Irratated, Yet Inspired

[Soundking]

All of your posts made me smile in my heart-there are other competent striper fishermen. We are a minority, yet an articulate, intelligent, and passionate one. It is on us, the competent ones, to use our god-given right of sufferage, and our god given brains to combat the destruction of our sport. Currently, many, many people who are managing our fisheries care about votes, not fish, and resources. This is the time when we start putting pressure on the elected officials to make good regs, so our kids can enjoy this fishery. We need to band together and unite to defeat a common enemy, which has effectively put the nails in the coffin of the bluefin tuna, swordfish, mako shark, menhaden, and now blues and stripers. If any one else is a patriot for their cause, join me, and just like this past week, we will overcome.

[finatic]

Don't talk about it JOIN either CCA or Recreational fishing alliance!!! Only numbers make a difference to those in charge

[martinatpw]

I don't know.. the cod are coming back strong, the bass are abundant and the blues seem to be everywhere again. The spotter planes from last year saw more tuna than the government did...I agree we need to keep what we have and not let them dig their paws into what is becoming a good fishery.

[finatic]

Don't let a little show of improvement mislead you.. The bluefish live on cycles anyway their populations will get very high and then crash again (they sell bluefish in the markets near my home- when was the last time you saw someone BUY a bluefish, so they all go in the trash!). The bass are absolutley on a down swing, when was the last time you caught a 40lb bass?? A 30lb bass is a trophy today with 40-50lb bass almost non-existent in the population. And yes the cod populations have made a very small improvement but when was the last time you caught a 40lb cod? When I was growing up 40-50lb cod were the standard for big fish. And guess what guy- as soon as the cod population shows enough improvement they lift the commercial strict regulations and wack it again... if your a fishermen and don't belong to a group supporting recreational angling then you need to be, you don't have to donate "your time" just join with a membership fee that is the least you can do to help our sport...

[Soundking]

Finatic, I cannot agree with you more, things are on downfalls, and the efforts of the groups I am with (CCA, IFGA, RFA) have done great things to slow them, yet they can only go so far, when voters, not goups begin to respond to thier reps. then they listen. Also, we, the knowledgable ones, need to use our resources i.e. reel-time to educate others about what is realy happening, not what the commercial guys b.s. them about. We will make a differece.