Just how healthy are Striper Stocks

[CapeMayRay]

Interesting information From Stripers Forever

Brad Burns, President of Stripers Forever, was recently interviewed by WCSH's Bill Green, Bill is doing a story on the near collapse of the Maine striped bass fishery this summer. Between the overharvest of large striped bass and the apparent low numbers of smaller fish coming into the coastal fishery, the quantity and quality of striper fishing is down everywhere, but Maine, being on the end of the migratory route, seems to be suffering more than most. Other Maine striper experts will also comment on the fishery.

We still get a good amount of schoolies down here in Cape May all summer but it is nothing like it was 4 to 6 years ago when we use to catch a lot more and averaged at least one keeper size fish each week and could always find keeper size fish around the inlets and jetties.

Just something to think about.

[fdformicola]

One reason for Maines decline could be the fact that there is so much bunker here and all around Jersey, New York and Maryland that the bass are staying longer in our area and not migrating as far north because of the bunker and other bait and forage in our area. That and the fact that too many big breeders are being kept

[CapeMayRay]

What about the poor Delaware Bay spring season? One of the worst they had. We have had more bunker around Cape May this year than in the past, but not much striper or bluefish feeding on them like we use to see. I have seen a lot of adult bunker in Cape May Harbor, the back bays and around the inlet and it is alway swimming nice and easy with nothing pushing it. In the shallow water if there was anything around it you would know.

[fdformicola]

What about the poor Delaware Bay spring season? One of the worst they had. We have had more bunker around Cape May this year than in the past, but not much striper or bluefish feeding on them like we use to see. I have seen a lot of adult bunker in Cape May Harbor, the back bays and around the inlet and it is alway swimming nice and easy with nothing pushing it. In the shallow water if there was anything around it you would know.

I agree Cape May and parts of D bay had sub par fall and spring but then other areas of the bay did well. Ship John is still holding bass and parts of blakes channel are also holding fish and areas of North Jersey did very well with big fish, what do you think caused the decline in the Cape May area? The thing that has me concerned is the lack of school sized fish in our area. My thoughts on that is that we have and still are taking too many big females and they are not getting a chance to spawn and that is why we do not have the school sized fish that we had in the years past and I hope that is not the problem because if it is we will be paying for it for years to come.

[CapeMayRay]

Think it is a combination of taking to many big females before they spawn. I think they should be allowed to spawn before we harvest them in the spring.

Lack of bait (small bait spearing and bay anchovies.) There is no where near the amount around that there use to be. Causing all fish to fight over what is there with the smaller of our sport species becoming food for the larger fish as they need to eat something.

I believe one of the main reasons for the lack of the small bait fish it the heavy spraying of malathion right on the edges or our wetlands. They are not allow to use it on wetlands but they spray it from the air and only 20 percent hits the ground where they spray the other 80 percent they do not know where it lands. It is very bad for fish. Nice thing is no skeeters in the back bay for the last few years when you fish around the sod banks.

Water quaility is another issue. Down here in Cape May there was a lot of dredging going on in previous years. All that silt comes into the back area. Many areas that had a more sand and hard bottom are now very mucky.

Dirty water also heats up faster, creates more green growth and the combination limits oxygen levels. Throw in run off from weed killers and fertilizer along the beach communities.

Not just here but all up and down our coast. I believe what lives in our waters has a tougher time of it.

[fdformicola]

thanks for the input I agree 100% that taking the big spawners in the spring has got to hurt a whole lot a slot on the big fish would help greatly something lilke keeping only fish between 28 and say 38" and 1 trophy over ? and halt some of the development that is going on in Cape May county would help to stop the pollution of the wetlands and maybe that would help to get some of the small forage fish back in the back bays

[ragman]

I think that most of the fish we catch in Jersey have already spawned in the Chesapeake before they get here. Same for the ones in the Hudson, probably caught further north.;)
Brad Burns and Stipers Forever?:rolleyes:

[Pineyjack]

I fish mainly Mullica river (GSP to GP) & keep log of w/t-tide-time, in the last 6 years the summer bass have gotten smaller each year.(Spring & fall bass are same size)

In past I could catch 24"- 30" bass every day,but in last 3 years only bass to 24".This year the fish are small 8-14".
Fishing same pattern/places every year,vary jigs/plugs :cool:

[BayTalker]

Maybe the Gov should come up with a high bread feeder species and start replenishing the feeder fish for the species that eat them? Maybe instead of developing monsters that wash up on shore they could concentrate on rehabing our natural habitat instead of spending a 140 billion a year on a war that we cant win? Makes you think were the priorities are? It seems the fish population in a whole is being wiped out and cant recover at the rate its being purged. Our numbers grow as anglers and they blame it on us because big money big buisness create a media that tells us we are the problem instead of looking at the facts which are right infront of them. We can only do our part as anglers and follow their "so called rules" which change every year to put the restrictions on our sport. Get involved with your local politicians on the issues and let them know we arent the problem, its are only hope in a losing battle.:mad:

[eelball]

Could the colder than normal water temps be affecting the North Migration? I think so.
Just like winter when they only go as far north as virginia. When in colder winters they go as far as N.C.

[fishhard]

I strongly encourage everyone to go to the SF website and see what they are about. The stock may be decent now but if things don't change it could really have a devastating effect on the fishery. thier is a map of the states that allow comm fishing.


http://www.stripersforever.org/Info/index

[NJAngler Bill]

It's really tough to gauge the health of a stock like striped bass, because the fishery varies so much from place to place based on migrational influences, etc. For instance, folks in South Jersey are very pessimistic right now, but folks up north are just getting done with what many describe as the best trophy striper fishing ever. I have a friend who runs out of Shark River Inlet on a daily basis and he tells me that I'm absolutely crazy to think that this fishery is anything less than perfect. But he has a myopic view, as do many anglers, because he only fishes in one location and in one manner.

But here are the facts: The last stock assessment showed a 25% reduction in spawning stock biomass over a 4-year period and a corresponding sharp increase in fishing mortality. That is worrisome, no matter how one looks at it.

The Striped Bass Technical Committee tells us that we should see a spike in Spawning Stock Biomass for the next stock assessment because the large 2003 year class will be coming of age. I am very curious to see if this actually happens, or if the tremendous numbers of very large fish that are being removed from the fishery by anglers will offset the increases on the low end of the scale.

My own feeling is that the downward trends will continue. But remember, striped bass are NOT managed for a quality recreational fishery...they are managed for Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), which is a level that would NOT result in a quality recreational fishery. We have been way above this level for many years, but we'd have to dip below it for the management community to spring into action.

As I've said many times before, the sky is not falling. But there are definitely storm clouds on the horizon.

[BILLO]

Interesting information From Stripers Forever

Brad Burns, President of Stripers Forever, was recently interviewed by WCSH's Bill Green, Bill is doing a story on the near collapse of the Maine striped bass fishery this summer. Between the overharvest of large striped bass and the apparent low numbers of smaller fish coming into the coastal fishery, the quantity and quality of striper fishing is down everywhere, but Maine, being on the end of the migratory route, seems to be suffering more than most. Other Maine striper experts will also comment on the fishery.

We still get a good amount of schoolies down here in Cape May all summer but it is nothing like it was 4 to 6 years ago when we use to catch a lot more and averaged at least one keeper size fish each week and could always find keeper size fish around the inlets and jetties.

Just something to think about.

4 TO 6 YEARS AGO -- THE 1 KEEPER AVERAGE ON THE TRIPS MUST HAVE USUALLY BEEN A SLOT FISH 24-28 INCHES. SOUNDS LIKE YOUR COMPARING APPLES AND ORANGES ?:rolleyes:

[BILLO]

I agree Cape May and parts of D bay had sub par fall and spring but then other areas of the bay did well. Ship John is still holding bass and parts of blakes channel are also holding fish and areas of North Jersey did very well with big fish, what do you think caused the decline in the Cape May area? The thing that has me concerned is the lack of school sized fish in our area. My thoughts on that is that we have and still are taking too many big females and they are not getting a chance to spawn and that is why we do not have the school sized fish that we had in the years past and I hope that is not the problem because if it is we will be paying for it for years to come.

Has anyone mentioned the huge increase of purpoises in the cape may county and delaware bay areas the last few years?? Seems that every year there are more and more of them in the waters being mentioned. How many young bass and young weakies are easy pickings for the purpoises?
In a way it's proof that the bass and even the weakies ARE trying to make a comeback-but a big increase of predator (purpoise) population has to play a role ! Just another fact that contributes to less game fish in certain areas, BUT, If i were a purpoise why wouldn't I hang around for easy meals at will! Of course the other factors(water temp,salinity changes and dirtied waters due to heavy runoffs from more and stronger spring storms) All play a role. It also appears that there are more and more stripers further offshore(way past 3 mile border) every year from the various sightings,readings from the commercial boats-better water clarity,water temps and less concentration of predators(purpoises). I'd move too !!

[CapeMayRay]

I always thing of 28 inches as a standard keeper size. I Have seen the number of 28 inchers being caught being less and less six straight years and I am fishing more and more each year and like to think I am getting better and better at finding the fish.

Bill, stock acessments are many times out of touch with what is really happening. Weakfish Bio mass as a past example.

Hope all is well and this decline type sitituation will just go away. I think there is more to it than meets the eye. I believe it is the small baitfish situation that is the biggest problem. When there food source is limited the fish do not come to feed.

When looking for fish of any type. Find the bait and you will find the fish.

[MakeMeNuts]

thanks for the posts which contain interesting information and comments.

A few thoughts:

-- I'd rather eat a 24-28" fish...enough for one meal for a family of four
-- the amount of bait fsih in the back has diminished over the last five years...the schools of bass that were coming in at night to feed have not shown during the recent few years
-- there are more bunker around than I can ever remember
-- not to stir the pot, but I agree that no bass should be harvested until POST spawn.

[BayTalker]

I wish they would make rules that make sense. Quick trying to screw the anglers and really hit the harvfester (netters) with regulations!:mad: I agree about the spawning issue and it would certainly help the Striper population. I have been fishing my whole life behind the back waters from north to south and I can remember the people saying to me during summer months that all the bass were gone while I was catching 30 38 inch fish all summer. I use to balk at that statement and now not so much. I currently have been finding less and less big ones the ones that stay mostly all year. We call them residents of the backl water. The anglers that love this sport have to be the voices for our sport. We can write and complain but if we dont get involved in the politics of it thats all we are going to do is write about it. I dont kn ow if anything what actions we can take and if Stripers Forever is even making a difference when it comes to the politics. I kn ow they are trying very hard and I try to do my part by supporting them. I just get frustrated as most of us do with results that come slow and some that dont even concider. When i am long gone and our children children have nothing to fish for our sport maybe be a thing of the past. Keep the fight up and maybe we can win the war instead of the the small battles that seem redundent.

[Onthehook]

Fishing pressure seems to be at an all time high.(only by my observations!) One slot fish and one over fish. That's it. Anything else and we run the risk of over fishing a particular size class. I am not pro C/R, or pro keep'em all, I just like to have a fun day on the water and eat a fresh fillet that I caught. The two over limit may hurt us in the long run, as will keeping a bunch of small fish. Spread the harvest around in the size classes and we might just get out of this OK. Just my opinion from experience:)

[dano1801]

Ray, This is Dan from the marina (Mako 2 slips down). FIrst off, I read some of your posts in the Fly forum. Very nice reports! And Great pictures! Anyway...

I agree with you that the stock of school sized bass seems to be in decline over the past few years. On the other hand, large bass are thriving, no doubt about that. My experience is best noted on the Upper Chesapeake. 5 or 6 years ago, it was NOTHING to go out and catch 100+ bass in 1 outing during the spring run (mostly school size with a few large in the mix). This past couple years, these types of days have been tough to come by. However, we have been catching more and bigger (some way bigger:D ) large bass every year. So I am not complaining. At any rate, the schools have not come through like in years past. My best guess is that there may have been a couple of poor spawns a few years back, and we are feeling the results now. My hope is that recent years have had successful spawns, and the schoolie fishery will rebound. My experience in ESJ is limited to the past 3 years. Even though I can notice a decline in activity over these years, I cant speak for the years before, as you can. I do agree that there was absolutely no small bait in the Cape May/Wildwood back bays until last week, and until then the bass fishing has been weak at best. THe adult bunkers have been everywhee though, but seemingly left alone by predators... Last week however I noticed lots of bait activity including spearing and peanuts, and the bass showed up behind them. I even witnessed a good bass blitz on a large school of peanuts, and caught a few in the process. The fishing hasnt been bad at all lately, and hopefully will continue to get better to finish off the summer and head into the fall season. Am I over-optimistic??:)

ANyway, intersting topic, and its good to hear various takes on the issue (if it is an issue at all).

Your point about the marsh spraying is very interesting, and a legitimate argument.

Slot limits need to re-issued. Targetting big fish is not good practice, IMO. And it blows my mind how people need to bring home as many big fish as they can get there hands on, again, MHO, but sorry if I offended anyone with that. A 24" to 28" bass is GREAT eating, and a very sufficient offering for a family. Limit should be 1 between 24/28 and 1 over 36. Something along those lines...

Tight Lines,
Dan

[Gindy]

Umm what you are all forgetting is that the powers that be say the fishery is fine, and as long as we keep only what they say we can keep it will be ok. I don't know why you all feel the need to question authority, I mean they did 'rescue' the flounder fishery from extinction this summer have some faith.

[Pandion]

Healthy stock yes, and also a changing one. Fishermen up and down the coast have been harvesting big spawners at a rate that can't go on forever. Don't think they'll ever be wiped out, it will just go back to 1 at 36 for along time. That's how it always seem to go, nothing ever gets done until it's ALMOST to late.:rolleyes:

[Working Class Hero]

Healthy stock yes, and also a changing one.
I have to disagree with that!!
The survey said stripers have declined by 25%........ and I think it's a lot more than that.
Weakfish have declined by 70%!
Bluefin have declined by 90%!
Flounder have declined by 40%!

There are some "excellent" fishermen on this site, and they still can catch a few bass, but even the "excellent" fishermen can see a decline in the fish populations.

A increase in jellyfish, skates, sea robins and dog sharks. Also a increase in porpoises...... I think the biologists should find something good to eat on a porpoice and we should kill them all and send to McD's to be used in a fish sandwich. They eat tons of small weaks and herring.

I have also been keeping notes on the steady decline of fish at IBSP. Ten years ago, a paradise....... now it's not even worth fishing there anymore.

A different size limit won't help the bass populations. I think it's too late for that.

My hopes:
1- no netting of stripers or weakfish or flounder...... period!!!
2- no kill of any flounder, weakfish, or striper for 3 years.
3- no kill on bunker, or any other food source for 5 years.
5- mandatory killing of any porpoise or sea lion seen on the east coast.

Even with these changes, the fish won't come back like they were before.

Too much pollution in our waters. Off the Atlantic is a area as big as the state of Texas filled with plastic trash!!! The ocean currents put it there and the plastic won't dissolve!!

The pH is dropping in the ocean and this only favors the jellyfish and algae blooms!

We all love fishing on this site. And the "sky is really falling"

Drastic measures are needed now..... not just a different slot size.

[roctheboat aka pigpen]

It's really tough to gauge the health of a stock like striped bass, because the fishery varies so much from place to place based on migrational influences, etc. For instance, folks in South Jersey are very pessimistic right now, but folks up north are just getting done with what many describe as the best trophy striper fishing ever. I have a friend who runs out of Shark River Inlet on a daily basis and he tells me that I'm absolutely crazy to think that this fishery is anything less than perfect. But he has a myopic view, as do many anglers, because he only fishes in one location and in one manner.

But here are the facts: The last stock assessment showed a 25% reduction in spawning stock biomass over a 4-year period and a corresponding sharp increase in fishing mortality. That is worrisome, no matter how one looks at it.

The Striped Bass Technical Committee tells us that we should see a spike in Spawning Stock Biomass for the next stock assessment because the large 2003 year class will be coming of age. I am very curious to see if this actually happens, or if the tremendous numbers of very large fish that are being removed from the fishery by anglers will offset the increases on the low end of the scale.

My own feeling is that the downward trends will continue. But remember, striped bass are NOT managed for a quality recreational fishery...they are managed for Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY), which is a level that would NOT result in a quality recreational fishery. We have been way above this level for many years, but we'd have to dip below it for the management community to spring into action.

As I've said many times before, the sky is not falling. But there are definitely storm clouds on the horizon.
Hey Bill did he say how many dogfish they are catching along with the bass up in shark river

[roctheboat aka pigpen]

The spring suffered i the del bay for more than one reason the answer is all the reasons are to blame. evry time you catch a fish not just a big female you break a chain of potentionally millions of fish. that is life that is why one fish lays so many eggs. the few that survive until adult hood can star the cycle all over again. This past spring as well as last fall the water warmed up to fast. March was excellent I wonder how february woulkd of been . Most of us don't even go until late april or may and the truth is last spring march was great and tha the water climbed up in tp the mid sixties and the fish came out of the rivers and never slowed down. Spring is always spotty here today and gone tommorrow type situations anyway . The dogfish sure did not help to much competion for food . I saw striper chasing live bait this past spring in late may . when everyone was fishing on the bottom for the massive schools of drum fish. The striper are also declining there is no question ,but is it time to worry or let nature do its thing and closely monitore the situation. Last fall was fantastic once the water cooled down to the right temps that was mid nivember. by the many had already given up to watch football. October sucked but the water was just way to warm. There is still alot of schoolie stripers they have to grow

[Pineyjack]

The slot size for Redfish has worked in the south,why not have slot for bass. :cool:

[pondbox]

im catching very few stripers in the delaware river, where i live in carneys pt, i have landed 3 small bass since the month of may, last year i did not catch 10 bass from may to october, the years before that i would kill them on finS and mister twister, type lures, the stripers were any where from12 inches to 25 with most being 18 to 22, im still seeing plenty of bait just no stripers on them. im concerned even back when we had the moritorium back in the early 80s you could catch stripers in the summer with sassy shads, i know stripers are still beaing caught up river from me and in the tide meadows, but i never had to go to those places to catch stripers, to me it seems a year class or two is missing, im wondering how much that oil spill at citco a couple years ago did to those little fish, i think we need a slot to it has realy helped the red drum.

[CapeMayRay]

Dano, good talking to you at the dock the other night. Nice to have another vampire around who only goes out when it is low light or dark. Never see anyone else around after dark and it is nice to have some company.

Looks like lot's of interesting comments. Fishermen Magazine just addressed the same topic in their latest addition so it looks like others are asking the same type of questions. Hope overall many of the questions will be answered by those that are studying the situation, so that we never have to suffer the severe declines of the past.

[Timmy T]

"I think the biologists should find something good to eat on a porpoice and we should kill them all and send to McD's to be used in a fish sandwich. They eat tons of small weaks and herring."

spoken like someone who has no understanding of the term ecosystem!

[CobiaKeith]

It seems everywhere is different when it comes to Striped Bass.
I just got back from vacation in Mid-Chesapeake Bay Area.
Spring trophy season was incredible down there according to my cousin who has fished the Bay for 50 years.I will ask him this Fall ,when I head back down, what if any decline he has experienced.
Just last thursday managed my first and only keeper of the year and this is during the slowest time of year for them on the Chessy.
I too saw more pods of dolphins in the Delaware bay this spring then I have ever seen anywhere.
I could go for a slot to save more of the big girls.

[Surf Zombie]

New here but have been fishing the area for many years. I belief that certain years the migration can vary and isn't exactly clock work at the Cape and other S.J. beaches. There have been alot of schoolies at some other S.J. islands all summer so far. The other thing is that I also fear to many of the breeders are being taken during the spring, perhaps a change in the limits, I don't know? The Striper populations have certainly gone through ups and downs over the years.

[Timmy T]

It seems everywhere is different when it comes to Striped Bass.
I just got back from vacation in Mid-Chesapeake Bay Area.
Spring trophy season was incredible down there according to my cousin who has fished the Bay for 50 years.I will ask him this Fall ,when I head back down, what if any decline he has experienced.
Just last thursday managed my first and only keeper of the year and this is during the slowest time of year for them on the Chessy.
I too saw more pods of dolphins in the Delaware bay this spring then I have ever seen anywhere.
I could go for a slot to save more of the big girls.

ARen't you also allowed to keep 18 inch fish in the Chessy?

[TheAdamBomb]

Last fall we had terrific fishing along the coast of Cape May...the best since 2004. Last spring(spring of 2007) was unbelieveable, fantastic fishing day in and day out. Spring of 2008 was a disappointment, but there were a lot of factors at work. Super dirty water throughout the season coupled with a bay full of spiny dogfish makes for slow fishing. In North Jersey, they had one of the best big fish seasons in recent memory. The fish are in good shape. They follow different routes and patterns each year. I have a buddy fishing locally to the Cape May backwaters catching nice fish every day, especially when the water is cold.

I can't wait for fall '08.

[underdog]

Interesting topic and a good one. Here in my area, spring and fall were subpar and they haven't been as good as a few years ago. There's fish around for sure, but a drop off could be seen in terms of numbers. There was a summer bite when the water was cold and there has been a resident fish bite at night that has existed as well as in the other nearby south jersey inland waters.

This fishery definitely has a caution sign I think. Maybe sirens need to be blaring, I don't know. As those big spawners move up and down, new sets of fishermen wait for their arrival and everyone has gotten in on the action. There's just soooo many huge bass leaving the system. I have no problem with someone taking the biggest bass of their life out of the water, like a 45 pounder. I think that is great. But maybe one individual taking dozens of that size is not such a great idea. It wouldn't hurt if we got flounder back in the spring and fall to take away some of the pressure - and it would.

I would also lke to know how many fish pass us by out to sea, big girls that is? Anyone know that? That's their safe passage. If alot swim out there, that helps.

[BILLO]

Interesting topic and a good one. Here in my area, spring and fall were subpar and they haven't been as good as a few years ago. There's fish around for sure, but a drop off could be seen in terms of numbers. There was a summer bite when the water was cold and there has been a resident fish bite at night that has existed as well as in the other nearby south jersey inland waters.

This fishery definitely has a caution sign I think. Maybe sirens need to be blaring, I don't know. As those big spawners move up and down, new sets of fishermen wait for their arrival and everyone has gotten in on the action. There's just soooo many huge bass leaving the system. I have no problem with someone taking the biggest bass of their life out of the water, like a 45 pounder. I think that is great. But maybe one individual taking dozens of that size is not such a great idea. It wouldn't hurt if we got flounder back in the spring and fall to take away some of the pressure - and it would.

I would also lke to know how many fish pass us by out to sea, big girls that is? Anyone know that? That's their safe passage. If alot swim out there, that helps.

Migration pattern has been further past the 3 mile no-fly-zone for quite a few years now. Commercial guys have been seeing hordes of stripes every (early) winter going south.

[fdformicola]

1 fishover 24" & 1 slot fish it will save a lot of the big spawners

[B-faithful]

On the Chesapeake we saw one the best springs in many years. We have a 1 fish per person over 28". Last fall was slow in the upper Ches bay but I think that had to do with a late migration due to the warm fall water temps we had. (late run in the Cape May Rips too) The Lower MD bay was good late in Dec just before the season ended. Of course the CBBT/VA beach was hot all winter.

While the NE guys may be saying it is slow. i think the upper Long Island reports have been hot. It is possible that the masses didnt make the mass coast line due to bait patterns and the cold ocean waters this year.

Overall I think the bass populations are pretty strong. There are more big fish being caught than ever up and down the coast. Certain areas may see slow seasons due to not a perfect migratory pattern, bait patterns, water quality, or weather. However overall there are a lot of big bass being caught. Fish over 40" are caught much more on a regular basis than they were just a few years ago.

As far as protecting the stock. I am not in favor of a upper limit as I think the bass populations have grown with out thatm and I believe it takes away from the sport of hunting the largest fish. However, i am in favor of a one large fish per person limit with a lower slot. (Heck in the spring on the Chesapeake we only get a few weeks crack at the migratory fish as the season opens so late and we are only allowed 1 fish per person over 28 with no lower slot -- I would like to see the summer resident min limit raised though..) How much striper meat can one person eat. Killing 2 large breading bass per person plus another with a trophy tag is a little much IMHO and it doesnt do the breeding poplulation good.

[BILLO]

1 fishover 24" & 1 slot fish it will save a lot of the big spawners

The SLOT fish used to be 1 between 24" and 28" ?
What are you saying ??

How's this - 1 slot fish (24" - 28") - 1 fish 28" - 40" AND 1 fish over 40"...
...Do away with the bonus tag and still be able to take up to 3 fish!:rolleyes:

[circlehook]

if the striped bass fishery goes in the tank, rec fisherman have no one to blame but themselves. you cant point a finger at comm this time. the comm harvest has been flat through all the increasing years. its the increase in rec pressure, for a number of reasons, which will be the down fall.

if you want a slot fish limit, and want it to work, then it would have to be 1 fish within a range and thats it. no over fish. no bonus fish. etc. and multiple states would have to implement it for it to work. ala the redfish regs.

I'd love to see the del river, hudson river, and upper chessie closed to fishing, not just keeping, in MAR, APR, & MAY to allow the fish to spawn. that would be a good 1st step.

then drop the 2nd fish over 28" entirely for private, party, and charter boats. actually 1 over 28" for everyone would be fine w/ me.

[SunGoddess]

If you're not in the area, could anyone still join the Stripers Forever club? At least for their support, being we fish Stripers too.

[Freshwatergirl]

If you're not in the area, could anyone still join the Stripers Forever club? At least for their support, being we fish Stripers too.

Yes. Go to the website.


http://www.stripersforever.org/membership.shtml

they will update via email all the time.:)

[SunGoddess]

Yes. Go to the website.


http://www.stripersforever.org/membership.shtml

they will update via email all the time.:)

Thanks!! Will look into this.

[fishhard]

Thanks!! Will look into this.

good org to support.

[SunGoddess]

good org to support.

Already there!!! :D :D :D
(see below at signature line!)

[B-faithful]

I'd love to see the del river, hudson river, and upper chessie closed to fishing, not just keeping, in MAR, APR, & MAY to allow the fish to spawn. that would be a good 1st step.

Do you have different mortality statistics than MD DNR as they have found a very low mortality rate in catch and release fishing in the cold water of the migratory run? maryland dnr study showed it to be less than 5% and an ASMFC estimates and 8% mortaility rate when their 5 year coastal study showed a 5% mortality rate. The studies also showed that deep hooking was the prime culprit to the mortality rate. Maryland requires circle hoods during the flats season when using bait.. One Maryland study showed the mortality rate when using circle hooks and bait to be less than 1%. Of course I think this studdy was flawed as it was on a limited number of fish (476 caught on circle hooks in a pen) but that was also throughout the year including the warm summer months were mortality of catch and release went up.



I personally catch and release fish from March until they leave. I use 30lb class gear, don't net the fish and quickly release. I caught A LOT of fish this spring and can think of one fish that wasn't very green upon release and it was a male.

As far as keeping fish in the Chesapeake, we get less than 3 weeks at keeping fish by the bay bridge (considered upper bay) as the fish are typically gone by Mothers day weekend (you have to go south for action by that point). You also cannot not keep fish on the flats until may 16th and it is a small non breeding slot of 18-26". See here for how controlled the Chesapeake crack at the migratory fish is: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/recregchrt.html (http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/recregchrt.html)

If you want to protect the stocks and ban fishing, ban it everywhere as these are migratory fish and no matter where you kill them they will not breed again.

Sorry, it just chaps me when people want to close other peoples fishery while keeping theirs open with no facts or statistics.. I have no facts or statistics but I do know NJ anglers can keep up to 3 breeders where the Chesapeake anglers can keep 1. I am not knocking it as I also fish with my father out of Avalon and will be in the rips again this fall. I just don't like finger pointing. (especially with no data)

I also am not 100% for game fish status. I don't mind commercial hook and line fisheries. It is the nets that kill indiscriminately. For example, off the cost of Avalon my father witnessed acres of dead bass floating where a dragger hit a school inadvertently... So much for game fish status protecting bass

Just my rant :D
.

[dano1801]

Do you have different mortality statistics than MD DNR as they have found a very low mortality rate in catch and release fishing in the cold water of the migratory run? maryland dnr study showed it to be less than 5% and an ASMFC estimates and 8% mortaility rate when their 5 year coastal study showed a 5% mortality rate. The studies also showed that deep hooking was the prime culprit to the mortality rate. Maryland requires circle hoods during the flats season when using bait.. One Maryland study showed the mortality rate when using circle hooks and bait to be less than 1%. Of course I think this studdy was flawed as it was on a limited number of fish (476 caught on circle hooks in a pen) but that was also throughout the year including the warm summer months were mortality of catch and release went up.



I personally catch and release fish from March until they leave. I use 30lb class gear, don't net the fish and quickly release. I caught A LOT of fish this spring and can think of one fish that wasn't very green upon release and it was a male.

As far as keeping fish in the Chesapeake, we get less than 3 weeks at keeping fish by the bay bridge (considered upper bay) as the fish are typically gone by Mothers day weekend (you have to go south for action by that point). You also cannot not keep fish on the flats until may 16th and it is a small non breeding slot of 18-26". See here for how controlled the Chesapeake crack at the migratory fish is: http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/recregchrt.html (http://www.dnr.state.md.us/fisheries/regulations/recregchrt.html)

If you want to protect the stocks and ban fishing, ban it everywhere as these are migratory fish and no matter where you kill them they will not breed again.

Sorry, it just chaps me when people want to close other peoples fishery while keeping theirs open with no facts or statistics.. I have no facts or statistics but I do know NJ anglers can keep up to 3 breeders where the Chesapeake anglers can keep 1. I am not knocking it as I also fish with my father out of Avalon and will be in the rips again this fall. I just don't like finger pointing. (especially with no data)

I also am not 100% for game fish status. I don't mind commercial hook and line fisheries. It is the nets that kill indiscriminately. For example, off the cost of Avalon my father witnessed acres of dead bass floating where a dragger hit a school inadvertently... So much for game fish status protecting bass

Just my rant :D
.

I agree with B-faithful. Why close a catch and RELEASE season, but allow a catch and KILL season of the same fish on their way upstream to a C&R zone? Also, I am not sure how drastic of a difference it is to KILL a cow any other time versus spring... In any case, you are taking a breeder out of the system. Again, nothing wrong with taking A big fish here and there, but does ONE PERSON need 3 BIG fish!?? Thats a waste if you ask me... 1 big one is plenty to feed a large family.

Again, it is obvious that the population of large fish is strong right now. Lets just keep it that way...

[circlehook]

Do you have different mortality statistics than MD DNR

Sorry, it just chaps me when people want to close other peoples fishery while keeping theirs open with no facts or statistics.

I never stated that I'd like to see those areas closed due to CnR mortality. I just said I'd like to see them closed ;) .

The bigger spawning fish congregrate in relatively small areas to reproduce. There are already plenty of natural factors that are working against them (nutrient loading, run off, water clarity, temp, etc.) in being successfull. And the entire northeast fishery hinges on their success. So why target them in these few areas during a short periord of time when their purpose for being there is so crucial? Even if CnR mortality is only 5-10%. And actually, 5-10% of a whole lot of fish being hooked is a significant number of fish that dont get to breed that season. And what study has been done that says a CnR release is guaranteed to then go on and finish the task?

As for only closing other peoples fishery, that has nothing to do with it. I included my local fishery in my 1st post. The point was protecting the fish on the three known major spawning grounds. I grew up on the Del River and know plenty of spots to go catch large in Apr & May. But I got older, and I"d like to think wiser (even though its probably just more bitter), and just choose not to do it.

[circlehook]

I agree with B-faithful. Why close a catch and RELEASE season, but allow a catch and KILL season of the same fish on their way upstream to a C&R zone? Also, I am not sure how drastic of a difference it is to KILL a cow any other time versus spring... In any case, you are taking a breeder out of the system. Again, nothing wrong with taking A big fish here and there, but does ONE PERSON need 3 BIG fish!?? Thats a waste if you ask me... 1 big one is plenty to feed a large family.

Again, it is obvious that the population of large fish is strong right now. Lets just keep it that way...


I hear ya and agree. I said closing the spawning grounds was a good 1st step. Reward the smart fish that made it through the gaunlet and are actually on the grounds kinda thing. But in the end, the big breeders need more protection year round because 1 person does not need 3 big fish per day.

And its obvious the big fish population is strong but declining. And there is a lack of follow fish in the pipeline IMO. The most recent assessment shows a 4yr declining trend. So I agree lets keep it that way.