Targeting Striped Bass During Closes Season

[AndyS]

After what happened in North Carolina I can't believe this is even an issue. Miles of dead TROPHY striped bass. Did anyone on here write a letter or voice concern about that ?

It just burns me up the time wasted picking one person apart. Can these laws or rules be changed ? Can you join a club that has a voice ? We do it all the time in freshwater, rules and regs are re wrttten all the time. I say find your contacts and see if these waters can be catch and release in the winter. Stocks change, write a letter, don't waste your time in the middle of the winter doing nothing, go to council meetings.

[RBC67]

Originally Posted by BK_Broiler

Why can't I target "Bluefish"????? Whose to say that an angler was targeting Bass...

In 37 degree water plus why would people further stress small fish trying to survive the winter

[Harpoon]

Was that the pic from 2011 right before the govt closed the comm season? Cause I'm trying to find the correlation between clearing up some confusion of the current NJ laws pertaining to backwater fishing and what you replied with.

[AndyS]

I'm saying look at the big picture, don't micro manage an entire run of fish.

Originally Posted by AndyS

After what happened in North Carolina I can't believe this is even an issue. Miles of dead TROPHY striped bass. Did anyone on here write a letter or voice concern about that ?

It just burns me up the time wasted picking one person apart. Can these laws or rules be changed ? Can you join a club that has a voice ? We do it all the time in freshwater, rules and regs are re wrttten all the time. I say find your contacts and see if these waters can be catch and release in the winter. Stocks change, write a letter, don't waste your time in the middle of the winter doing nothing, go to council meetings.

Get your shorts untwisted Andy. This has nothing to do with the slaughter these fish face. It is a discussion about a rule that was posted with misinformation. A discussion. And it's certainly not about one person because apperently a lot of people do not know that is illegal to target back bay bass during the closed season. And even more people (including at least one charter capt) do not care that these bass are resident bass holding over pre spawn. Your response to this thread has been a waste of your time and effort. And I do write letters and am active when I can be.

[Harpoon]

Originally Posted by AndyS

I'm saying look at the big picture, don't micro manage an entire run of fish.

Again the post was meant to clear up understand of the current law on the books for targeting bass in the backwaters of NJ during the closed season....Not to manage an entire run of fish.

I didn't create the law and don't know why they don't let us fish for the RESIDENT bass in the back, maybe someone could explain. But again your photo looks to be of dead MIGRATORY bass, which was taken care of with an emergency closure of the trawler season back in 2011 because of the carnage

[JOHN D]

I wouldn't worry about, I dont know one guy that has gotten in trouble for catching and releasing stripers during the winter. Most dec agents ither have better things to do or they are too damn lazy to chase us down the beach in the cold.

[Harpoon]

Originally Posted by JOHN D

I wouldn't worry about, I dont know one guy that has gotten in trouble for catching and releasing stripers during the winter. Most dec agents ither have better things to do or they are too damn lazy to chase us down the beach in the cold.

Exactly! It's the anglers choice what to do just like driving over the speed limit. You know it's posted and most of the time they won't catch you but doesn't change the fact you could get a ticket.

Oh and they wouldn't chase you down the beach since bass are legal all year off the beach!

Originally Posted by Harpoon

Exactly! It's the anglers choice what to do just like driving over the speed limit. You know it's posted and most of the time they won't catch you but doesn't change the fact you could get a ticket.

Oh and they wouldn't chase you down the beach since bass are legal all year off the beach!

I'm goin to pick this apart. Not to get anyone fired up. Just bored. If everyone broke the speed limit the roads would be a hazard for everyone. There are speed limits to protect you from yourself as well as others from you.

Now if one guy catches, gut hooks, and releases a pre spawn resident bass...eh not the big a deal. If everyone who fishes goes out and severely injures one pre spawn bass each per day then that could add up quickly. I like to think we all care for a to-be-released fish properly but you all know there are plenty of dick heads in NJ that simply don't give a shit. My point is there are rules for a reason. We don't have to all like them. But condoning breaking a rule because you feel the rule is unwarranted is dangerous for everyone.

(I'm not saying anyone is condoning anything either)

[MrAC1980]

Originally Posted by JOHN D

I wouldn't worry about, I dont know one guy that has gotten in trouble for catching and releasing stripers during the winter. Most dec agents ither have better things to do or they are too damn lazy to chase us down the beach in the cold.

Its already happened in one coastal town that I know about... No spot burning so I'm not gonna say where exactly. And yes cause I fish there too, lol.