Why must people slaughter bass???

[Fishguts]

Great thread!!!!! So let me get this right , the Feds got it right on the stripers by allowing the current harvest limits but are totally clueless when it comes to managing every other species fluke and seabass included.
Also when a netter hangs 3000lb of pre spawn fish it's gonna collapse the whole stock but when the fleet puts 20,000 lbs on the docks in a weekend it's called good fishing.

Its time to quit the crying and belly aching and load the coolers . Many people remember the poor bass fishing in the eighties so now is the time to get all you can. I doesn't get any better than this. There are plenty of bass no need to feel bad about taking a limit and bonus fish .As an added bonus a few web sites have great recipes for striper row. Hate to see 7 to 10 lbs of tasty eggs thrown in the trash when cleaning a cow as I think they taste better than the fillets.

[CaptTB]

Originally Posted by bulletbob

I lived in Union Beach in the 80s... ANY striper was big news in those days.. For most anglers they simply didn't exist... It was hard long work to catch stripers of any size in those days, and few bothered to fish for them.... So here we are, the bass are back, and we take all we can keep with a clear conscience.. Fine.. In a few years, this intense hammering of the spawning stocks will takes its toll as it must, and anglers will blame everyone and every thing but themselves. A little self control really does go a long way, and the angry comments here from "sportsmen " is kind of puzzling..

That statement would have some merit if....and I say IF... the circumstances today were the same as they were prior to the "barren 80's" as people call them.

But they are not. Prior to the fall of stripers there were no limits in most cases, and "taking all we can keep" as you say now is NOT the same thing as "taking all you can CATCH" which is what it was in the past. There was no coastal (mostly unless equivalent, more restrictive or Ches. bay) 2 fish @ 28" or greater limit back in the 50s and 60s and 70s, which was part of the reason for the demise of the population at that time.

There was no moratorium on federal waters fisheries in the 50s and 60s and 70s, which was part of the reason for the demise of the population at that time.

There was no law preventing commercial fishing for stripers in several states like there is today, which was part of the reason for the demise of the population at that time.

Comparisons of catching and keeping your legal 2 fish to what went on in the seventies is no comparison at all, the circumstances are VERY different and there are actually rules in place now that did not even exist then.

I like this site but I have noticed something very odd..
Over in the freshwater section, the "bucket brigade" are ridiculed, dishonored and disliked for killing fish and taking them home to eat,yet here in the saltwater section, the guys with the largest piles of dead fish are hailed as conquering heroes..

I disagree. One need look no further (farther?) than Johnny Bucktails' threads about his great fishing to see how many people tried to dogpile on the rabbit because he was killing those poor stripers en masse

By the way, Ling have been more and more scarce this past year.. who'd a thunk we would ever say ling are in trouble.. However, the writing is on the wall... Watch out for bag limits on Ling in the near future, but again, it not our fault.
Too many people killing too many fish.. pretty simple equation really.... bob

If you are trying to say that because this year Ling fishing was slower that there is a problem with the stock I will have to again disagree with you. What about 4-5 years ago when the fishing totally sucked? If that was an indication of the downturn in a stock then why was the winter of 2011/2012 one of the best years of Ling fishing anyone has ever seen?

Having one slow season does not necessarily mean anything other than it was a slow season.

Perhaps the problem is too many people thinking that what they like should be what everyone likes or "else." I did not take that attitude from your post Bob but from others both in this thread and others like Johhny's threads.

[1captainron]

Every year as long as I can remember, the same discussion has come up...it's getting old. As long as we have the guys who need to Post, "It was a Slaughter", Massacre, Beat down and all the other BS that makes them feel they are great fishermen, we will have the guys who post just the opposite.
How do you slaughter 2 keeper Stripers? What actually is a Beat Down??? Please describe..............
For Christ sake, Fish, have a good day, if it's a great day, say it was great, good, excellent and so on, keep it simple stupid. All this other crap gives the powers that be more ammo to get us off the water.
As I say every year and I'll say it again, we Slaughter animals for food, we massacred the American Indian, A Beat Down is something used against terrorist's to gain information....how is this related to fishing?

Take two Bass, if you need three get a bonus tag, it's the law and you are allowed that. Problem is, with the current regulations on every fish out there, everyone is Bass fishing. The Party and Charter boats that used to fish Flounder and Black fish this time of year basically can't because of the regulations. The pressure on the Bass is going to kill the goose that layed the golden egg only because that's what we have been forced to do . In the end we are all screwed with nothing left to fish for. Is it our fault....NO Fricking way! Blame the experts with all the BS science and fake numbers that justify their jobs, only cause they can.
And just remember this, today's "We Slaughtered them" is tomorrow's "We got the Skunk". Happens all the time.

[makosnax]

I keep what Im gonna eat and release the rest. The word " limit" is looked at like a trophy these days but if youre gonna eat what you catch within the legal bag limit then go for it. To kill fish just to exclaim "limit!" I dont agree with.

[JOHN D]

The problem simple, we never learn.

[Webstersigam]

Since when has a simple fishing conversation taken the same tone as a conversation about politics or religion. The rules and regs are the rules and regs. I think some of the belly achers are being blinded by the pictures of a floor full of blood and fish piled up but in reality do the math....2 or 3 fish per person isn't really that much. Go out have fun keep what you are allowed and enjoy the great meal that these fish provide. Seeing I can't help myself by throwing in my own opinon...I support slot limits!

[mad8713]

Exactly, keep what you are going to eat. Fill the freezer if it's not going to be wasted. Some people don't fish as much as the rest of us, so if they want a bonus fish when the fishing good, so be it. If a customer on a charter fishes twice a year, there is nothing wrong with a bonus fish. Let's all just have some common sense. I just can't understand the private guys who fish everyday and take bonus fish everyday. They say they give the fish away, but chances are the people are wasting it. If you want to be a celebrity go on America Idol

[NoLimit]

We ate our catch from Sat today - Sundays catch will be gone by the end of the week.

[Type R Teggy]

Guys before any of you get the wrong idea I am not against limits myself. As of matter of fact I love to eat striped bass myself but I guess the sensation I get when I see that fish swim away knowing that it has a chance at life and to produce more fish for our fisheru overcomes the taste of the fish. I keep a bass or 2 here and there (after the spawn). I just dont see how people fish and keep limits daily.im talking the same people with a cooler full of clams/ bunker. I mean seriously. If you can afford all the bait that you use daily, equipment, ect. Im sure you can buy somthing else to eat then bass daily. Again nothing wrong with limits but when you have your friends coming with a rod just to keep more fish thats rediculous.

[RnK]

Originally Posted by Uncle Nicky

I don't know anyone who catches or keeps more than the legal limit, I keep (and eat) all the legal fish I catch, mostly because I love the taste of striper, so does Mrs. & the kiddies. I wouldn't call that "slaughter"....

Our sentiments exactly, striper is at the top of our favs for eating. We eat what we catch all year around and striper vacuum sealed and frozen lasts a good 6 months. We eat fish 3-4x a week, and a lot of it is striper.

Personally, I cringe at the use of "slaughter" when I see it in a report from the one or two captains that use it. I think it sends the wrong message, not only to our community, but certainly adds gasoline to the fire of the very vocal vegan's wrath. Just saying ....

Russ