is it spot burn if youre skunked

[Moontide24]

Boat fish don't count when you don't catch fish from a boat

Friday live eels off braid tied 3 Oz, added 4 Ft of mono leader  traditional circle through mouth  second rig with shorter leader and 4 Oz

Fished from sakonnet light to green can off cuttyhunk  three hours moving water at dusk and later  worked hump shoal and boulder fields in 67 f water

NOTHING BUT TWO BLUE BITES AND HALF EELS BACK

Sunday 400am ran out block  fished my spots on Southside marked from other nights  same set up as above plus dropped classic silver ct jig with eel plastic

The moved to ledge  counted 100 boats fishing this area  many styles saw nothing and I was SKUNKED

Now 6 hours into it and a fast moving incoming ride moved to north rip-only one there for 5 minutes  eels, umbrella rig and jig 1-2mph drift

Not a single bump

Water 66 65 degrees  overcast should have been epic   NOTHING SKUNKED

SOMETHING Is GOING ON , there not alot out there like years past SAW TWO FISH OVER 40LBS AND 50 INCHESNWEIFHED IN At lucky BAIT  Caught in same area two huge fish nothing in between

[Kooky]

What do we think is going to happen when people slaughter fish there and canal and other places for weeks on end? It's not rocket science, they are gone and it's only gonna get worse.

[rbart]

Yup. Schools of massive fish completely wiped out at both locations.  Sickening...

[Ericfromwarren]

Still hear of guys limitng out with 40+ Pound fish at the block... Why would anyone ever want to watch a fish swim away when you can kill em all...

[big popper]

charter boats usually keep everything,people feel they paid there keeping.

[captccb]

Moontide - there are so many variables in play, and since I hate to type, I wont' even begin to get into them all....but fundamentally if your not constantly adjusting your weight for the change in current with stage of tide and locations you'll lose out on fish. The eel needs to be presented as naturally as possible. How heavy is the mono? Downsize if necessary and don't rule out fluro, size of hook?.....Fish shut down on the feed, and just cause your not catching, doesn't mean their not there. To me, fish on are the move more than ever in years past, they may hold on a hump for three drifts, and be gone on the 4th. They may eat for two drifts, and shut down on the 3rd even though your still marking them.

 

Fish are no doubt getting hammered at the well known and internet/media publicized locations and poaching is as rampant as ever.......You can only do your part to help the resource...I've got flack about not fishing in tourns, and for team in the Striper Cup this year, but I finally made a decision this year that I have been contemplating for a number now, to not give my dollars and not participate in those environments any longer. At this stage of my life, it's a much better feeling watching big fish swim away to live another day, than peeking in the hold and watch it gasp. If the next guy who catches it, kills it, well that's up to him.

 

For what it's worth, those that fish under the water are still seeing good numbers of fish, and from my personal experience, it's been a good solid bite this year... Have I kept a couple big girls.... unfortunately, yes... but only those I could not get to swim again after much effort.

[1Camper]

Damn I can see it now...boats trolling back and forth... I saw people on a boat claiming they caught only blues then I see striper heads poking out the buckets. How sad? Guess where...

[WalkDaDawg]

Fishing under water ? Is there any other way to fish

[bassballer]

Moontide - there are so many variables in play, and since I hate to type, I wont' even begin to get into them all....but fundamentally if your not constantly adjusting your weight for the change in current with stage of tide and locations you'll lose out on fish. The eel needs to be presented as naturally as possible. How heavy is the mono? Downsize if necessary and don't rule out fluro, size of hook?.....Fish shut down on the feed, and just cause your not catching, doesn't mean their not there. To me, fish on are the move more than ever in years past, they may hold on a hump for three drifts, and be gone on the 4th. They may eat for two drifts, and shut down on the 3rd even though your still marking them.

 

Fish are no doubt getting hammered at the well known and internet/media publicized locations and poaching is as rampant as ever.......You can only do your part to help the resource...I've got flack about not fishing in tourns, and for team in the Striper Cup this year, but I finally made a decision this year that I have been contemplating for a number now, to not give my dollars and not participate in those environments any longer. At this stage of my life, it's a much better feeling watching big fish swim away to live another day, than peeking in the hold and watch it gasp. If the next guy who catches it, kills it, well that's up to him.

 

For what it's worth, those that fish under the water are still seeing good numbers of fish, and from my personal experience, it's been a good solid bite this year... Have I kept a couple big girls.... unfortunately, yes... but only those I could not get to swim again after much effort.

 

Agreed fish have been on the move. It's been a hunting game this season. Can't rely on past performances

[basenjib123]

Mentioning the "Atlantic Ocean" is spot burning around here

[Ericfromwarren]

Mentioning the "Atlantic Ocean" is spot burning around here

 

 

Shhh lol.

[Moontide24]

Thanks capt  went to local shop today  a well known fisherman limited out with a mate on block today  2 fish over 40  he said 18 boats and they were only one to catch

At the same time a lure rep was there and I asked him  his position was that fish are getting hammered from Moriches to Montauk before they get near block  he was saying really hammered  like a commercial and or black market boat landing 7000 pounds of fish recently  sounds like  a lot to me

Funny in my own purview I have heard about large numbers of 40lb fish caught and most slaughtered   but the slot from 35 to 50 inches is real light    plenty of schooled to be had but big gaps in class   my thinking is there should be upper limit in size to let them breed, no idea what right size is

I just miss the days where you could throw a popper from allens harbor to sakonnet all summer long and catch/release very solid fish at dusk and dawn

[bdowning]

Thanks capt  went to local shop today  a well known fisherman limited out with a mate on block today  2 fish over 40  he said 18 boats and they were only one to catch

 

 

I just miss the days where you could throw a popper from allens harbor to sakonnet all summer long and catch/release very solid fish at dusk and dawn

 

Not to mention night jigging. It's just been one of those weird years. Even doing the total opposite ala George Costanza isn't working.

 

-bd

[sdd2269]

caught and released plenty off fish in the area just got to stick it out till they turn on.... I fished friday and monday. Did awesome friday releasing a ton of big fish and grinded out another five good fish monday...nothing over 50lbs though, everything went back. Its just getting the weight right and staying on the marks, not following the other boats that have no clue what there doing.

[BrandenCordeiro]

Hopefully some stricter regulations are coming for next year, from what I have read, and seen; I am nervous. My dad and grandfather have had an awful year in Martha's Vineyard; haven't had one keeper. They used to be hammering the fish 5 years ago. All the action is happening at the Block I guess. I haven't had any luck from the shore all year, just tautog.