70-pounder joins monster bass club
4:06 PM Sat, Jul 12, 2008 | Permalink
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Projo Fishing: HotBytes |
More monster bass have moved onto the reefs, reports Pat Abate of Rivers End Tackle at the mouth of the Connecticut. "We weighed in a 55-pound bass on Monday, another shop weighed a 51, a slightly over 70 was taken on a chunk in the Sluiceway and two over 60 were taken, one on bait and another speared in RI," he writes. "All these reports are not a sign that we are overrun with these big cows. It's just the end of a year class of 20-year-old plus bass. There's nothing wrong with keeping a lifetime trophy. My concern is the number of 20, 30 and 40-pound bass that are taken out of the brood stock on a daily basis. Its my belief that these bass are the fish that will spend the summer in our waters and might be next summer's population. I'm sure that there are hundreds if not thousands of these sized bass in our local waters but if a couple of dozen are taken out of the pool every day it doesn't take long to whittle down the population. "Encourage your friends to let the cows go. "I'm off the soapbox now." 
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I personally feel that anything taken over 40" is not being taken for the dinner table but more to enhance one's bragging rights. Legislation may be necessary ( as is done in Canada to protect the Salmon industry- all salmon over 26" must be put back) to protect the reproduction and survival of this important game fish. Only so many of the largest stripers can be taken before serious ecological effects may decimate the species as happened previously in the 1960's and 1970's. Please fish responsibly and remember there is a limit as to how many of the big cows can be pulled from local waters before devasting ecological disaster may occur.
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I totally agree with Steve Croce. I saw too many boats this spring pulling in many 30+ pound stripers and keeping them. One morning I launched out at Bold Point in Providence and there was at least 30 - 30lb. to 50lb. filleted carcasses on the boat ramp, undoubtedly caught that night, (they were fresh). It was not so long ago in the early 70's that you could not buy a striper, let alone catch one. It was due to overfishing the "cows". Management has done wonders for the species. I think there should be a slot limit to insure many more years of one of the best sport fisheries throughout the east coast. Pictures are as good as the actual fish itself. I would love to see my grandchildren catch a trophy, and learn to catch and release.
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I release all I catch.
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I completely agree with the idea of a slot limit, this would provide the opportunity to enjoy striper for dinner and protect the brood stock. These cows have proven their genetic propensity to grow large, strong, and survive hardship and disease. Removing them weakens the species at a time of great stress from pollution, disease and uncertain enviromental changes. I believe they also produce more eggs than smaller fish in a given year. If we want to continue to see many large stripers in years to come, we would be well served to reduce the mortality of these magnificent fish!
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