2020 Stripers/Rock Fish

outrider58 · Apr 9, 2020

ChrisD said:
I was going to refrain from making a comment. However since you posted, when C&R fishing, I agree with not netting and handling these pre-spawn fish. They should be left in the water and unhooked boatside. With single barbless hooks, it isn’t that hard. At least then, the protective slime isn’t being rubbed off of their body, and their own weight isn’t causing pressure to be exerted on the roe sack when being picked up.
That said, pretty fish!

Personally, I'd just assume they closed spring trophy season, at least for now, but I realize it's part of some peoples' livelihood. So there's that. There are still stronger conservative methods and limits that could be applied as including moratoriums when called for. If we want a healthy fishery, we all need to do our part to maintain that health. Sometimes it will require a little pain.

hobiecat590 · Apr 9, 2020

With all due respect regarding our endangered Rock fishery, if you don't legally plan to eat it, don't try to catch it. These cows need to be left un-molested - period. Why anyone would need to possibly kill a fish with thousands of eggs to get off or for a nice picture is beyond me. Perhaps if the "sport" catch and release season is terminated, more fish would be available to catch during the optional catch and release season.

The real killer of our Rock fish fishery is Omega Protein in Reedville, VA. The slaughter of our menhaden fish populations is the real reason Bay Rock and Blue fish are endangered. Until this company is shutdown or realistic quotas are enforced, our fishery is doomed. YOMV

outrider58 · Apr 9, 2020

hobiecat590 said:
With all due respect regarding our endangered Rock fishery, if you don't legally plan to eat it, don't try to catch it. These cows need to be left un-molested - period. Why anyone would need to possibly kill a fish with thousands of eggs to get off or for a nice picture is beyond me. Perhaps if the "sport" catch and release season is terminated, more fish would be available to catch during the optional catch and release season.

The real killer of our Rock fish fishery is Omega Protein in Reedville, VA. The slaughter of our menhaden fish populations is the real reason Bay Rock and Blue fish are endangered. Until this company is shutdown or realistic quotas are enforced, our fishery is doomed. YOMV

Get off? Do you feel the same way about that when they are plentiful? Why catch big fish when you can catch small ones. I'm talking all fish species. If you are against catching all fish, well the more power to you. Have you read any of this thread?

johnkn · Apr 9, 2020

Exactly right regarding Omega, and they need to be held accountable...

Melnic · Apr 9, 2020

johnkn said:
Exactly right regarding Omega, and they need to be held accountable...

I"m a big believer in this and I don't even fish in the CB.

outrider58 · Apr 9, 2020

johnkn said:
Exactly right regarding Omega, and they need to be held accountable...

The striper situation is coastal. It's not just one thing. It's accumulative. Like most big problems, it's never one factor.

ChrisD · Apr 9, 2020

outrider58 said:
Personally, I'd just assume they closed spring trophy season, at least for now, but I realize it's part of some peoples' livelihood. So there's that. There are still stronger conservative methods and limits that could be applied as including moratoriums when called for. If we want a healthy fishery, we all need to do our part to maintain that health. Sometimes it will require a little pain.

Honestly, closing the spring “trophy” season wouldn’t hurt my feelings either, livelihood or not.

winch · Apr 25, 2020

I don't think that these fish should be targeted in any manner during the spawn, whether it's legal or not.

John from MD · Apr 25, 2020

I have to agree. They are already stressed enough.

govwontletmebuycoolguns · Apr 25, 2020

Driving over Tidings Bridge today, I couldn't even count how many fishing boats were out on the Susquehanna. If pleasure boating/fishing is banned, nobody is listening...

DarrellA · Apr 29, 2020

Today I've seen at least a dozen boats heading down Stoney Creek to the Bay. Some of them even looked like they might be going fishing. When the weather finally breaks for good I'm hoping for massive civil disobedience, at least on the water.

I'm going to take the cover off my boat this weekend and start getting her ready for the summer.

hobiecat590 · Apr 29, 2020

outrider58 said:
Get off? Do you feel the same way about that when they are plentiful? Why catch big fish when you can catch small ones. I'm talking all fish species. If you are against catching all fish, well the more power to you. Have you read any of this thread?

Yes I do, that way the fish stay plentiful. Have you considered that the mortality rate for catch and release negatively impacts the fishery stocks and ultimately lowers the legal bag limits for those of us that like to catch and eat. Remember how plentiful large Blue fish used to be with the unlimited bag limits?

IMHO, if you do not intend to eat it, don't catch, or spear game fish. And yes I read the thread. And yes I know that are a lot of folks that fish for sport, I'm just not one of them even though I'm a member of CCA.

outrider58 · Apr 29, 2020

hobiecat590 said:
Yes I do, that way the fish stay plentiful. Have you considered that the mortality rate for catch and release negatively impacts the fishery stocks and ultimately lowers the legal bag limits for those of us that like to catch and eat. Remember how plentiful large Blue fish used to be with the unlimited bag limits?

IMHO, if you do not intend to eat it, don't catch, or spear game fish. And yes I read the thread. And yes I know that are a lot of folks that fish for sport, I'm just not one of them even though I'm a member of CCA.

Listen, I don't come here to fight with anyone. Properly managed, ALL fisheries can be sustainable, but I find it highly ironic that a meat fisherman is giving shit to a catch and release fisherman for killing off the fish stock. That's a hoot!

Trigger Time · Apr 29, 2020

It's still legal to fish for food as long as you are within the current regulations.

hobiecat590 · Apr 29, 2020

outrider58 said:
Listen, I don't come here to fight with anyone. Properly managed, ALL fisheries can be sustainable, but I find it highly ironic that a meat fisherman is giving shit to a catch and release fisherman for killing off the fish stock. That's a hoot!

We don't have a properly managed fishery or we would not be having this conversation. With all due respect catching and releasing pregnant spawning cows in the spring for sport may not be the best way to manage a sustainable fishery. I kill and eat on average 2 Strippers a year which is probably a quite a bit lower than the typical C&R fisherman's kill average. I've also skipped spring trophy season for the past few years to do my bit to preserve the cows. I also don't keep or purchase sooks to preserve the potentially pregnant female crabs for the same reasons. All I'm saying is that perhaps we should leave breeders alone.

wilcam47 · Apr 29, 2020

outrider58 said:
Some of my friends went out to pre-fish for stripers and hit them pretty good. They caught five fish all together, the smallest being a mere 44". Here are some pics...
These are the guys I go out with every year.

Nice!

gtodave · Apr 30, 2020

hobiecat590 said:
I kill and eat on average 2 Strippers a year which is probably a quite a bit lower than the typical C&R fisherman's kill average.

Damn....a regular Jeffrey Dahmer up in here! :shocked3:

outrider58 · Apr 30, 2020

gtodave said:
Damn....a regular Jeffrey Dahmer up in here!

Great with a nice chianti and maybe some fava beans...

ngman · Apr 30, 2020

Rockfish season partly opens in the Bay tomorrow. The weekend weather is looking pretty nice, I hope to catch some dinner! Anyone else going out?.

I believe it's 1 fish/pp limit, 35inch minimum, no eels for bait and you must be in the main body of the Bay (no rivers) until May 16th.

restricted areas shown here.
https://dnr.maryland.gov/fisheries/Pages/SB_2020_regs.aspx

outrider58 · Apr 30, 2020

hobiecat590 said:
We don't have a properly managed fishery or we would not be having this conversation. With all due respect catching and releasing pregnant spawning cows in the spring for sport may not be the best way to manage a sustainable fishery. I kill and eat on average 2 Strippers a year which is probably a quite a bit lower than the typical C&R fisherman's kill average. I've also skipped spring trophy season for the past few years to do my bit to preserve the cows. I also don't keep or purchase sooks to preserve the potentially pregnant female crabs for the same reasons. All I'm saying is that perhaps we should leave breeders alone.

There's absolutely no way you can back that up. You say you kill only two fish per season. Are you talking about the spring trophy season? Or are you fishing the summer too? The summer season where you catch and release sometimes dozens to catch a limit?

Prefishing the bay in the spring isn't so much "sport". Its to see what is out there. I've gone with them twice and we never caught a thing. Every been out there, pre trophy season? There's nobody out there. At least not on the middle bay. I have fly fished the Susquie flats in early spring for sport. Great fun. Mostly males caught.

2020 Stripers/Rock Fish

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