Febuary Bass! Are we on schedule?
 

Re: Febuary Bass! Are we on schedule?
 

Nice fish...someone smiling down from up above...

Re: Febuary Bass! Are we on schedule?
 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CpEla1G0Jo

Whetting the appetite.

Re: Febuary Bass! Are we on schedule?
 

Nice video! Where is the 40lb bass?

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Isn't that closed season until march?

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You are allowed to catch and release in the closed season. :)

Re: Febuary Bass! Are we on schedule?
 

They are being beat up and raped by the small charter boats off NC and the Chesapeake, and soon the guys up North will do the same.

But the numbers are dwindling very fast. This is shaping up like the collapse back in the 80's when it was do to Commercial fishing only this time it's the small charter and private boats that are doing what they hated the commercial guys doing.

Any other questions?

Re: Febuary Bass! Are we on schedule?
 

No you are not. In the wording of the regulations how is that not considered "attempting to take"?

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What are your sources for the "dwindling fast" assertion? Seems to me striper fishing had been strong as ever until Sandy hit. One hopes the fishery isn't as fragile as you claim and no doubt an eye should be kept on it but where's the proof it's in trouble now?

There's also no comparison with a 2 (3) fish per man limit on a six pack to the devestation that the commercial guys wrought.

Re: Febuary Bass! Are we on schedule?
 

We do not keep any fish in our north jersey rivers ....and we really think twice about chowing down on ocean runners .. just due to the fact we catch tagged fish from other states in the Passaic and Hackensack rivers....so think again when eating that big cow, that one winter or summer dine on some of those delicious bait buffets of our east cost rivers(all of them are polluted) just release as many as possible and eat the deep hooks.

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And in two weeks it will be legal to target bass in those waters....just sayin

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Nice fish Urban. Thats what fishing is all about. Headin out and giving it a shot even though you know you have a good chance of going home skunked this time of year. Its all about just tryin to relax have a good time and appreciate the experience.

Austin - Seriously going to try and rain on this guys parade? I am not sure of the legal stipulations of C&R but it is just that. Catch and Release. No harm done to the fish and now we all have a better idea of where the fish are and what they are doing. IMO the people who make up the rules and regulations for us know a fraction of what most experienced anglers know. If i knew I could go out and have some C&R the fear of a game wardon would never stop me.

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Theres also a good chance that in two weeks from now you wont catch fish where he was.

Re: Febuary Bass! Are we on schedule?
 

Yes you are... No one was attempting to take because you catch and dehook and release the fish.

Your understanding of the wording is way off.

If someone is attempting to take he catches it, and attempts to put it somewhere or in something and is caught in the act of doing such thing.

I have 3 friends who work for NY and NJ, 2 are NY DEC and one is NJ Fish and game. ;)

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Hey Tom this is going down just like it did in the 80's. All the commercial guys were saying look at all these big stripers the stock is fine and collapse went the stock.

The red flags are up, you can either heed it's warning and start throwing back big females 30lb + to keep breeding or see the stock collapse.

I remember only a few people even targeting bass when the limit was 36" or better and one a man and even a year of 38" and ov er one a man.

The minute they lowered the size limit to 28" and the charter boats and internet started catching steam that ultimately started the demise of the stripers all over again.

Where were all these charter and private boats when the stripers needed to be 36"+ to be kept?

Re: Febuary Bass! Are we on schedule?
 

The answer I got from a warden when I called on this issue was different so I guess each warden is reading from a different book

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Just a point of correction on your post - when the minimum size was lowered to 28" (I believe in 90, 91, or 92) we still had a very limited stock of stripers.

It was when the SLOT limit was created in the late 90's that the charter boats/party boats started targeting the bass with regularity since most bass that were caught were under the minimum of 28". Even then, taking 1 bass home that was a "slot" fish plus the occasional over 28" er was what got the people on the boats since there was a better chance of going home with a couple of fillets.

And most of the people that were fishing in the mid-80's when the 36" size limit was in place were on the railed headboats targeting whiting/ling in November/December and in the spring. That fishery was a real conservational success eh??!?! :rolleyes:

Re: Febuary Bass! Are we on schedule?
 

Regardless what the wardens say about fishing for bass in the winter, that law was brought into place when people were snagging dormant fish out of their wintering holes, thats not legit so they outlawed it. Nowadays, residing fish habits are different and if you're snagging fish out of a hole then you're breaking the law, but if you're fair-hooking fish for catch and release, then who really cares? If you have the drive to fish this time of year and you're doing it fairly then the law really shouldn't matter, maybe you'll get a ticket one day for this, but if you know those are the potential consequences and you're willing to take the risk then more power to ya, TIA this is america I have had great backbay bites in january and kept it to myself and never ran into a warden. Tell em you're fishing for bluefish. or redfish.

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That really isn't a slot limit really, more like a hybrid slot.

As for the over harvest or local whiting stocks well you can blame NJ and the US government, US and Foreign commercial trawlers For the local collapse.

Now since you are in the know you should also add that the Whiting stock is fine the only problem is that they can not over flow and migrate inshore like they used to from the Hudson Canyon because as you know thats the stock that used to frequent our waters through the winter.

Now the mid-water trawlers that are Corporate Commercial fishing fleets are netting them before they can make their way inshore.

End the Mid -water boats and gain the epic whiting fishery there was once in our local waters.

Blackfish demise was not caused by hook and line but by roller gear and fish pots. Stop these two things and we will have again blackfishing like it once was.

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agree 100% well said :) I like how you mentioned "overflow" with the whiting that's why we had them for 100 years +!!

Fish pots haven't helped the tog either!!

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The conservation officers were out a few weeks ago over a few days at a certain area in NJ, chasing people and issuing written warnings for targeting bass. i would think twice about documenting it, they see the stuff too.

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Don't bother. Some people don't care about the laws, as dumb as the laws appear to be. They will find out one way or another that they actually do not know it all.

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It seems to me like almost all of you have great ideas!! In my opinion the most important idea is person accountant ability. If the vast majority of those who truly care get involved in the promotion of catch and release we can lead by example. In other words show how much you care by your own actions. I always take a few guys fishing on our boat most every time we go. The standing rule on the boat is catch and release. We do have exceptions. Persons first fish. Want to take one home for dinner etc etc. I tell all the guys and gals that fish with us. There are plenty of dead fish at the store no need to kill any more. If you love fishing and want your grandchildren to be able to fish and catch its your responsibility to make that happen.

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And i don't mean to rain on anyone's parade but I just confirmed with a higher up that it IS ILLEGAL to purposely target a species during a closed season. Take it for what it is and do what you want with it but don't go spreading false info because your experience as an angler makes you believe you are above the law. Attempting to take is what it reads. You are attempting to catch a closed species. You can not prove attempting to catch and release....it's too vague

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****See Special Regulations contained in 6 NYCRR 40.1 (h) (3).

(g) Striped bass recreational fishing-special regulations.

(1) Except as provided in subparagraph 4(v) below, it is unlawful for any person to possess striped bass from which the head or tail has been removed or that have been otherwise cleaned, cut, filleted or skinned so that the total length or identity cannot be determined; except that it is not unlawful if such fish is being prepared for immediate consumption or storage at a domicile or place of residence.

(2) No person shall take striped bass for recreational purposes other than by angling and spearing.

(3) During the closed recreational season for striped bass, catch and release fishing by angling only is permitted. Catch and release fishing is defined as a fishery where the fish are returned to the water. During the closed season all striped bass taken shall be returned to the water immediately without unnecessary injury.

Re: Febuary Bass! Are we on schedule?
 

Are you citing New York regs (6 NYCRR 40.1 (h) (3)) to make an argument about the NJ season? :cool: :rolleyes:

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Whoa! Thx Nancy!

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Like I said. Do what you want with the info. But don't be angry if you get ticketed for fishing backwaters for bass during closed season

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Waaaahhhh!!!

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I think you all should chill out, myself and Urban regularly hit that same spot year round and wouldn’t dream of keeping any of the fish we catch.

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You and the other guy Austin need to really read the actual law, which is pretty much the same in this case of closed season fishing.

New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife

Striped Bass Season

The striped bass begin their annual run in early spring after spawning in the Chesapeake Bay, The Roanoke and the Hudson and Delaware Rivers. This usually takes place when the water temperature hits 60 degrees. Then they leave the estuaries and begin their trek northward towards New England. Foraging all along the New Jersey coastline and the Delaware Bay on the way. The reverse takes place in the fall on their way back to their wintering grounds in North Carolina .

new jersey striper map -Pinelands

The closed seasons for striped bass are: January 1 through February 28 in all waters except the Atlantic Ocean from 0-3 miles offshore; and April 1 through May 31 in the Delaware River and its tributaries from the Route 1 Bridge in Trenton downstream to and including the Salem River and its tributaries. Any striped bass caught during a closed season must be released immediately. The possession or killing of a striped bass during a closed season is a violation of the law and will result in prosecution.

Also note that fishermen may possess one additional striped bass per day under the Striped Bass Bonus Fish Program subject to the following: 1) the angler must apply for and receive a fish possession card in advance of attempting to take a bonus fish; and 2) the minimum size limit for a striped bass taken under the bonus program is 28 inches. For more information on the bonus program, call 609-748-2020.

New Jersey Marine Weather Forecasts

Re: Febuary Bass! Are we on schedule?
 

Just answer a YES or NO question, NYCRR 40.1(h) (3) pertains to the state of New York?

P.s I already know its a Yes

Its factual that the last week of Jan many anglers were issued written warnings for targeting Striped Bass In Ocean county back water

and yes if you are Walleye fishing in the Delaware, they address what to do if a striper is taken accidentally, does not mean you target.

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Please cite the law and give a link... Thanks

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We are our worst enemies. The guy catches a fish and you hang him to a cross. Move on, go write letters against commercial fishing instead of one guy who caught a fish, MOVE ON , what a waste of time and effort.

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Nice February catch urban. Bet this post wasn't intended to go law and order. Again, nice catch bro!!

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Should we release all stripers?If at all possible i encourage the release of large bass.Some anglers come in from out of state to striper fish.If the charter only catches large bass they are in the box.If we have smaller fish mixed in we take the smaller fish for the table.If you think that charter boats are ruining the striper fishery you are wrong.Negative posts like yours do not help the for hire industry.I totally disagree with your assesment of the striper stocks.It is 50 times as good as the eighties.We should all be conservation minded but also be realistic.More stripers are out past the three mile line then ever.That is there protection.I also noticed you did not mention party boats.Are they also culprits?The stripers are there for us to harvest and the recreational fisherman are the reason we have a striper fishery!!!!!! This is my opinion after chasing bass for more than 50 years.Opionated, you bet.

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You're entitled to your opinion Capt... They had the same opinion in the Late 70's early 80's... :)

Good Luck!

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Do you fish for stripers?Do you harvest any stripers?Simple question so please answer truthfully.

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always making trouble nancy corigan..

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More breeders are swept up and killed in those nets off va every winter IN THE EEZ then hook and line guys take in ny/nj - that in itself is ridiculous.