The Season- A Rundown 2023

[spiegs71]

I think folks have their head in the sand when they think the stocks are in good shape

hoping like you for a hood Maryland class to help things along but I don’t see it getting better and guys just take what they want limits / slots be dammed 

[CWitek]

18 hours ago, spiegs71 said:

I think folks have their head in the sand when they think the stocks are in good shape

hoping like you for a hood Maryland class to help things along but I don’t see it getting better and guys just take what they want limits / slots be dammed 

The professional fishery managers aren't claiming that the stocks are in good shape.

 

Bass are overfished.  When the ASMFC's Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board meets in a couple of weeks, they;re going to debate a new addendum to the management plan, which will propose additional restrictions on both the recreational and commercial fisheries,.  The for-hires are probably going to put up a big fight against it, so anglers concerned about the state of the stock are going to have to support conservative measures in the comment period that will probably take place in August/September.  As far as Maryland's juvenile abundance index goes, I'm getting mixed messaes.  The water was low this spring, and the winter was warm, which is usually a problem.  However, I'm hearing some rumors that the spawn may not have been that bad.  We won't know for sure until October, but if the spawn turns out OK, it will be more testimony as to why we need many idfferent aged fish in the spawning stock, because fish of different sizes spawn at different times, with the big fish moving in first.  Such a strategy allows the bass to take advantage of temporarily favorable conditions in a generally unfavorable year.  We can hope that could have happened in 2023, until we get the final numbers this fall.

 

Bluefish are no longer overfished, but are at 60% of target and still rebuilding.  Hopefully, things will get better between now and the 2028 rebuilding deadline.

 

Fluke are slipping a little, down to 83% oif target from 86% when the previous management track assessment was performed.  Size at age is declining.  The 2018 year class, which originally appeared to be well above average, has been downgraded; the most recent estimate suggests that it was much smaller than originally believed.  Also, fluke experienced very modest overfishing in 2022, with fishing mortality very slightly above Fthreshold.

 

So it's not the scientific side who has their heads in the sand.  But if anyone else tells you that things are OK, and that no additional management is needed, you may want to tell them that they are full of BS.

[spiegs71]

3 hours ago, CWitek said:

The professional fishery managers aren't claiming that the stocks are in good shape.

 

Bass are overfished.  When the ASMFC's Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board meets in a couple of weeks, they;re going to debate a new addendum to the management plan, which will propose additional restrictions on both the recreational and commercial fisheries,.  The for-hires are probably going to put up a big fight against it, so anglers concerned about the state of the stock are going to have to support conservative measures in the comment period that will probably take place in August/September.  As far as Maryland's juvenile abundance index goes, I'm getting mixed messaes.  The water was low this spring, and the winter was warm, which is usually a problem.  However, I'm hearing some rumors that the spawn may not have been that bad.  We won't know for sure until October, but if the spawn turns out OK, it will be more testimony as to why we need many idfferent aged fish in the spawning stock, because fish of different sizes spawn at different times, with the big fish moving in first.  Such a strategy allows the bass to take advantage of temporarily favorable conditions in a generally unfavorable year.  We can hope that could have happened in 2023, until we get the final numbers this fall.

 

Bluefish are no longer overfished, but are at 60% of target and still rebuilding.  Hopefully, things will get better between now and the 2028 rebuilding deadline.

 

Fluke are slipping a little, down to 83% oif target from 86% when the previous management track assessment was performed.  Size at age is declining.  The 2018 year class, which originally appeared to be well above average, has been downgraded; the most recent estimate suggests that it was much smaller than originally believed.  Also, fluke experienced very modest overfishing in 2022, with fishing mortality very slightly above Fthreshold.

 

So it's not the scientific side who has their heads in the sand.  But if anyone else tells you that things are OK, and that no additional management is needed, you may want to tell them that they are full of BS.

 none of this was directed at you Charles - like how you bring things like facts and the real issues being debated vs. much of the anecdotical things i hear from other fisherman.

Agree that the stocks are in trouble just wish others would come to the same realization and act now before the fishery ends up getting closed down.

[CWitek]

11 mins ago, spiegs71 said:

 none of this was directed at you Charles - like how you bring things like facts and the real issues being debated vs. much of the anecdotical things i hear from other fisherman.

Agree that the stocks are in trouble just wish others would come to the same realization and act now before the fishery ends up getting closed down.

What you usually find is that the more experienced anglers, who have seen the trends play out, realize that the stocks aren't in perfect shape.  New anglers who never saw real abundance are harder to convince, while those with an interest in the status quo--for-hires, tackle shops, internet "influencerds" and wannabes, etc.--tell a different story because it suits their immediate interests.

 

I'm a little afraid of what the draft Addendum II is going to look like, only because a lot of the special interrests had an advocate on the Plan Development team--there was someone pushing for giving the for-hires less restrictive regulations than anyone else, there was someone pushing for no-target closures, the Delaware rep, admitting that his commercial fishermen prosecuted a non-selective fishery, opposed a commercial maximum size.  Hopefully, they all represent narrow interests, and none will prevail before the Management Board, but the threat of a compromise always is there,  If that happens, the outlook for the bass deteriorates quickly; on the other hand, if everyone can hold to achieving Ftarget, we have a chance to achieve Frebuild in 2025.  But if things fall apart with respect to Addendum II, that likely won't happen.

[hydraman]

30 mins ago, CWitek said:

What you usually find is that the more experienced anglers, who have seen the trends play out, realize that the stocks aren't in perfect shape.  New anglers who never saw real abundance are harder to convince, while those with an interest in the status quo--for-hires, tackle shops, internet "influencerds" and wannabes, etc.--tell a different story because it suits their immediate interests.

 

I'm a little afraid of what the draft Addendum II is going to look like, only because a lot of the special interrests had an advocate on the Plan Development team--there was someone pushing for giving the for-hires less restrictive regulations than anyone else, there was someone pushing for no-target closures, the Delaware rep, admitting that his commercial fishermen prosecuted a non-selective fishery, opposed a commercial maximum size.  Hopefully, they all represent narrow interests, and none will prevail before the Management Board, but the threat of a compromise always is there,  If that happens, the outlook for the bass deteriorates quickly; on the other hand, if everyone can hold to achieving Ftarget, we have a chance to achieve Frebuild in 2025.  But if things fall apart with respect to Addendum II, that likely won't happen.

The problem is even if these measures pass it might be to late or not enough. 

[CWitek]

27 mins ago, hydraman said:

The problem is even if these measures pass it might be to late or not enough. 

If we go to Frebuild after the 2024 assessment update comes out, the stock should rebuild as, by definition, Frebuild is the fishing mortality rate needed to achieve rebuilding.

 

The big quuiestion is whether people will go along with the sort of reductions that might be needed to get there.  They might be very severe.

[mackattack]

Anyone know if Spanish mackerel come yearly to LI? Is right now (July) still to early to regularly attempt to catch them?

[brushfly]

Fished the incoming on the North Shore Saturday AM. First light three bass 22-26" on a Yozuri Hydro Popper. Switched over the bottom fishing for fluke/ seabass. Two areas worked off Eaton's Neck no fluke, some birds, pretty slow.

Drifted inside the bay and took a 22" weakfish on a white spro tipped with white 5" gulp. Released. Seven short fluke inside the harbor to just under legal rounded out the AM. 

[hobobob]

On 7/15/2023 at 6:10 PM, LowEnd said:

Charles, thank you for the insight.

Went to my local inlet on the top of out going this morning.

Only got one 22” blue fish, pathetic!

There should be dozens of these things now with a gator or two mixed in.

 

Original Yozuri surface cruiser? High roller. 

[Deserteagle778]

Haven't been able to really fish much with work. Was happy to get out today and hit a nice one.

[surfrat59]

7 hours ago, Deserteagle778 said:

Haven't been able to really fish much with work. Was happy to get out today and hit a nice one.

Nice catch but not for nothing that's piss poor handling for an over slot that needs to be released. Seriously if you have to have a pic learn to cradle the fish properly in your arms...I'm betting the release was much the same. 

[Sandbox]

In fairness, that one could be in the narrowed slot, especially if he's holding it out in front of himself.  (Not that I would know anything about holding a fish out in front of myself to make it look bigger in a photo lol...)   

[fishguy62]

6 hours ago, Sandbox said:

In fairness, that one could be in the narrowed slot, especially if he's holding it out in front of himself.  (Not that I would know anything about holding a fish out in front of myself to make it look bigger in a photo lol...)   

Lol, there is absolutely zero chance that fish is 29-31”. More like 35-38”

[surfrat59]

19 mins ago, fishguy62 said:

Lol, there is absolutely zero chance that fish is 29-31”. More like 35-38”

Exactly, more like a nice 12/15lb er. Deserteagle778 not singling you out, could be new at the sport and that's great, we need all the new blood we can get.  With the stocks what they are, and particularly with Jul/Aug water temps we need to treat them with a little more respect, elst we have nothing to get out of bed at 1am for. Should be plenty online tutorial for a new guy to learn proper fish handling technique...then again with all the hero shots and videos floating around these days maybe that's all people are learning. Time for a long overdue fall fling on LI, share some secrets with the young guns !  If we time it right could be a good days fishing...if not it's a helluva BBQ !

[Deserteagle778]

Went out last night hit another good fish! Doing my normal grind, been at it for 18 years this year. I joined this site recently because two of my buddies always post on this site. I decided to add a few quick reports. 

Edited July 24 by Deserteagle778