scarce ling

[Reel Class]

Originally Posted by Denlon

I guess most of you guys are too young to remember the glory days of whiting and ling fishing in the 40's, 50's, and 60's.
In those days you could literally fill up a coal bag or a bushel basket with a mixture of these fish while fishing off the surf or jetties around the Long Branch area. The Long Branch Pier (Burned down around 1985) was a mecca for whiting and ling fishing when the ocean was calm and a light NW wind kept it flat. The guys literally fished 3 deep at the railings. It was a mad house out there.

Then sometime in the late 70's, I believe, the federal fisheries guys determined that this great fishery was under utilized, and that it would be both politically and financially beneficial to open up the fishery to the Russian and Eastern European factory ships. In a few years you couldn't catch a whiting or ling along the Jersey coast. They were essentially wiped out until the federal guys put a stop to it. I think they assumed the the fishery would recover without the factory ship pressure. In the 40 years since, maybe it has slightly recovered, but it never became fully restored and I don't think it ever will.

Denny

Denny,

FYI the pier burned down in June of 87' and it was a travesty when that happened and it's a shame they never rebuilt it. I wish I enjoyed the fishery there (born in the mid 70's) when it was in it's hey-day!

Ling fishing was different "back then" as ling were viewed by many (and many old timers see it the same way now) as trash fish. But we caught ling until the 80's right inshore with the whiting when they schooled up, just #'s were less. Ling are now mostly a deep water fishery and I haven't seen a ling in on the beach in years...

Whiting are on the rebound, somewhat. Rebound is a term used loosely here. There have been a good deal of whiting the past few summers out to the east, mostly spikes, but we've seen some bigger ones and we've even caught some while fluke fishing. But, the traditional late fall, winter stuff we know years ago is long gone like you said.....

[Capt Sal]

Originally Posted by Reel Class

Denny,

FYI the pier burned down in June of 87' and it was a travesty when that happened and it's a shame they never rebuilt it. I wish I enjoyed the fishery there (born in the mid 70's) when it was in it's hey-day!

Ling fishing was different "back then" as ling were viewed by many (and many old timers see it the same way now) as trash fish. But we caught ling until the 80's right inshore with the whiting when they schooled up, just #'s were less. Ling are now mostly a deep water fishery and I haven't seen a ling in on the beach in years...

Whiting are on the rebound, somewhat. Rebound is a term used loosely here. There have been a good deal of whiting the past few summers out to the east, mostly spikes, but we've seen some bigger ones and we've even caught some while fluke fishing. But, the traditional late fall, winter stuff we know years ago is long gone like you said.....

I think the whiting are a lost cause. There are some ling at times and it is ok. Both are in trouble more so the whiting! I see no rebound in twenty & years with whiting. I have mates that would not know a whiting if they caught it.They are still netting them and you see the ''spikes'' in the fish market.


We did let the Russians devastate our cold water bottom fish. Problem is our own commercial guys pounded it to extinction also and will keep anything and everything as long as it has a price on it's head. The only reason there are some whiting in Mass. is because the netters target cod. If there were no cod there would be no whiting there. We do not have enough cod in NJ to net so they are not a target. I wish that the younger generation could enjoy what we older fisherman had in the winter ''inshore'' fishery but I see no light at the end of the tunnel. Whiting are not protected in any way,shape, or form and never will be !

[jmurr711]

amazing the stir mountaintrout are causing lol come May 90% of anglers will forget they exist meanwhile i will be killing 400 with Hank & company

[Capt. Lou]

The foreign fleets only started the carnage in places like red square !
Anyone like me who voted for the. 200 mile limit back in the day screwed themselves totally !
Took the foreign boats off the scene & let R commercial fleet run rampant with virtually no impunity!
If u fished giants in the day like I did u will vividly remember all the floaters in back of draggers , hel we would scoop up plenty to add to r chum slicks .
I vividly rememberi in the fifties, sixties the bags of ling
g taken I the spring at the Cedars . The fall whiting run was awesome insight of the Scotland & Ambrose lightships ! Winter Shrewsbury rocks 17 , Cholera , Farms & many more held nice quantities of Cod. .
Given what's going on ow I don't envision any type comeback soon!
Just glad I fished through this period on many old style PB's that most don't even know existed !!

[dfish28]

Maybe it was a fluke while drifting, but early last flattie season we switched over to ling we were getting so many...small cod and pollock and had a number of buddies come back with decent size whiting in less than 50'- like I said: maybe it was a fluke

[DaveTats]

Originally Posted by jmurr711

amazing the stir mountaintrout are causing lol come May 90% of anglers will forget they exist meanwhile i will be killing 400 with Hank & company

You, Orr and myself will be going wild while Danny is shaking his head at us.

[DaveTats]

Originally Posted by dfish28

Maybe it was a fluke while drifting, but early last flattie season we switched over to ling we were getting so many...small cod and pollock and had a number of buddies come back with decent size whiting in less than 50'- like I said: maybe it was a fluke

There's only 2 whiting left in the Atlantic Ocean. They have JMurr's name written all over them

[njfisherman1975]

Most people think that trout fishing opens in early April...WRONG? Our trout season opens up when Hank takes us out to the canyon that we all know and love!!! Cockola Canyon!!!!

[jmurr711]

Originally Posted by njfisherman1975

Most people think that trout fishing opens in early April...WRONG? Our trout season opens up when Hank takes us out to the canyon that we all know and love!!! Cockola Canyon!!!!

April 27th bring your gulp shrimps

[Reelron]

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