What does RF stand for ya grouchy bassturd?

I'm tired of all this typing. I know progress wasn't made yesterday. I should just give it up already, right?

As for the SF proposal, it's not a good idea to mount a program in a recession that will allegedly take jobs away from people. At least awareness was raised.

All the crabbing you do every day when ya talk to me has turned me into grouchy old bassturd II.

I try to be objective. However, I know you and many other people in the shadows who don't want to get involved any more. Every day I get to hear real stories about a declining fishery.

If you only fish in one state, and don't pay attention to what happens N or S of you, you might not be able to see the big picture. If you have a boat to get in the middle of the biggest bass, you would swear that the fishery is perfectly fine.

When Bob Pond first started talking about conservation and founded Stripers Unlimited, people made fun of him. They ridiculed him behind his back, and thought he was delusional as well.

They called him "Chicken little".

Eventually, they began to understand some of the things he was talking about on their own. Today, most people realize that Bob Pond was way ahead of his time and could see things that others couldn't.

Don't be ready to lump me in as a Rec Fishing lobbyist just yet. I have some serious issues with the recreational industry, the NJ bonus tags, and how we as recreationals report our catches, and the ego and greed I have witnessed first hand on the part of many recreational guys.

Those things have to somehow be addressed if the striped bass fishery will continue to exist as a sustainable one.

As it is now, I maintain it isn't sustainable, and the landings, as most recently reported, will continue to decline. The latest stats for this were revealed at the hearing, and both sides made mention of it.

If it's not addressed by addressing the hidden issues, and the increased pressure placed on bass by all the other closures, the landings could continue to decline. I stand by that statement.

Don't take my word for it, I'm just a goog with a white bucket!

That's why I take such time to record and document stories by you, Finchaser the Old Grouchy Bassturd, Gunny/aka Stripercoast1, LilcoJoe from Montauk, Surfwalker, Clamchucker, etc, etc, and the many old-timers I have been fortunate to meet, who ask me to continue to speak out, because they're tired of preaching when no one seems to be listening.

And I'll continue to speak out, as long as I have you to fire me up with your rants and raves.