SurfRats.com

[Supercutter]

Ok, some out there will fish till the last bass is caught and don't give a damn. Those of use who have seen the bass almost going the way of the buffalo know better and do give a damn. This fight to keep the mainstay of our sport alive needs to get vocal.
Just for those new to the sport, here's some food for thought. You can not have both, so choose between no bass or no license. We can use a saltwater license to fight for game fish status.

Yeah the pin reads 1971, hell I remember talking to people at the SOS, ok ( for those too young Save Our Stripers ) booth in the 60's at the old Long Island Arena.
Pods of fish here or there and a couple of wetsuits having a good night, or an occasional large fish does not make a season. The simple truth is the fish are not there. Every counting points to the end is coming.
The only way you and your children and their kids will ever catch a bass in the future is to do what the pin says.

MAKE THE BASS A GAME FISH NATIONALLY.
_________________
Retired from work but not from life....!

[Vito Orlando]

Mike, I could not agree more with your post. Both you and I lived and fished through "The Golden Years" and we also lived and fished through Leaner Times. Those new to our sport, (began fishing within the last 20yrs)have no idea what it is like to fish hard and only catch 15-20 bass all season on Long Island. It took a trip to Block Island to salvage the year. There were so few bass that they did not extend their range and spread out along the coast. Block Island was the last refuge. What do they say, "Those who ignore history, are doomed by it" or something like that. Talk to u soon.

vito
_________________
"You have to Hook em to Cook em"

[BassNuts]

Vito,

I agree with both you and Mike. I too, remember the lean years. I used to go a dozen trips without even seeing a fish...and that was on the north shore. I still have all my S.O.S. buttons from way back, too. We better do something...and it better be soon, otherwise I'm not going to have much use for my 3 new custom rods and their matching VS's. Oh.....and the quote you're referring to....there are actually two similar ones. the first one goes "THOSE WHO CANNOT REMEMBER THE PAST ARE CONDEMNED TO REPEAT IT said by George Santayana and the most popular one is "THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW HISTORY ARE DESTINED TO REPEAT IT" by Edmund Bruce, who is considered by most to be the founder of modern political conservatism. Hope to see you on the beach soon. Take care.

Ken
_________________
"Honestly Ward, don't you think you were a little hard on the Beaver last night?"
MSA VP #120
LIBBA #1759

[Marty Listl]

I too fished through the "Golden years" when you would hope another 30# fish didn't hit your plug because you were so beat. I also hit the worst of it when I fished Nantucket for a week in October and never caught a bass or saw a bass. Now the big movement is to stop the commericial fishermen, BUT the "sporty" also has to be kept in line. Just look at what comes over the M docks or the internet charter adds about the wholesale slaughter of large cow bass( as in BREEDERS). Why should the charter fares be able to take two large every trip? How about all the gut hooked fish that are "released", belly up. I am not a scientist nor do I agree with every study out there pro or con about fish stocks. I do know that killing off way too many breeders of any species is curtains for them.

[redhawk19]

[wrikerjr]

[roadcarp]

Well said. I've been a member of LIBBA and MSA for the past 5 years , but have been a surfcaster for 40+. If you are a member bring in a member. Please be active and vocal!
_________________
Mike Kearns
L.I.B.B.A. # 542
MSA # 442

[pakalolo]

you all do realize that the recreational sector takes significantly more bass than the commercial guys right? If the bass are in decline take a look at who's doing the actual damage. I'm not complaining about the numbers of bass--23 fish 2 nights ago up to 20 lbs!

[tiderunner70]

I personally would be 110% behind Gamefish Status for Stripers. Keep in mind if Stripers were to become Gamefish that does not mean that rec's would have to take an increase in their harvest. There are entirely too many people that are completely ignorant when it comes to what is currently going on with the Striper's. A prime example is some of the commercial wannabee's on Noreast. They just don't get it.
_________________
Tom Farrell
weakfishin@yahoo.com
631-475-1133 x120

Vice President-New York Coalition for Recreational Fishing

MSA
LIBBA

[Vito Orlando]

[Z]

I am starting to get a feeling that we are pissing into the wind. Not that we are going to go down without a fight.... but lately I get a strong feeling that the only way some people will change their tune is when the fishery collapses. Until that day. many will take what they can and then some more. I got a phone call last night informing me that poaching from Jamaica Bay, Staten Island and New Jersey in the spring is so great that it might eclipse recreational and commercial catches. The poachers are complaining that there are so many illegal bass being peddled that is depressing the price of bass. I was never a fan of any fish being taken away from a dinner table but this is getting ridiculous. Twenty year ago every head boat did night bluefish trip, during the day flounder, blackfish or porgy were on the menu. Today all those boats are ,guess what, striper fishing at night and some even during the daytime. I am sure that doesn't have an effect on fishery.

We, as surfcasters are also suffering from change in migration patterns of these fish. This is no ones fault. Fish are staying off shore are we are sucking wind. There is no use of winning over this. Some guys will do well while the most will suffer with diminishing catches. It was no different during the moratorium.

Are we killing (both commercial and recreational) more than is sustainable? Probably but there is no way of counting the fish in the sea. So I don’t see how we can have a realistic chance on changing anything as long as people are catching fish....somewhere.

We can argue all we want about who does the damage to the fishery but at least the people we are discussing are doing it legally. The poachers are taking our resources under our nose, illegally, and no one gives a shit. The sad part is how many people know about this. But every one I talk to said the same thing...I don’t want to have my tires slashed, my boat engine messed with...so I let it be.

How can we even talk about meaningful or fair allotment when so much of our resources is disappearing into the darkness
_________________
Zeno Hromin

www.surfcastersjournal.com

[skiddd]

I have seen on "another site" pictures of undersized stripers caught and admitedly kept! they were from fisherman from jamaica bay! yes they said where there from! I confronted this, I was told to s t f u its going down quickly fellas. These fish were caught off a bridge, bridge gaffed or netted, I asked what happens when a bass is OBVIOUSLY undersized I was told "MIND YOUR BUSSINESS" NO KIDDING!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am not afraid of getting the tires slashed, threatened, intimidated or for that matter anything else! When I see bad I try to correct it, But I'm not the law! IF I AM THREATENED I WILL ACT, I LET MY LOCATION KNOWN TO THESE PEOPLE ON A PARTICULAR KNIGHT AND THEY DID'NT SHOW UP. SO DID MY ACTION HELP? I THINK SO.... BUT THERE'S MANY MORE OUT THERE..... BE SAFE ALL AND ENJOY....
_________________
"TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE" SHAKESPEARE

LIBBA 952
MSA 10730

[skiddd]

LETS START THE STRIPER FISHER PANTHER PARTY AND GO DOWN WITH BILLY'S AND GAFFS AND INTIMIDATE. WE WON'T GET IN TROUBLE!
_________________
"TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE" SHAKESPEARE

LIBBA 952
MSA 10730

[Willy Young]

If you care about the future of Striped Bass be at the next two hearings on July 20th & July 21ft.
Willie

[Bass Assassin]

Why is striped bass in such high demand? I can't imagine that the fish is that great to eat............. Is it? There are so may other fish in the sea, why is it so sought after. It seems it's the only fish people are trying to get.
_________________
"Fish 4 Life!"

GATEWAY STRIPER CLUB