Striped Bass observation's

STRIPER LOU · July 25, 2015, 02:46:09 PM

Its been a great year so far and well over a hundred big bass have been caught and released and some have obviously made it to the dinner table. I have said in the past that every Striper caught this season on my boat has been a dark color, no sea lice, and what I would think to be a Hudson River fish. My first thought is where are the sea run fish. These are usually the light colored fish and Loaded with sea lice.
I'd estimate during the season I see a minimum of 30% of these ocean going bass. I'm fishing most of the Ct. area and into N.Y.
I have not fished Montauk so far this year and there's almost always bright fish to be had there.
Can any body comment or have and idea?
Most importantly we over look just how important The Hudson River is to the striped bass population. I think if we really new how many stripers came from the HR it would boggle the mind. Chesapeake Bay area had been responsible for a lot of fish over the years but I believe the commercial fishery has really taken a toll on the bass population overall. The pictures I've seen of the waste from there has got to really make you wonder.
Just thought I'd post and possibly get someone else's take on this!
..........................Lou

Reel 224 · July 25, 2015, 05:19:31 PM

With all due respect to Alan's policy on political discussion,which I don't feel this is politically motivated. However as far as I am concerned when commercial fishing netters fish there is no way they can separate targeted species from those that are considered by-catch, and for me that raises question on how many fish are killed in that process. Anglers are being regulated by the EPA and fish and game. I personally do not believe anglers are the problem,but I seam to be of the minority on this issue. Lou you have had a great season, one that I personally have never had in all the years that I have fished for stripe bass....Ive had success but never the numbers that you have quoted, and I believe that speaks more of the norm for most anglers as well as catch and release practices as you have also demonstrated. The results from studies of the Delaware this year showed a 200% increase in hatch-lings of Stripe Bass. How does that equate in shore catch results.

Joe

STRIPER LOU · July 25, 2015, 05:35:56 PM

Hey Joe and thanks so much for the reply. I wasn't trying to hit the political arena but was just wondering the views of others. A few years back before they changed the regs, The commercial bay fisherman were allowed 200 bass and what they were doing was dragging and discarding the smaller fish and kept dragging until they filled their quota of the 200 largest. I had a pic with 20/30 lbers scattered for a quarter mile. Even though I've caught my share of these fish (which I truly enjoy), They were always treated with the respect they deserve. I still try to put them on ice as soon as I can or at the very least out of the sun and covered with a wet towel. No fish are wasted!!!!!
I guess the thing that worries me is why I'm not seeing these ocean run fish at all this year. I'm thinking if this continues to happen all is not good. Hopefully its just an off year for the ocean travelers!

broadway · July 25, 2015, 05:46:39 PM

Lou,
I have to agree with ya on the fact that all my fish are clean and lice-free which is rare. I will say that most of my fish are bright colored and not as dark olive as yours seem to be, also I've noticed more gold on the sides then in past years, so I'm not sure what to make of things, but they really need to get rid of the bonus fish for all boats (charters and party). They've eliminated it for the recreational angler here in NY but not for all. In my opinion, they should make the size to keep (18"-28") for the purpose of not removing the "breeders" of those schools. It seems like common sense to me on that one, but I don't hear a lot of views like mine on much including this topic, so what do I know. The commercial fisherman have a job to do, and that is to put fish in the stores for reasonable prices. Otherwise, your store bought fish would be out of reach for most of us. Like Joe said, there really isn't a way to prevent the bi-catches... wish there was.

Thanks for the thought,
Dom

STRIPER LOU · July 26, 2015, 01:04:25 AM

Interesting Dom. I think the brighter color fish, especially the light gold tones that you mentioned, are the sea run type. For years we caught stripers in the Thames, Ct River, Housatonic, and of course the Hudson and these have always been the dark colored ones. Maybe this year isn't a good year for sea lice!!!! I know when I see a good amount of bright fish and lice I'm pretty confident they've come up from the Chesapeake or further. I like to see a mixture of both as this indicates to me that we're in for a pretty good season.
As you might have noticed I truly enjoy fishing for Striped Bass. I think I've read every book, gone to every seminar, done hours upon hours of collecting data and experimenting. I like putting my own twist on things but have learned a great deal from the old, old, timers. Me, I'm just and old timer with lots of years and hours on the water and just when you think your starting to get to know a thing or two something humbles you and makes you start to learn all over again. A good year for us is 300+ fish. Maybe throughout the season we might keep 50 or so and the rest go back to swim another day.
I appreciate Joe's and your comments as its always great to get others opinions and it helps to see what's going on in their areas.
Stay well, ... Lou

Reel 224 · July 26, 2015, 02:27:41 AM

Lou: One of the things you mentioned here about catching Strip Bass holds so true, that is learning everything you can about fishing and attracting the bite. I used to fish fresh water when my son was in grammar school and high school, our main quarry then was Large Mouth Bass. Him and I went to every seminar we could, and we were on the water spending every free moment learning how to catch more fish and bigger fish. It's no different on the salt.

More anglers need to get involved with knowing what is going on as far as fishing regulations are concerned, and being involved in voicing there opinions when it comes to how these regulations are introduced on the different species as far as size and catch limits are concerned.

Keeping a fishing diary is very important both for you and the population of fish, this does more to help fish and game understand what is really going on as far as the anglers are concerned. Putting limitations on Strip Bass is only controlling the hogs that don't respect the sport, not the true anglers....Just like locks on the door, it doesn't stop the dishonest it only keeps the honest people honest. I personally don't need to be treated like a convict or regulated by bureaucrats who really don't know there back side from there elbow about our sport.

Joe

Doug · July 26, 2015, 08:03:01 PM

Boy Lou could I go on about this. I have been fishing the Hudson basin since the 1950's when there no stripers.
A lot has changed mostly for the better as far as the bass are concerned. No industrial waste , raw sewage mostly eliminated the shad netting in the spring run is mostly a thing of the past and yes a lot of rules and regulations. The bass are back thru the work of many people including restocking and conservation. efforts brought back from nearly completely gone. I wish I could say that about a lot of other species. The fish I have caught this season where local fish no lice a bit dark in color. What I have noticed is that some of the fish have irregular stripes than I normally see . This is in less than 2 dozen fish caught I only kept 2 for the table > Doug

STRIPER LOU · July 26, 2015, 09:39:34 PM

Doug, although not completely sure I think the irregular stipe pattern is somewhat of a mutation. We were catching in the Hudson in the late 60's. Does that match with your findings?

Doug · July 26, 2015, 09:53:31 PM

Yes Lou Something like that I was just surprised to see that again after so much has been done to restore the fishery, May be nothing serious just an observation. The fish seemed very healthy and the release was not a problem they went off with like nothing had happened . I think these where local fish as I fish mainly the mouth of the Hudson on the New Jersey side Of VR bridge mostly at night Doug

broadway · July 27, 2015, 02:25:21 AM

I've heard several times from the local sharpies at my dock that the resident (meaning non migrating) stripers have the pixelated lines while the migrators have the straight line pattern. I'm just passing on what I've heard not from knowledge I've experienced, but I guess it could be, right?
I agree with Doug that the area has cleaned up well and many species that avoided this area are coming back. Notice the sharks, whales, and dolphin among many others coming back to the area. My dock neighbors saw a whale under the VZ bridge just 3 days ago, and I've seen a couple whales and plenty of dolphin since June. Whenever I see squid so thick we snag them while fluke fishing I know the water is cleaning up.
It is nice to see others observations,
Dom