Charter boats and spring fishing

[Monty]

It looks like the charter boats in Raritan Bay are starting to catch and kill some keeper size bass. Its all legal.
Are all these bass being killed females with eggs?
I know its legal, I know its how the captains and mates make a living.
My opinion on this is:
If these bass are pre-spawn, with eggs, its just another fishing management careless blunder, major-screw up. I would think that at least for pre-spawn/spawn that the regulations in the bay/river be (at the most) one bass, no tag. Maybe even for a bit post-spawn, to give them a chance to get out of Dodge.
Hopefully the regulations will change next year.

[jigfreak]

I read somewhere that they do that in maryland. Good idea for the raritan bay as well. The only problem is what would the meatmen do if they can't take fish home. That would be like going into a strip joint and dry humping the pole instead of the stripper. If you asked them to do that their eyes might explode.

[robmedina]

^^^^Maryland is catch and release until after the spawn.

[surfstix1963]

They shouldn't be fished for till after the spawn the stress of the fight could cause the fish to prematurely lay eggs which will not hatch causing a lower spawn rate.

[captnemo]

You guys may be right but the charter/party captains and would probably lobby together to oppose this. My .02

[Monty]

^^^^Maryland is catch and release until after the spawn.


Well its open now (just this weekend reopened) and these girls don't look post spawn.....

http://www.sawyercharters.com/chesapeake-bay-maryland-fishing.htm

http://www.sawyercharters.com/images/Apr1914.JPG

http://www.sawyercharters.com/images/Apr2014.JPG

[surferman]

Even though they only kept one each that's a lot of meat. I read online where somone was saying the fish they are catching in the chesapeake now are not spawned out. Maybe because of the cold winter they are taking later to drop their eggs.

[hookedonbass]

The Raritan bay meat runs have started. Check out the meatmen thread.

[jigfreak]

Wheres the guy here who posted the meatmen song? Post it again please that was funny.

[jigfreak]

They shouldn't be fished for till after the spawn the stress of the fight could cause the fish to prematurely lay eggs which will not hatch causing a lower spawn rate.

I agree. Lay off the spawners till after they're done. It wouldn't be that much of a sacrifice.

[dogfish]

Wheres the guy here who posted the meatmen song? Post it again please that was funny.


My ears were ringing. And thank you sir. :)
Here ya go-

Something to lighten it up a bit

16955

Mikey the Meat Man - sung to Popeye the sailor man

I'm Mikey the Meat Man. I'm Mikey the Meat Man.
I'm an internet hero, the bass I throw back are zero.
I'm Mikey the Meat Man.

If about saving the bass you squeak, you must be a peta freak
Or like mens derrierres.
I hooks 'em and fillets 'em and always out weighs 'em
And none of 'em gets away nowhere.

If anyone hates my bonus tag, well your nothing but a ***
So keep your bass lmit every day, blame the head boats its the american way

I'm Mikey the Meat Man. I'm Mikey the Meat Man.
I'm an internet hero, the bass I throw back are zero.
I'm Mikey the Meat Man.

I give bass to the poor, cause they live in a sewer.
If they can't have looseys, the stripahs are sweet and juicy.

Change the law dont give me crap
Otherwise shut your stinkin trap.

If I can't put meat in a can I'm not a man.
Dont give me no quarter its an all out slaughter on the water.


I'm Mikey the Meat Man. I'm Mikey the Meat Man.
I'm an internet hero, the bass I throw back are zero.
I'm Mikey the Meat Man. :moon:

[captnemo]

Capt Al Ristori posted this today. I agree 100% -


"As expected, striped bass fishing broke open last weekend in Raritan Bay with clamming, trolling and live bunker fishing all producing lots of legal bass. Yet, as good as that fishing has been, it’s important to keep in mind that most of those large bass are females feeding up before spawning in the Hudson River next month.

It’s almost certain that any striper of 20 pounds or more is a female, and the future of local stocks is dependent on maintaining a strong spawning stock in the Hudson. If you’re going to bring home some fish, it’s better to keep the smaller males rather than round-bellied females so close to spawning."

[hookset]

They really should shut it down in the Hudson and Raritan till may like they do in Maryland. It would be no big deal and help the bass population.

[hookset]

I agree. Lay off the spawners till after they're done. It wouldn't be that much of a sacrifice.

Maybe for you and I it wouldn't but if you have to lay off the spawners there would be no trophy fish weighed. No bragging rights at the dock or the bar. Whats the point of fishing if you can't brag how good you are to your buddies?:rolleyes:

[ledhead36]

Possible changes that were submitted by both sides and discussed:

1. Captains and mates on charter and head boat can not catch and give fish to paying customers
2. No more bonus tags to head and charter boats for every carried passenger on board


Finchaser I hope they really do this. That is illegal the capts giveing their share of the catch to the fares. Catch your own fish. If you can't then you should ask the capt to wipe your *** when you take a dump too because that is just pathetic.

[robmedina]

I heard there is an all out slaughter ......... I guess not too many of the big girls are getting thrown back. There should be a catch and release only regulation pre spawn. Maryland has that reg, why don't we?

[hookset]

I heard there is an all out slaughter on stripers in Raritan Bay. I guess not too many of the big girls are getting thrown back. I found this pic on the net.

18213



There should be a catch and release only regulation pre spawn. Maryland has that reg, why don't we?


I agree they should make it c&r during the spawn. So many guys talk about the future of stripers but then keep 3 big ones every time. If we all keep 3 just because we can there will be no future.

[voyager35]

One of those know it alls who has epic fishing every time. Latest report they got fish to 36 lbs and all kept their limits. Fish 20 lbs and up All prime spawning fish that will never spawn again.
How much meat - can you eat? http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.png



He has a reputation for exaggerating. Take his reports with a grain of salt. His job to pack the boat. He has to talk the bite up to do that. You might want to cut him some slack for that part of the promoting. As for the keeping of big fish I don't usually keep fish that big they don't taste that good. He has to follow the wishes of his fares.

[surferman]

His job to pack the boat. He has to talk the bite up to do that. You might want to cut him some slack for that part of the promoting. As for the keeping of big fish I don't usually keep fish that big they don't taste that good. He has to follow the wishes of his fares.

Well here is a capt who is not only following the wishes of his fares he is promoting "bonus limits" on every trip. Is it the fares who make him do it or is the capt culpable? After all he is using it as part of his marketing strategy. So he has to take some of the responsibility.
What do you guys think about that? Here is the report:

" Friday was pay back time Troy an his guys had a bonus limit in the box by 8:15. Friday afternoon's open boat crew easily put a bonus limit on ice also. Saturday John an his crew had a great trip by putting another bonus limit on ice .

Saturday afternoon was a tough one . We read lots of fish that would not bite.
We ended up only killing 7. "

[storminsteve]

Well here is a capt who is not only following the wishes of his fares he is promoting "bonus limits" on every trip. Is it the fares who make him do it or is the capt culpable? After all he is using it as part of his marketing strategy. So he has to take some of the responsibility.
What do you guys think about that? Here is the report:

We ended up only killing 7. "

What do I think? that this guy is a real class act.http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/images/icons/icon13.png
Poor baby - ONLY killed 7 fish. What an A**-munch.

[bababooey]

Sorry to pee on the cornflakes here. You guys must realize the business is changing. Not much interest in putting together a 6 pack striper charter nowadays with all the busy schedules. Many Capts are running open boats just to make ends meet. Say a Capt has 6 fares that don't know each other and he takes them out. They want full coolers. Who is he to deny them? Just my .02

[jigfreak]

^^^^ Dude that is such a lame excuse. By that logic I should be able to sell crack to school kids because some of them really want me to sell it to them. Some of these capts need to grow the eff up and realize they are hammering these bass to no end. When there hardly any left and all the restrictions on seabass and fluke what will they fish for, dogfish? Effing tools.

[finchaser]

^^^^ Dude that is such a lame excuse. By that logic I should be able to sell crack to school kids because some of them really want me to sell it to them. Some of these capts need to grow the eff up and realize they are hammering these bass to no end. When there hardly any left and all the restrictions on seabass and fluke what will they fish for, dogfish? Effing tools.

what he said^^^ Especially that they are pre spawn fish they do not have to exercise bonus tags for the whole boat sometimes including them

[hookset]

Well here is a capt who is not only following the wishes of his fares he is promoting "bonus limits" on every trip. Is it the fares who make him do it or is the capt culpable? After all he is using it as part of his marketing strategy. So he has to take some of the responsibility.
What do you guys think about that? Here is the report:

" Friday was pay back time Troy an his guys had a bonus limit in the box by 8:15. Friday afternoon's open boat crew easily put a bonus limit on ice also. Saturday John an his crew had a great trip by putting another bonus limit on ice .

Saturday afternoon was a tough one . We read lots of fish that would not bite.
We ended up only killing 7. "


what he said^^^ Especially that they are pre spawn fish they do not have to exercise bonus tags for the whole boat sometimes including them



Exactly. If a captain is advertising "limits +++ with bonus" for each trip that happens, that captain is using the bonus tag as a marketing tool. He may not be saying it specifically but hes implying "Hey come on our boat we will get you more meat than the other boats and we will fill your bonus tags every time". Then the captains when questioned about it say "oh well we are doing what the law allows. If you don't like it change the law."
B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T :2flip:

The latest load of meat from papas angels. If you ask my opinion they are a load of ****. 6 man charter 18 fish to 25 lbs. yep get em now while you can before they are all dead.


18228

[seamonkey]

Well here is a capt who is not only following the wishes of his fares he is promoting "bonus limits" on every trip. Is it the fares who make him do it or is the capt culpable? After all he is using it as part of his marketing strategy. So he has to take some of the responsibility.
What do you guys think about that?

I think it sucks. The captains have to accept that they are advertising their trips as including bonus fish.
Here is another one Capt Ray from the mad gaffer. Capt Ray when there are no bass left you are part of the problem!:2flip:
A dozen fish over 20lbs how much meat is that?

"it is 12:30 p. m . and we are boxed up and and all our bonus tags are used all big fish a dozen over 20 lbs. ( photos to be posted later ) "

[finchaser]

Most of them with out bunker can't get catch a fish. Plus it's illegal for the Mates and Captains to catch and give fish to charter especially when they make 2 trips and do it twice a day. From what I have been told the bonus tags will be gone next year and they will only be allowed to possess one fish per person over 36 or 38".

Head boat mentality and sadly many charter captains live by anything caught dies they fill boats that way by boasting how good they are.

[captnemo]

. Plus it's illegal for the Mates and Captains to catch and give fish to charter especially when they make 2 trips and do it twice a day. From what I have been told the bonus tags will be gone next year and they will only be allowed to possess one fish per person over 36 or 38".



That head boat mentality has got to stop. Also the practice of Capt and mate giving their fish to the fares. That's illegal and gives everyone who does it a bad name.

[storminsteve]

That head boat mentality has got to stop. Also the practice of Capt and mate giving their fish to the fares. That's illegal and gives everyone who does it a bad name.

:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping: What finchaser and the capt said. You charter capts talk a lot of crap about following the regulations and then you do sleazy things like take extra fish that aren't allowed and brag about bonus fish. If you ask me the charter and party boats should be considered as commercial fishermen. They do more damage to the stripers than anyone else and they are so sleazy about it saying "hey im just fishing what the regulations allow me to fish" BS!!!!!!!!

[Monty]

If you ask me the charter and party boats should be considered as commercial fishermen. They do more damage to the stripers than anyone else and they are so sleazy about it saying "hey im just fishing what the regulations allow me to fish" BS!!!!!!!!

While recreational fisherman always used to blame the commercial fishermen for killing so many bass, the charter and party boat captains are at the same level (inconsiderate, selfish, ignorant, arrogant). When the regulations change I hope they feel it financially.

[cowherder]

Another big time meat guy the boats name is fishstix. They got a limit of 15 bass to 25 lbs for 6 guys. Looks like this guy advertises a lot that he will get you bonus limits. Finchaser I am so glad you said that bonus tag will be addressed. then pigs like this wont be able to keep those bonus fish anymore.

I wonder if these boats even send their bonus data in like they are supposed to?

18285

[cowherder]

While recreational fisherman always used to blame the commercial fishermen for killing so many bass, the charter and party boat captains are at the same level (inconsiderate, selfish, ignorant, arrogant). When the regulations change I hope they feel it financially.


I agree with you. I feel bad if a guys business loses money but most of these capts here are just greedy pigs who are only about money in their pockets. They don't care one bit about the stripers. So when the regulations change if they suffer its too bad they take and take with those bonus tags and have no sense that maybe they should just take a little less. even 2 fish per man wouldn't be that bad. These guys are just greedy asinine pigs. my .02

[hookset]

They don't care 2 sh*ts about whether there are enough bass or not. They will switch to bluefish or fluke or seabass. Doesn't matter to them. They are all about exploiting the resource. And that's MY 2c.:2flip:

[clamchucker]

This is certainly something that needs to be shed light on. As finchaser and surferman said in NJ many of the Capts and Mates will fish for limits including the bonus and give their catches to the fares so they can go home with a full limit.
How would folks feel if this was hunting. The guide brings the party out to shoot the trophy elk or deer. The client is a poor shot so the guide shoots and kills the trophy for him. Then the client goes home with that as his kill. I think any ethical hunter would be ashamed of this practice. fishermen should be ashamed of it too. The last time the striped bass were decimated no one wanted to believe it could happen. I lived through it. I see the same attitudes out there today. These abuses must be reigned in or the bass will continue to suffer.