no less. bob