[Bay Invader]

I think this year I'm limiting myself to 1 striper per outing instead of trying to limit out.90 percent C/R for stripers this year for me.As for the flounder same goes but a 2 fish limit.Although last year I only bagged out once.Face it our fish populations are dwindling we need to stop taking so many or it wont be long before we cant fish at all.What does everyone think about this?

 

[roctheboat aka pigpen]

that's great, if that is what you want to do , just don't chastise the guys who choose to follow the rules and keep what they are legally allowed to keep , and than post it, It is always a shame when somebody has a good day and post his or her report and than they hear crap about letting there fish go,, If someone isn't breaking any laws let them be , If somebody chooses to release most of there fish that is there right to , just if you are going to release fish , use tackle heavy enough to land the fish in a hurry so they do not fight themselves to death. Don't take this post the wrong way , I am in no way implying you will be giving anybody who chooses to keep there legal limits a rough time.

 

[bay bee]

Based on my fishing experience, there is an excellent biomass of both stripers and flounder. The laws for striper, two fish at 28 inches, has been in effect for a number of years now. So it seems evident that the law, is well balanced in both size and quantity. Flounder are abundant, but the 18 inch size requirement is, in my opinion, too stringent. Flounder reach sexual maturity when they are around 12 inches. I don't think the reproductive biomass would be adversely affected if the size was dropped to 17 inches five or six "keepers" were allowed.

 

[roctheboat aka pigpen]

if anything needs to be altered it is the drum , three fish per person , is too many Imo , and the weekfish need to have the size limit raised to 17 or 18 inches and two fish per person . striper and fluke however to me seem to be just fine.

 

[fdformicola]

I agree with all the above post, there are plenty of flounder around NOW and the stripers seem to be holding at good numbers but if you already have a freezer full of fish why keep a limit of flounder or bass, we all know what happened to the WEAKIES. In my opinion it will only help if you use common sense and only take what you are going to eat within a certain period of timelease:

 

[grtwhthunter/fisherman]

for the amount of money we spend to fish i will keep whatever the limit may b.since we dont limit out very often when we do im keeping. i now its the experiance and the beauty of just being out there but i need to have something in return to show for my expenses or old lady wont justify my going

 

[killerbee]

Fishing is.....discipline in the equality of men.....for all men are equal before a fish...

 

[Bay Invader]

I dont disagree with the laws.I think if people want to take the limit that there is nothing wrong with that,your entitled to it by all means have at it.However it is my belief that inspite of the powers to be good intensions its just not lookin far enough into the future and its my way of doing everything I can to conserve what still out there.Its also one of the reasons I no longer intensionally fish for Weakfish,the evidence is clear to me that they aint there in sustainable numbers.Being an ol'bastard I remember when weakfish were large and plentiful now look at them.All I'm saying is I dont have to feed the nieghbors anymore,I wont have the futures fishing on my conscience because I'll have done what I could to conserve what I can and still participate in fishing.The only one I have to justify my going fishing is me.I go because I love to,although bringing home something makes it that much better.I hope I have'nt offended anyone,but I also hope I made my point.

 

[fatboy]

if anything needs to be altered it is the drum , three fish per person , is too many Imo , and the weekfish need to have the size limit raised to 17 or 18 inches and two fish per person . striper and fluke however to me seem to be just fine.

Weakies are now 1 per person.

 

[phish4fun]

kudos to you. drum we only keep 1 .stripers we keep the limit as they get eaten. flounder,we really dont need to worry about the limit with the regs.we may have limited out in the bay 4 times in the last 5 years with 4 people aboard.weakies we catch for fun when flounder is closed and waiting for stripers and if we get a legal few is a bonus for dinner.just had last piece of striper for dinner saturday.

 

[striper2278]

if anything needs to be altered it is the drum , three fish per person , is too many Imo , and the weekfish need to have the size limit raised to 17 or 18 inches and two fish per person . striper and fluke however to me seem to be just fine.

Rumor has it that it will 2 fish pp and 36" something or something.

 

[roctheboat aka pigpen]

Weakies are now 1 per person.

yes i know , but that is asinine also they are still 13 inches i beleive , what good is that

 

[aj bruno]

yes i know , but that is asinine also they are still 13 inches i beleive , what good is that

What good are they anyway?
Much better fish to eat... hopefully they can come back....

 

[roctheboat aka pigpen]

What good are they anyway?
Much better fish to eat... hopefully they can come back....

i like eating weakfish , in fact as a kid we ate it all the time , i actually like scaling it and keeping the skin on, on a weakfish, but the fish need to be bigger , than 13 inches

 

[ReelQuick]

IF I KILL IT I EAT IT.
That goes for deer, striper ,blues,croaker,tuna, shark,doves,squirels,sea robbins......Blah blah blah.....
I smoked 12 pounds vacuum packed striper in 3 feet snow the other day.
All gone, and enjoyed by family and friends.Non went to waste.I have orders for more..Its hard to give it up.
I kept 2 drum this year and they were gone, by the same people, that night.I was cool with that.
Valentines day, I took the one of the 3 package s of vacuum packed flounder out of the freeze and wrapped it in crab meat for my better half.Throw in a lobster tail and no need for flowers.
If I can keep it and use it....I will.
It`s up to the angler....to do the right thing.
Or for the Capy. to set some guide lines.
I do believe the drum thing is outta hand ,because what I have seen at the dock and dumpsters.
If I kill it I eat it.

It`s a Shame, I killed more 17.5 inch blood puffing, gut hooked, leader cut,flounder this year,then ever.
158 flounder in one day!!!! 8 keepers.

Yeah, I hold the rod.
I would have kept 3 at 17.5 and went home.
But I don`t make 6 figures and sit behind a desk and make rules.
Been laid off since new years eve,and Thank God and my Grand parents for giving me the my for sight,for thinking ahead.
As for going to Washington, I placed my vote.

 

[Bay Invader]

Like I said nothing wrong with keeping a legal limit.If you are gut hooking fish mortality rate can be increased by cutting the leader as close to the hook as possible without pulling on the hook anymore than needed,so not to cause any more damage than nessesary,I dont even boat non keepers whenever possible.

 

[shoot-straight]

3 drum pp is rediculous.... especially 3 big ones. lots of drum meat and even whole fish hit the dumpsters, i watch it happen every year. people kill them for the scale shot, then trash them, or "give them to somebody..."

a 30 year old drum deserves better than that.

drum are not managed coastwide, they should be under ASMFC. right now each state "picks" its own regs, and to my knowledge there is no biology behind it.

 

[DaisyMaySportfishing]

Drum - My Opinion

I personally think that people are getting the message about drum. We impose a boat policy of 1 per angler unless its dead at the boat. We have only brought home more than 4 fish 2 times since I've been fishing for them. Most, if not all of the people that I talk to are doing the same thing, and we have yet to have any problems with any of our groups. They are told ahead of time about this limit.

On the flip side, I DO know a few boats(not necessarily charter boats) that will load up and keep a drum limit no matter what. As long as they are within the law it doesn't bother me, its just not my style. 1 drum per person is enough for me.

 

[zar2754]

Drum

as we all saw, last years drum fishing was no where near what it was the previous 2,

does it have anything to do with over fishing? im not sure, it may be cyclical, who knows.

In 2007 and 2008 we could release 10 or more large fish in an hour or less. Last year was a different story and the drum where much more concentrated.

I believe one fish a man is more than reasonable. They don't keep well, and fresh is so much better than frozen,

if you are going to release. INVEST in a long handled boga tool, and revive the fish properly and effectively. I have seen way to many released drum floating by the boat dead with the tide.

I wish a successful season to all. See you on the water

Josh

 

[Bay Invader]

As for Drum,if I get one that will be enough for me and mine.They dont freeze for long,and they taste better fresh.If somehow we manage to eat that fish before they're gone I might consider takin' another.Dont get me wrong I love to catch'em and I'd like to continue.That's the problem with a good fishery once the word gets out and the slaughter begins,and before we realize it they're gone.Like the old saying goes "Waste Not,Want Not"and the drum will be around for our children's children.What about the rest of you guys chiming in on this subject.Am I the only one with cabin fever?