Block Seals

[CS]

I posted this in another forum, but should post it here, too: an essay I wrote about the seal situation on Block Island is in the latest issue of Angler's Journal.  It's online and free. Can't post the link, but search "surfcaster's lament" and you will find it.

[dangingras]

Nice article.

[Capt.Castafly]

Block Island, summer blue fishing with gray seals around.

I feel your pain? This is what's left of a 15 lbs. gator blue.

Seal1.wmv

[CS]

20 mins ago, Capt.Castafly said:

Block Island, summer blue fishing with gray seals around.

I feel your pain? This is what's left of a 15 lbs. gator blue.

Seal1.wmv

Such a terrible feeling when that happens: kill a fish unnecessarily and reinforce bad behavior with the seal at the same time. 

[DZ]

It’s depressing for surfcasting for sure.  Completely changed how I approach the island north of the salt pond. 
I’m hoping for some sort of seal “flu” to help trim the herds. 

 

[turkaholic]

Great read. What a shame and no way to fight it. Had several Albies ripped off my fly rod this year. The seals were so thick in the cut and all along Charlston beach it was disgusting. Freaking huge rats. Watched a few struggling with SP minnows in their lips. They are so cool in ways, I really hate hating them so much. 

[CS]

46 mins ago, DZ said:

It’s depressing for surfcasting for sure.  Completely changed how I approach the island north of the salt pond. 
I’m hoping for some sort of seal “flu” to help trim the herds. 

 

Sandy Point is dead to me now...

[Capt.Castafly]

Last time I counted 200 seals, mostly grays, a few harbor seals before tourist season. That's pretty accurate.

They all colonize at Sandy Point, North Rip, but some spread out around the island when more people visit the point.

Eight years ago we maybe saw six seals total for the season at the rip.

It's out of control now. They are multiplying, nothing to deter them.

It has certainly hurt my fly fishing since we fish so close to shore, so I know exactly what shore fishermen are up against.

I see maybe two dozen pups each year too. Another reason to believe they are here to stay and multiply.

[CS]

12 mins ago, Capt.Castafly said:

Last time I counted 200 seals, mostly grays, a few harbor seals before tourist season. That's pretty accurate.

They all colonize at Sandy Point, North Rip, but some spread out around the island when more people visit the point.

Eight years ago we maybe saw six seals total for the season at the rip.

It's out of control now. They are multiplying, nothing to deter them.

It has certainly hurt my fly fishing since we fish so close to shore, so I know exactly what shore fishermen are up against.

I see maybe two dozen pups each year too. Another reason to believe they are here to stay and multiply.

Sandy Point was my absolutely favorite place on the planet to throw a huge Doc for scary-sized bluefish. I won't even walk up there anymore. All I have to do is check out the North Lighthouse beach cam and see the black mass of a hundred plus seals that are perpetually there now...  

[27conch]

The entire probelem with the seal restoration is that in the Marine Mammal Montra they list " bringing them back to historical numbers".  So what exactly is that number, as I can't find it anywhere.  I wrote to the agency and of couse they never replied.

 

I hate these freaking things and have never found them cute.  I knew the great Outer Cape surf fishing  was over once the first one arrived at Nauset Beach.

Edited February 16 by 27conch
content

[Hill]

Was just out for a walk a couple weeks ago and saw one working the middle of a breachway on the outgoing. There are a few up around Providence too.

[UPSmanMatt]

Make killing seals great again. 

[dangingras]

While I'm as unhappy as the next guy about seal popping it's head up right in front of me, it's just another challenge in the game. I can't do anything about the tides, weeds, wind, dirty water or seals. Don't like it and I'll learn to live with it. 

Edited February 16 by dangingras

[CS]

18 mins ago, dangingras said:

While I'm as unhappy as the next guy about seal pooping it's head up right in front of me, it's just another challenge in the game. I can't do anything about the tides, weeds, wind, dirty water or seals. Don't like it and I'll learn to live with it. 

Totally agree.  Nothing you can do, and I've since discovered new Block spots because Seals at Sandy Point forced me to look elsewhere...

[DZ]

5 hours ago, CS said:

Totally agree.  Nothing you can do, and I've since discovered new Block spots because Seals at Sandy Point forced me to look elsewhere...

Just keep going to other locations and hopefully the seals will remain uncomfortable hauling out in those locations with more people around.