Some examples of wasting big fish
Here's some examples of why I feel there is something wrong with the status quo, why I feel the need to discuss it here, and why I want to be involved somehow with changing this kind of mentality and awareness in my lifetime.
I know it's discussed over and over every year on every internet fishing board, and among guys who have been fishing a long time. I don't imagine that this thread will make a difference in the bahavior of people, I know it won't. :argue:
What I can try to do is raise awareness.
By raising awareness, maybe a few more pople will become incensed, or vocal about what they're seeing out there,and report it here, so others can see the excesses of our behavior. Maybe then, we can start a dialogue, and try to do something.
In the meantime, all opinions are welcome here. There is no right or wrong. Even if your opinion is opposite of what I have stated, I would like to hear it, and why.
Wasting big fish:
1.There is a marina in Point Pleasant. Last year, after many people weighed these big bass in after catching them on their boats, they decided for whatever reason they didn't want them, didn't want to clean them, or they left the fish out too long without ice, and dumped whole fish in the dumpster. This behavior became so widespread that there is now a sign at that marina saying "No fish cleaning".
2. Not to be one-sided about slamming boat fishermen, last year around this time, there was a club that had a surf tournament. After the tournament, there were 9 big bass found in the dumpster in the firehouse at Long Branch. This is not necessarily to slam clubs either. Many of the clubs I know of now have "no-kill" policies where you can take a measurement and pics of the fish, and still qualify on the leader board. This is a great policy that all clubs should follow to try to set an example by. :thumbsup:
The club that I promote here and am a member of, www.stripercoastsurfcasters.org, has a no-kill, catch and release policy for all tournaments. A pic and tape measurement of the fish are all that's required to enter a fish, and I applaud them for that. :clapping::clapping:
3. "Culling fish" - this is no longer a rumor. I have heard this story a half-dozen times from different people who were eye-witness to this behavior. What this means is that when the big blitzes are going on, a person will catch a 25, 15 minutes later catch (2) 35 or 40# fish, and leave the 25 on the rocks or give it to someone so they can claim ownership of the 2 larger fish
This is something that shouldn't go on any longer. I would encourage anyone who sees this going on to either say something when its happening, or report the violators to the wardens listed here.
NJ poaching violations
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/showthread.php?t=45
NY poaching violations
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...read.php?t=148