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Odd how the opinions vary so much. While I never found time to get to the beach myself this spring, my buddies all told me how great the fishing was in spite of lots of big blues. In fact, many were shocked because they felt the fishery was way, way down recently only to have a banner spring. That's fishing, I guess.
 
Define banner spring? Fish migrating up the rivers seem thick because they're all in one spot at the same time. When they leave and spread out, is what should define a fishery. Basically, it's June 10th. Take a ride up the coast and check out all the bunker schools up and down, then take a look at how many have fish feeding on them. None. Right now is prime time, and regardless of wind, there should be fish. To say anything else is just making excuses. We've destroyed the fishery. Check the photo albums from the past ten years of all the big dead bass on the docks. How many thousands of fish have been killed in just Monmouth County alone? Those big girls take 15 years to grow new ones. We're all reminiscing of the old days, it'll be a while to get things back to where they were, but NJ doesn't want to help with that.
 
It is a shame how we've seen the bass population crash, rebound, then crash again. At least in my 50 years. Lot of folks want to blame the state, but it's pressure from anglers - recreational and commercial - that the states cave into given the bad job of fisheries "management" we practice for saltwater fish. We tighten restrictions to rebound a given population, then loosen them and watch in shock as it goes right back to crashing. Do we ever really learn from our mistakes???

And then anglers fall into the trap of keeping their limits every time out which doesn't help, especially knowing they are a big part of the problem.
 
Bucks n Bows, you are correct. But many anglers have pushed for tighter regs, and many states in the east coast have adopted 1 fish limit. NJ didn't, we still have 3. NJ fishermen will continue to kill every last fish until none are left. I don't know why, especially the charters. They said that if we have tighter regs then they'd lose business. Seems to me that no fish = no business. Lots of guys like to C&R, I bet the boats would be putting buts in seats if there were fish around to C&R.
 
Bucks n Bows, you are correct. But many anglers have pushed for tighter regs, and many states in the east coast have adopted 1 fish limit. NJ didn't, we still have 3. NJ fishermen will continue to kill every last fish until none are left. I don't know why, especially the charters. They said that if we have tighter regs then they'd lose business. Seems to me that no fish = no business. Lots of guys like to C&R, I bet the boats would be putting buts in seats if there were fish around to C&R.
True, but you have to look at the bigger picture which is that we have no commercial fishery in NJ for striped bass. So it's not apples to apples when comparing us to other east coast states. But I do agree we (NJ) should tighten our belts. I also hate that we virtually encourage the taking of the cows which need better protection to spawn. Apparently, common sense isn't so common........
 
Every fish species that need limits in the first place should have slot size limits. IMO migratory fish like bass that travel up and down most of our coast should be regulated federally like they do other migratory species like waterfowl. Each state picking and choosing what sizes, limits and dates is a joke when it's the same biomass of fish being fished.
 
Odd how the opinions vary so much. While I never found time to get to the beach myself this spring, my buddies all told me how great the fishing was in spite of lots of big blues. In fact, many were shocked because they felt the fishery was way, way down recently only to have a banner spring. That's fishing, I guess.
The only consistent reports of good fishing was out of the raritan bay which usually produces good fishing year after year before the rest of the coast even thinks about heading out for them. Fishermen that fish that exclusively for bass are not seeing the whole picture.
 
Big blues pound bunker and the bass are always behind the schools and underneath.the coast of jersey doesn't hold fish we have rogue fish there wasn't one blitz off the coast this year.all the bass head out into deeper water where it's consistent temps and holds bunker they steam up to new england waters atleast we have blues and occasional rogue fish in the wash.down south they kill alot of bass commercially that's one huge problem and sand pumping the beach line because the devastation sandy brought.
 
Big blues pound bunker and the bass are always behind the schools and underneath.the coast of jersey doesn't hold fish we have rogue fish there wasn't one blitz off the coast this year.all the bass head out into deeper water where it's consistent temps and holds bunker they steam up to new england waters atleast we have blues and occasional rogue fish in the wash.down south they kill alot of bass commercially that's one huge problem and sand pumping the beach line because the devastation sandy brought.
Just look at the crappy beach at Asbury as proof of that - bye bye jetties - apparently they dont work that well anyway
 
How many this year wise ass?
not wasting my time , nor clients money on wish full thinking and bull shit.

The raritan run started great, oceanside has been the worst in years and in some ways in glad, fish finally got a break in Virginia this winter , and here this spring.
Too many years of senseless harvest,
Hopefully we go to one fish next year and the fishery isn't destroyed for the dock shots.

I would expect if the south winds stay away maybe there will be one more good push of fish before the end of the month,
But with fish 10 miles off you won't see many dock pics
 
not wasting my time , nor clients money on wish full thinking and bull shit.

The raritan run started great, oceanside has been the worst in years and in some ways in glad, fish finally got a break in Virginia this winter , and here this spring.
Too many years of senseless harvest,
Hopefully we go to one fish next year and the fishery isn't destroyed for the dock shots.

I would expect if the south winds stay away maybe there will be one more good push of fish before the end of the month,
But with fish 10 miles off you won't see many dock pics
I guess I'm in trouble from the surf then! lol Come on west wind!;)
 
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