New York Metro &
New Jersey

November 12th, 2004

Some Facts...

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There was a lot of chatter on the forum this week regarding last week’s column on NY’s dropping of the saltwater license proposal. In light of these posts, there seems to be several misconceptions regarding the saltwater license issue. For clarification purposes, the following are a few facts. Because poaching seems to be an issue which generates some interest as well, in next week’s column we’ll address the poaching problem what’s being done about it and how those of us who are sick and tired of it can work towards eradicating it.

<Editors note: I've added a discussion thread for this report on our forum here - http://www.reel-time.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40672 -share your views on this subject!>

Fact #1: Saltwater license revenues, as with every other state with the fee in place, will not go into the general fund as many suspect it will. In New York, there two laws that address this issue:

1. Sec. 83 of the New York State Finance Law creates the Conservation Fund to receive revenue from sporting license sales, and specifies what revenue in the Fund may be used for ("the care, management, protection and enlargement of the fish, game and shell fish resources of the state and for the promotion of public fishing and shooting"....).
2. The Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration and Wildlife Acts include provisions that states who accept these federal grant funds (aka Dingell/Johnson-Wallop/Breaux and Pittman/Robertson) may not divert funds from their in-state sporting license sales to purposes other than fish and wildlife conservation. The specifics of this requirement are contained in federal regulations that implement the two laws: 50 CFR Part 80.4.

Every penny of the freshwater license in NY goes directly into the DEC’s Conservation Fund as it would with the saltwater license. Any diversion of those funds would be a violation of New York Sate law. Under the Wallop-Breaux sportfishing tax (we all pay a 10% surcharge on bait, tackle, marine fuel etc.) if a state does use saltwater license money for purposes other than fisheries or wildlife related projects, and such use is disclosed in a federal audit, they will not only lose millions in federal matching funds, but will be required to return money previously allocated to them. A recent example of this can be found in the state of MA. Funds from the freshwater license were in fact diverted, but the feds came in and every single penny was returned.

Fact #2: Having a license will improve recreational fishing data. A saltwater license in NY would have most certainly helped avoided disputes like the one we had with fluke this year. A license would provide a list of registered anglers that phone surveyors could call, eliminating the need for telemarketers to dial randomly in an attempt to find a home where someone has taken a fishing trip in the previous two months. At the least, it would provide data that might impeach seemingly excessive Marine Recreational Fishing Statistics (MRFS) participation figures At the most basic level, a license would generate the funds needed for a state to bring its data collection in house, increase the number of intercepts and so increase the precision of the survey. Still, oddly enough, some of the biggest critics of MRFSS data are also the biggest opponents of a salt water license.

Fact #3: A saltwater license will bring anglers more clout.

In states where a saltwater license does exit approximately 80% of the managing agency’s funding comes from recreational fishing licenses while about 20% comes from the commercial side. In all states with a saltwater license the recreational community takes care of the lion’s share of a managing agencies funding. Therefore managing agencies have a reason to ensure that there are enough fish and suitable habitat as well as plenty of access to keep anglers happy and buying licenses annually. As the agencies get more and more dependent on the money a license generates, anglers wielding the threat of not buying a license, also wield more political power. Hence the power of the sunset clause written into the New York proposal.

It’s very telling that in North Carolina, A state where a saltwater license bill just got passed, commercial spokesmen came out firmly against the bill. In the November 2003 issue of the National Fisherman, Jerry Schill, head of the state’s largest trade and lobbying group for commercial fishermen, is quoted as saying, “Look what happened in the other states… Look what the CCA has done with that license when it’s been put in place. In some states you’ve got fish that have been given “game fish” status, taken off consumers’ plate. In other states, gillnet bans. And in Florida, they got the ultimate: a commercial net ban.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. A saltwater license becomes a valuable bargaining chip and that’s why commercial fishing operations have opposed it. The commercial fishing industry doesn’t want legislators to understand how many anglers there really are. If there is a solid number of documented license-fee-paying-anglers in a state (and not a weak and un-provable estimate) those voting anglers are most certainly going be paid attention to.

A license also allows angling advocacy groups to make an inequity argument that cannot be made in states without the license. Because the states that do have a saltwater license pay a much bigger share of the managing agency’s funding then the commercial industry, then these groups can argue for a split where they are entitle to a larger share of the resource than the commercial side.

The argument can be made that New York party and charter boat captains who pay a license fee don’t have much clout… True… But they’re not 500,000 strong either, and the money these charters licenses generate doesn’t amount to much… In fact it’s negligible fraction of the DEC’s budget and doesn’t even come close to the commercial license fees. It’s also a tiny fraction of what a recreational license would amount to.

Despite all this, the “no new tax” cry is a very strong one and I still believe that most anglers just don’t understand the benefits. In states where a saltwater license exists it’s widely accepted by the public. There’s no doubt that they don’t have the poaching problems that we do. If you expect fisheries to be managed for the benefit of fishermen, recreational or commercial, what is more natural than to have those who benefit from such management pay a "user fee"? After all, why should golfers on public courses pay both greens fees and a portion of taxes for fisheries management? Such pay-to-play arrangements are perfectly fair and reasonable. Unfortunately, for the time being, the option has been taken off of the table in New York. But it’s highly likely that it will resurface again in the next few years… Perhaps, with enough outreach and education on the subject, folks won’t be so adverse to the idea.

Now… Let’s get on to the reports…

More wind this week… But if you could stand the sometimes bitter cold and didn’t mind pulling a fly out of the back of your jacket every now and then, the action was pretty good in most places. All along the Jersey Shore, the action was spectacular this week with monster blues and bass lazily slurping through both rain bait and peanut bunker. When the wind sat down, which unfortunately wasn’t much, Sandy Hook to Breezy Point, as well as all the hot spots in between, held blitzing schoolies and bluefish under birds. The bait was a mix of spearing and peanut bunker. Blitzes, at times, were of the Montauk proportions. Raritan Bay fished well also. Big fish were taken right outside of Great Kills. Jamaica Bay was surprisingly tough this week. The bite, if it happened at all, seemed to be in the early morning or late afternoon… Uncharacteristic for this time of the year. The South Shore of Western Long Island was filled with hungry migrating bass and blues. Just break the inlet and look for birds was all you had to do. The North Shore was the same. Out East, the great herring run has begun. Even more so than other areas, wind has been a big issue here.

Guess what??? Even more wind this weekend… Bummer!!! Oh well… I know you guys will be out there anyway… Dress warm and catch fish!

And don’t forget to email me your own reports. Tight lines all.

Tight Lines!

John McMurray

New Jersey

The Garden State is really just getting into its truly productive season.   That reflects in this week’s Shore Catch Guide Service report.  Check it out:

John,
 
It has been yet another BANNER week here along the Jersey coast as Bass and Blues have been blitzing the beaches for over 10 days now! Doesn't matter weather you fish from the beach or the boat, the action is about as good as it gets. Miles of birds and breaking fish working from Manasquan to Barnegat. I had out Peter McCarthy and Matt Spanger for what turned out to be close to a 100 fish day on the fly with bass to 20 lbs and blues to 16 1/2 pounds. The two were literally hooked up all day long.
 
My Partner Capt Jim was out the same day with the Ulicny father and son team and they too where banging bass and blues on every cast. The bait is thick too. Everything from peanut bunker to, rainfsih, round herring, squid and sand eels. From the beach Our guides have been experiencing some of the best blitzes of the year with bass and blues at their feet for hours at a time. The time is now to get out here in Jersey! The action should last right through the end of December.

Fishing hard from the Sandy Hook Beaches this week was Michael O’Brien.  Check it out:

Hi John,
I've been fishing hard the past few days.  Lots of bluefish on the
beach late last week though the weekend.
Monday was dead. I fished the false hook with no luck all day. Today I fished south of Sandy Hook with birds working over dark clouds
of baitfish at low tide and hooked up with a nice striper.  I also
missed a few.
Saw some blues chasing bait but the big stripers were working it hard. 
A great day in the surf.

Also doing the Sandy Hook thing this week was Steve Sautner.  Check it out:

So Jim and I met at a certain spot that has been good to us in year's past... When I arrived Jim was fighting a fish already.  Call me crazy, but I thought that was a good sign. "Three fish on three casts," he announced, sliding a trim 34-incher ashore, which he kept for bass chowder... I took over the spot as he unhooked the fish, had a bump on my second cast, then nothing for either of us. So we moved up and down the shore, searching for bass, changing lures, muttering to ourselves.  Still no takers.  It was cold.  It was windy.  It was dark.  "Why am I here?" I began to ask... Hypothermia began setting in.  I wandered away from Jim to a drop off and began casting. "Why am I here?" I thought I felt a bump, but it could have been a wave.  Then then, THUD.  I rear back and see white water churning in the darkness, then a nice run. Jim comes over and the fish continues to do dive and shake.  My hands are no longer cold.  In fact they are now hot. We shine the light on a beautiful fat and healthy bass of at least 35 inches.  I hold it up, and declare it's weight at 16 pounds with a three percent margin or error -- wait, that was last week... I consider chowder-izing this fish, but it's just too perfect with it's big belly, gleaming eyes and rigid dorsal.  So back it goes, leaving just a black boil that seems to take several seconds to go away. Then it hits me: that's why I'm here.  And that's why I'm going backt...

Hit the same spot again the nest night, but found slow fishing despite many stripers popping all around me for around an hour.  The water was extremely clear and no baitfish could be seen dimpling, which makes me think they were taking either grass shrimp or maybe very small crabs in the current (I know crabs will shed under the new moon...).  I had just one small fish take a teaser that was practically dead-drifted ahead of a small black redfin, but that was it.  I literally had bass off my rod tip in knee deep water -- a flyrodder's wetdream, but a nightmare last night.  I plan on returning tonight though, eight-weight in hand and shrimp patterns bulging from my fly box...

Lots and lots of fish under birds today on the outside…  Until today (Thursday) that is…  Brendan McCarthy, Peter Chan, Frank Crescitelli and all the other guys had a couple of really good days Tuesday and Wed.  Today was a windy bust with very few fish under the birds.  From Raritan Bay all the way to Coney Island there were dense schools of blues and schoolie bass with the occasional keeper mixed in.  The guys over in Great Kills Harbor just had to break the jetty to find fish before today.  Over in the Bay it was hit or miss, but mostly miss.  When the weather allowed, which wasn’t much this week, there were fish to be had but they were extremely difficult and only seemed to eat at sunrise and sunset.  This should be the time of the year where this area really shines.  I still believe the big push is yet to come, however this may just be wishful thinking. 

Captain Frank Crescitelli from Fin Chaser Charters reports a few really good days this week.  Check it out:

Hey John, the fishing has finally really turned on, I guess thanks to the cold snap, who knows? Lately I can’t seem to understand what these fish are doing or the weather.  When the wind let’s us get out, we are finding that the fish have been right off the beaches in Staten Island and the Rockaway’s. Very clear water and very spooky fish. Wednesday there was a lack of the really large Bluefish we have been catching, most over 8 pounds, up to 12! Bass dominated the scene for Caroline and Steve Price, who always seem to have one of my best days of the year! Multiple doubles and Caroline won out with the biggest fish of the day a 14 pounder! Last Thursday was one of the first days that I really saw the fish in a good migrating pattern, in very deep water, much different than recently, and Oleh Sharanevych and son Tyler had a great time catching big Blues and Bass to 14 pounds, on well needed outing. What’s better than sharing fishing experience ‘s with your child? Tyler who caught his first Tarpon at 9 years old (now 19) caught the largest Striper of his life, right here in NY Harbor, awesome! Often people are surprised on how good the fishing is right here in the NY Bight, and there’s nothing better for me, than exposing them to it.  As the temperature drops, millions of Striped Bass will be visiting NYC on their way to various winter destinations and if we’re lucky they’ll stop to take in the sites, and we’ll be waiting, just to say hello…and goodbye.  If the wind ever stops for a while, maybe we’ll get in a Tuna trip before it’s too cold, we’ll see, until next week….bring on he fleece! 

Western Long Island

From the North Shore, Captain Robin Calitri checks in with this brief report:

Bait, Birds, Bass and some Blues covering the water and the sky in Cold Spring Harbor.  James, Emory and Gene have been having a ball with light tackle.  The kayakers are always into fish. The Blues are from cocktails to monsters and the bass can be schoolies or behemoths.  It is a pity to see all the action and NO fisherman.

On the South Shore it’s no secret that the surf casters have been hammering big blues and bass right up on the beach…  Man… Get out there!

Eastern Long Island

Captain David Blinken from North Flats Guiding reports huge clouds of birds from Montauk west.  The fish under these clouds have been mostly big blues, but there are some large bass in the mix also.  Many are reporting more fish out there than they’ve ever seen.  The gannets are out there strong, and that means that at least in part, the bait is herring.  There have also been reports of adult bunker out there as well. 

Captain Barry Kanavy from Natural Anglers reports similar action.  Check it out:

Montauk is a fickled Lady,
 After fifteen years of fishing Montauk's Fall Run, this year "takes
the cake". Mother Montauk can be gentle and generous or furious and
forbidding Over twenty straight days of howling wind has prevented us
from getting to the fish. I was able to get out yesterday with a slight
break in the wind. In three hours we were in continuous blitzes. We
took dozens of fish, four Bluefish over 16 pounds and Stripers up to 18
pounds. Water temperature is still 56 degrees. There are tons of bait
pouring out of the bays. Mature silversides 5-6 inches in length and
mature Bunker are stacking up and moving towards the point. I believe
the run will last well into December. Lets hope the weather gives us a
break. I will be fishing Montauk till the end. If your looking for
Monster Stripers stay in touch I'll let you know when the herring and
gannets arrive. If you can't wait till then there's plenty of rod
bending, arm wrenching fish with bad attitudes waiting for you. Captain Barry Kanavy

From the Shinnecock Beach area, Salty Flyrodder Joel Filner checks in with this report:

This is your friendly wind reporter. The one day out of the weekend,
Sunday, was fishable however there were no fish. It is possible that
I abandoned the beach a bit early but after driving from the village
to the inlet and noting only one bait man with any success, I felt
that to wait for the tide to turn to incoming would only add to my
frustration. Friday one could not open the doors of the jeep without
holding on to keep it from ripping out. Saturday the wind was
moderating, down to 15 to 25 from Friday's 25 to 40, however it was a
lefthanders wind and the bay was dirty. We cancelled the Salty trip
to Jones Inlet scheduled for Saturday morning on Friday after reports
of terrible conditions and no fish. Last Tuesday and Wednesday were
the last good days on the ocean with fish caught along the shore,
with Sunday the best of the weather.  The north fork was also a bit
active on Sunday, my fishmarket man reported, but only near Hortons
and McCabes. Small bass and quite a few blues in the early hours of
the morning and as the sun set. May be the migration will hold for a
bit and make the November days worth while.

That’s all for this week…  Stay warm…