Re: Blackfish reports
 

Releasing larger fish??.. Honestly, can't say I ever saw that one before. Exactly the opposite. The babies go back, period, everything remotely legal goes in the cooler.. Can't blame guys that might have just spent $150 for a few blackfish.... I have seen in person where party boat crews had those big blue hard plastic DEF barrels filled to the top with cold sea water, and kept pumps running into them, while the water ran down the deck bow to stern, almost the entire trip after the first few fish was caught.. The boat employee was going to sell them alive, as I had already figured, and had ready and eager buyers waiting .. He said each one was worth a minimum of $25, usually more, and this was several years ago... How do I know that? simple, he told me while I fished next to him..

More than anything else, the "live fish" craze, sushi, sashimi etc, has been one of the greatest detriments to tog populations.. Pin hookers the live close to the coast can make a lot of money, if they are good, and know how not to get caught... In my day, blackfish were not highly thought of, and the abundance compared to today is off the charts... Don't know the answer, but as long as a single live 3 pound fish is worth $25-$35, guys will catch them and sell them...bob

Re: Blackfish reports
 

It is actually difficult to sell tog over 6lbs so releasing large fish is pretty common when the pool isn't an issue. Most live fish buyers want large shorts and small keepers.

Re: Blackfish reports
 

Not saying this did not happen but I've experienced the opposite. If the angler wanted to release the fish the barrel was set up to revive the fish if it had not recovered enough to be released when it was caught. One time I saw the captain and mates nurse a fish all afternoon and were finally able to revive it just before the day ended. Smiles all around when that fish swam away. I've also seen the opposite where the fish couldn't be revived and the disappointment in their faces when they were forced to keep the fish.

I think there are a lot more conservation minded people now a days and it's good to see more concern for the resource. I do however remember the days of people filling burlap bags filled with Bluefish, I was one of them.

At the end of the day and as it should be, keeping or catching and releasing within your legal limits is a personal choice and we should respect a person's choice either way.

Re: Blackfish reports
 

as stated in my post,they guy in question actually revealed he had a ready market, and prices were high,,This is probably 7-8 years ago now and things may have changed .. I do know one thing for sure because its human nature. Not one of us wants to be told he can't keep a fish he paid a lot of money to catch... Not denigrating the guy in question.. If I were him, fishing every day,I would sell some of it as well, in all likelyhood..There were his fish, he caught them, kept only his limit etc.... bob

Re: Blackfish reports
 

Bob, things have changed a great deal since you've been fishing last!! No one says you can't keep a fish, but it is encouraged to release big fish 7+ pounders especially if they are females. These fish are the breeders and need to be returned to live another day to make more babies. This also applies to fluke because these big fish are mostly females. Bigger fish typically don't taste as good as the smaller keepers. If you are worried about the amount of money you are spending and have to base the success of the trip by how many fish you kill! Fishing is a rec sport and its the thrill of catching fish should be what's driving you, not how may fish you are putting in your freezer. If you just want fish, save your money and go to Shoprite!!

Re: Blackfish reports
 

Understood... I made several NJ trips a year up until just a few years ago.. No longer can I justify a $200 party boat trip.. thats what it costs me these days. If you have good access to fish like fluke, Tog ,Sea Bass, etc, its easy to think as you are thinking. Some guys just can't go salt water fishing on a whim, and when they do, its a very special trip, and most of us want to bring home some fish. Maybe one day, I'll get down there again, and see first hand a party boat customer release his potential pool winning 10 + tog... Until that day, kindly pardon my "I'll believe that when I see it" snotty attitude... bob

Re: Blackfish reports
 

Right on Bob and this is why I continue to harp on it being a personal choice.. You don't know what other peoples circumstances are and you should not pass judgment on people who's choice and circumstances might be different than yours.

Re: Blackfish reports
 

Gerry-
Right now, if I came down on a PB trip and hung a big 10+ tog, had no other fish that day, no way it would go back.. Maybe,, if there were lets say a 5 fish limit, and I already had 3 or 4 nice fat fish, I would consider it.. Now IF I still lived close by, got out regularly, and had no trouble accessing this fishery on a fairly regular basis, its no longer as unique, and there would be no need to always keep the biggest fish. There always "another day".... So, it all depends on ones personal situation..

At this point in my life, a 5 pound tog would be a rare trophy, that I would love to bring home.
When I lived in NJ, fished for them all the time,it was just "yeah nice one", then tossed in the bucket, and forgotten about quickly.. Just not all that special.

I see guys raving over LL salmon over on the fresh water side all the time here... Thats because they don't come easy in NJ, and are not readily caught by most NJ fresh water guys fishing locally... For me, I could drive to Cayuga, and put some time in casting from shore with a spoon, , jig or big rooster tail, hang a tail walking 8 pounder on any given winter day.. Most NJF guys would consider that a mountable trophy... Me, having caught them even bigger than that would look at it, think "yeah, nice one", unpin it, and keep fishing.....


Like many other NJF members, I release a LOT of my biggest and best catches, because while its nice to hang a nice fish or two, its just not all that big a deal... However, now that I don't have access anymore, the thought of releasing a tog of a truly impressive size is alien to me, because that fish would be a rare, perhaps even once in a lifetime event for me.. I hope this makes sense, and sorry I swerved so far off the path of this original content, but this IS a really interesting discussion!!

Re: Blackfish reports
 

Cayuga is a beautiful area .

Re: Blackfish reports
 

Picking up what you're laying down Bob and yes a good discussion and nothing to apologize for. Respectful discussions like this are full of great information, seeing others point of view and educating people who might not be familiar with the fishery. Mission accomplished on all 3 fronts :D