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I was in Annapolis last weekend and chartered a small boat to go fishing with 5 friends on the Chesepeake. The good news was we caught our limit of stripers (2 per person), the bad news: Captain insisted on keeping all 16 fish (Captain and mate count also).

The REAL BAD NEWS was that on that Saturday there were about 70 other boats out there in the same area. So that day, about 1,000 fish were harvested-- just from THAT ONE SPOT!

The REALLY BAD NEWS is that the size limit was about 15 inches. It was ridiculous to see all these small fish pulled out.

And on the way back in to port, the captain was complaining that the fishing has slowed in recent years!!!

What knuckleheads down there!

The allure of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive, but attainable, and a perpetual series of occaisions for hope.
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Why would people keeping a legal limit of fish per applicable regulations PO folks?  Did the Captain MAKE you keep the fish or could you have asked to go Catch and Release if that was your desire?  If he forced you to keep everything, then I can see a reason for frustration.  


As for the smaller size limit in the Chesapeake, the Hudson river sports an 18" minimum above the GW bridge and many other states think the Maine 20-26" slot is absurd.  The Feds set the quotas with stripers and leave it up to the states to "utilize" their quotas as they see fit, including whether or not to have commercial fishing (NY, VA, MA, MD and others I think) and give charter/party boats special regulations (NY).


So if you have disdain for the Maryland size limits, I hope you'll find some solace knowing that others are equally disgusted with Maine's slot.  As the saying goes, let he without sin cast the first stone.


Shall I go to heaven or a-fishing? - H. D. Thoreau

 

Veni.  Vidi.  Cepi. - with apologies to Gaius Julius Caesar

 

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Originally Posted by swnoel View Post

 

Stripers should be declared a game fish and regulated as such. Unfortunately politics determines the path most resources travel. It doesn't surprise me those involved acted this way... most don't think beyond their noses.




Only thing "game fish" status does is eliminate the sale of striped bass.  Therefore in ME, NH, RI, NJ and other states that don't have a commercial fishery, striped bass is already a game fish.  BTW, the total commercial quota is well-below that of the recreational fishery.


Are you implying only a catch and release coast-wide restriction?  That will go over like the proverbial fart in church...


Shall I go to heaven or a-fishing? - H. D. Thoreau

 

Veni.  Vidi.  Cepi. - with apologies to Gaius Julius Caesar

 

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I did a little research and found out a 15" fish caught in MD would be illegal!  A boat load of poachers certainly would be detrimental to any fisheries! MD law requires fish to be 28" or larger in tidal waters and a minimum of 18" elsewhere as already mentioned.


http://www.eregulations.com/maryland/fishing/striped-bass/


Are you suggesting the elimination of commercial fishing would be of no value?


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Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass Haul View Post

I was in Annapolis last weekend and chartered a small boat to go fishing with 5 friends on the Chesepeake. The good news was we caught our limit of stripers (2 per person), the bad news: Captain insisted on keeping all 16 fish (Captain and mate count also).

The REAL BAD NEWS was that on that Saturday there were about 70 other boats out there in the same area. So that day, about 1,000 fish were harvested-- just from THAT ONE SPOT!

The REALLY BAD NEWS is that the size limit was about 15 inches. It was ridiculous to see all these small fish pulled out.

And on the way back in to port, the captain was complaining that the fishing has slowed in recent years!!!

What knuckleheads down there!


 



Quote:

Originally Posted by swnoel View Post

 

I did a little research and found out a 15" fish caught in MD would be illegal!  A boat load of poachers certainly would be detrimental to any fisheries! MD law requires fish to be 28" or larger in tidal waters and a minimum of 18" elsewhere as already mentioned.


http://www.eregulations.com/maryland/fishing/striped-bass/


Are you suggesting the elimination of commercial fishing would be of no value?




You misread the regs, in the tidal waters you're allowed 2 fish per day, at least 18" or greater, but only 1 of those two can be 28" or greater, which I think is a nice touch.  Crappy wording for sure.  Now that I've re-read the original post, he said the size limit was about 15" so I'm guessing he guessed at the 15", when it was really 18".  No charter captain, at least sane charter captain, would poach when his clients could turn around and turn him into the authorities.


As for the commercial fishery, back in the dark days of the late '70s/early 80s I was able to fund many date nights with my wife to be by busting my butt and fishing all night to get fish to sell to restaurants (legal at that time), so I'm still sympathetic to commercial fishing.  IF the biomass is properly managed, there are enough fish for commercial and recreational fisheries.  Now grant you, that's a big "IF."  Too many special interest groups involved and a coast wise shut down of commercial bass fishing would be perceived, rightfully so, as a fish grab by the recreational fisherman. 


I'm making numbers up here, but let's assume the coast-wide commercial quota is 1/3 (number made up) the total quota, if recreational fisherman wanted commercial shut down, they should then offer up an equal amount (1/2 of their 2/3 piece of the pie) too so everyone shares the pain.  I'm skeptical that would be a popular position.


I would rather the regulators start regulating ecosystems, not individual species.  Heck you can shut down striped bass fishing, but if you mismanage the forage like bunkers and herring, the bass population will crash anyway.  We've got to get away from this individual species mentality.


Shall I go to heaven or a-fishing? - H. D. Thoreau

 

Veni.  Vidi.  Cepi. - with apologies to Gaius Julius Caesar

 

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass Haul View Post

I was in Annapolis last weekend and chartered a small boat to go fishing with 5 friends on the Chesepeake. The good news was we caught our limit of stripers (2 per person), the bad news: Captain insisted on keeping all 16 fish (Captain and mate count also).

The REAL BAD NEWS was that on that Saturday there were about 70 other boats out there in the same area. So that day, about 1,000 fish were harvested-- just from THAT ONE SPOT!

The REALLY BAD NEWS is that the size limit was about 15 inches. It was ridiculous to see all these small fish pulled out.

And on the way back in to port, the captain was complaining that the fishing has slowed in recent years!!!

What knuckleheads down there!



If you willingly gave him the fish you are part of that problem and should not be bitching

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Originally Posted by Roccus7 View Post

 

 


 



You misread the regs, in the tidal waters you're allowed 2 fish per day, at least 18" or greater, but only 1 of those two can be 28" or greater, which I think is a nice touch.  Crappy wording for sure.  Now that I've re-read the original post, he said the size limit was about 15" so I'm guessing he guessed at the 15", when it was really 18".  No charter captain, at least sane charter captain, would poach when his clients could turn around and turn him into the authorities.


As for the commercial fishery, back in the dark days of the late '70s/early 80s I was able to fund many date nights with my wife to be by busting my butt and fishing all night to get fish to sell to restaurants (legal at that time), so I'm still sympathetic to commercial fishing.  IF the biomass is properly managed, there are enough fish for commercial and recreational fisheries.  Now grant you, that's a big "IF."  Too many special interest groups involved and a coast wise shut down of commercial bass fishing would be perceived, rightfully so, as a fish grab by the recreational fisherman. 


I'm making numbers up here, but let's assume the coast-wide commercial quota is 1/3 (number made up) the total quota, if recreational fisherman wanted commercial shut down, they should then offer up an equal amount (1/2 of their 2/3 piece of the pie) too so everyone shares the pain.  I'm skeptical that would be a popular position.


I would rather the regulators start regulating ecosystems, not individual species.  Heck you can shut down striped bass fishing, but if you mismanage the forage like bunkers and herring, the bass population will crash anyway.  We've got to get away from this individual species mentality.







Maybe 1 fish per day for recreational would be suitable, should there be any minimum size? All commercial fishing should be banned... protecting the fisheries should be of greater concerned than those exploiting it for their own gains! As far as IF the biomass would be properly managed... just look around, what does government do very well? Collect taxes and threaten its citizens if they don't adhere to their demands. The state of NH and Maine can't even come to agreement within the Piscataqua River in regards to Striped Bass... we have elected a bunch of morons without a clue. They can not and will not relinquish their power... those intoxicated with that power will never listen.


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