Re: Bass - A catch and Return species only
Sun Jun 30, 2013 12:31 pm
A connected quote from a similar issue just recently published in Fly Fishing in Saltwaters
Why would fisheries managers, who openly admit that harvesting too many spawning females caused the last decline, go out and do the same thing again, allowing anglers to take two fish a day over 28 inches?
I am not just using my fishing success to judge the health of the striper population; I’m getting information from many other anglers that fish a lot harder than I do, I believe charter captains using effective techniques like wire-line trolling or bait anglers fishing in deep water are not true indicators. In my opinion, the best barometers are the fly and surf-plug anglers. Fly fishing is the most difficult way to catch stripers, followed by surf fishing with artificials. In the last six to seven years say, anglers I know who fish using these techniques, fishing is falling off in many New England locations, and in the last three years its gotten worse. Ten years ago, locations in shallow water in late spring in Cape Cod bay would usually have hundreds of fish each day; now they have thirty to forty fish, sometimes half that. This is not based on one year but more than five years of checking these locations.
Now, if there is a small push of fish one day, the next day is often dead. In the good years when you hit fish, they were usually there for three to four days or longer. In the late 1990′s in May, the ‘bowl’ just south of Chatham Lighthouse on Cape Cod might have had a hundred anglers fishing – now its mostly empty. Guides I know that specialized in light tackle and fly-fishing for stripers have stopped doing trips or fish for other species.
There is one easy solution to this problem: Stop killing the breeders. Both recreational and commercial fishermen target larger fish because regulations require that practice. A slot limit similar to what the state of Florida has for most of its game fish would stop the killing of females. In the Northeast, only the state of Maine has a slot limit. If stripers were protected from 28 inches to 48 inches, they would have a least eight to 10 years of freedom to spawn. A one-fish-a-day, 22 to 26 inch slot limit would solve this problem, letting anglers keep a fish while saving the fishery. When it comes to fisheries management, Florida is the example we need to follow. Unfortunately, because of commercial interests a slot limit will be a tough sell. Even most six-pack captains would fight any laws that would take away from their business.
Obviously, the best solution would be to make stripers a game fish. However,I’m afraid the only way we will get game fish status is if we lose this great game fish one more time.
Lou Tabory – Fly Fishing in Saltwaters July/August 2013 – State of the Striper, what can we do to prevent history from repeating itself.
Why would fisheries managers, who openly admit that harvesting too many spawning females caused the last decline, go out and do the same thing again, allowing anglers to take two fish a day over 28 inches?
I am not just using my fishing success to judge the health of the striper population; I’m getting information from many other anglers that fish a lot harder than I do, I believe charter captains using effective techniques like wire-line trolling or bait anglers fishing in deep water are not true indicators. In my opinion, the best barometers are the fly and surf-plug anglers. Fly fishing is the most difficult way to catch stripers, followed by surf fishing with artificials. In the last six to seven years say, anglers I know who fish using these techniques, fishing is falling off in many New England locations, and in the last three years its gotten worse. Ten years ago, locations in shallow water in late spring in Cape Cod bay would usually have hundreds of fish each day; now they have thirty to forty fish, sometimes half that. This is not based on one year but more than five years of checking these locations.
Now, if there is a small push of fish one day, the next day is often dead. In the good years when you hit fish, they were usually there for three to four days or longer. In the late 1990′s in May, the ‘bowl’ just south of Chatham Lighthouse on Cape Cod might have had a hundred anglers fishing – now its mostly empty. Guides I know that specialized in light tackle and fly-fishing for stripers have stopped doing trips or fish for other species.
There is one easy solution to this problem: Stop killing the breeders. Both recreational and commercial fishermen target larger fish because regulations require that practice. A slot limit similar to what the state of Florida has for most of its game fish would stop the killing of females. In the Northeast, only the state of Maine has a slot limit. If stripers were protected from 28 inches to 48 inches, they would have a least eight to 10 years of freedom to spawn. A one-fish-a-day, 22 to 26 inch slot limit would solve this problem, letting anglers keep a fish while saving the fishery. When it comes to fisheries management, Florida is the example we need to follow. Unfortunately, because of commercial interests a slot limit will be a tough sell. Even most six-pack captains would fight any laws that would take away from their business.
Obviously, the best solution would be to make stripers a game fish. However,I’m afraid the only way we will get game fish status is if we lose this great game fish one more time.
Lou Tabory – Fly Fishing in Saltwaters July/August 2013 – State of the Striper, what can we do to prevent history from repeating itself.
Re: Bass - A catch and Return species only
Sun Jul 14, 2013 10:18 am
I wouldn't favour a licence scheme, like your bin tag would only be seen as a source of revenue with the price going up and up, and I would wonder how much of the take would be reinvested into promoting or protecting the species , or employing extra inspectors. None I would guess.
On the whole bass anglers are the most responsible anglers around and if there's a few that fish through the ban or keepmore than they might, then that seems to be the exception. That 's mostly down to forums like this promoting responsible behaviour and so pats on the
back all round. I can't see that politicians or beurocrats are going to improve the current set up and wouldn't trust them to try.
Keep up the good work and the good practices.. I haven't caught a bass yet, though that is something I want to change big time, when I do catch one ill say thanks to whoever put him back before me, and I'll chuck him back for the next person, because that's what I think forums like this would want me to do.
Cheers
On the whole bass anglers are the most responsible anglers around and if there's a few that fish through the ban or keepmore than they might, then that seems to be the exception. That 's mostly down to forums like this promoting responsible behaviour and so pats on the
back all round. I can't see that politicians or beurocrats are going to improve the current set up and wouldn't trust them to try.
Keep up the good work and the good practices.. I haven't caught a bass yet, though that is something I want to change big time, when I do catch one ill say thanks to whoever put him back before me, and I'll chuck him back for the next person, because that's what I think forums like this would want me to do.
Cheers
Re: Bass - A catch and Return species only
Sun Jul 14, 2013 6:02 pm
i have no problem with catch and release for bass, however, should it be made law? certainly not.rememeber the only real arguement in favour of any angling is the fact that fish caught can be taken home to eat.
Re: Bass - A catch and Return species only
Sun Jul 14, 2013 7:27 pm
sandblaster wrote: the only real arguement in favour of any angling is the fact that fish caught can be taken home to eat.
Far from true. Not many coarse anglers I know eat their catch.
Re: Bass - A catch and Return species only
Thu Jul 18, 2013 8:57 am
Apologies for posting so late, I only came across this thread today. My browsing has been somewhat limited of late.
I love the idea of taking the very odd bass home. However it's the process of going fishing and then catching a fish that I love a hundred times more. When I fish for bass but I'm not catching the one thing that keeps me going is hope. That hope keeps burning coupled with the belief that bass stocks are reasonably healthy.
Therefore, anything that might help even ever so slightly improve the health of Irish bass stocks I am in favour of. So yes I would gladly give up my right to kill fish if it means continuing to fish for them into the future.
It's always worth sacrificing something for something you truly love.
As a side note re: sea angling licence - I believe we'll never be considered as proper stakeholders of the sea fishery until we're contributing to it in some financial capacity. Maybe that's why the commercials have so much power?!?!
Tight lines,
John D.
I love the idea of taking the very odd bass home. However it's the process of going fishing and then catching a fish that I love a hundred times more. When I fish for bass but I'm not catching the one thing that keeps me going is hope. That hope keeps burning coupled with the belief that bass stocks are reasonably healthy.
Therefore, anything that might help even ever so slightly improve the health of Irish bass stocks I am in favour of. So yes I would gladly give up my right to kill fish if it means continuing to fish for them into the future.
It's always worth sacrificing something for something you truly love.
As a side note re: sea angling licence - I believe we'll never be considered as proper stakeholders of the sea fishery until we're contributing to it in some financial capacity. Maybe that's why the commercials have so much power?!?!
Tight lines,
John D.
Re: Bass - A catch and Return species only
Thu Jul 18, 2013 5:26 pm
I think myself we need to start with the younger kids and get them in the c&r way of thinking my own kids have had many bass and they have kept the first one they have ever caught and thats it.There is a young rods section here on sea angling ireland and its rare to see a catch report on it form the kids.Instead of bass licence or anything like that make fishing for bass more for the kids . I know my kids would be running out the door to get a bass if they knew they could get a prize or something like that and return the fish.A workshop something anything but from what i have seen there is not much in that kind of thing going on.But if you buy one rod or lure online with bass attached to it you are swapped with stuff , try and look for something to do with catching bass for kids for FREE and i would think you wont find much because of the money to be made out of bass fishing.I would be really interested to know if anything like that is there for the kids....
Re: Bass - A catch and Return species only
Fri Jul 19, 2013 12:18 am
JimH wrote:http://www.sea-angling-ireland.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=42565
Good man Jim
how did it go