Bait Fishing out of season
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It is LEGAL to target fish in the marine district in New York State while out of season , but not in freshwater.
For example, you can target striped bass for catch and release during the closed season in the LI sound or anywhere in the marine district, but not in the Hudson River north of the GW Bridge.
For example, you can target striped bass for catch and release during the closed season in the LI sound or anywhere in the marine district, but not in the Hudson River north of the GW Bridge.
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12,316 Posts
Probably because they don't spawn in the marine environment. They are "just bassin thru" and the DEC may not feel it is a hampers their reproduction.
Or,
There is a powerful lobby that got the regs written that way.
Or,
The guy who wrote the regs is a striper fisherman from L.I.
Maybe it is a combonation of these.
Or,
There is a powerful lobby that got the regs written that way.
Or,
The guy who wrote the regs is a striper fisherman from L.I.
Maybe it is a combonation of these.
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641 Posts
Good and timely topic. Here's my two cents regarding using bait for stripers when they are "out of season". This is copied from an April surf column of a couple years ago.
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As I write this, we?re still a month away from the point when anglers can legally keep striped bass, yet bait fishing with worms, clams, and bunker are already getting mentioned in the fishing reports. Some anglers I?ve spoken with have a real problem with the use of bait to target out-of-season fish. They feel that since bait-fishing techniques generally have a higher catch-and-release mortality rate, they should not be employed while it is illegal to posses a particular species.
The fact is, due in part to our one fish bag limit, the vast majority of stripers landed by recreational anglers are released no matter what time of the year they are caught. Anglers fishing in season with worms or clams often catch and release many short fish before they land one large enough to bring home. While there are undoubtedly some anglers who stop fishing as soon as they?ve caught their one-fish limit, most continue to fish and release the other bass that they catch.
I see little difference as to whether a bait-caught fish is released in April or in August. Some could even argue that a fish released into cool April waters is probably in a better position to survive the ordeal than a heat-stressed August fish.
I believe the important thing is not when you use bait, but how you use it.
Hook choice is important. Circle hooks have earned widespread acceptance over the last few seasons because their unique design causes them to embed themselves in the corner of a fish?s mouth. This results in a more secure hook-up with less chance of the hook doing damage to the fish. Do not set circle hooks in the normal method of hauling back on the rod. Instead, drop your rod tip, let the fish pick up the slack, then lift your rod smoothly and start reeling.
No matter what type of hook you use, you should hold your rod when fishing with bait, and set the hook soon after you detect a strike. This will greatly reduce the odds of hooking a fish deeply.
The decision to fish with artificials or bait is a personal one. By paying special attention to tackle and techniques, anglers who choose bait can do so and still give the fish they release a good chance of surviving.
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*************************
As I write this, we?re still a month away from the point when anglers can legally keep striped bass, yet bait fishing with worms, clams, and bunker are already getting mentioned in the fishing reports. Some anglers I?ve spoken with have a real problem with the use of bait to target out-of-season fish. They feel that since bait-fishing techniques generally have a higher catch-and-release mortality rate, they should not be employed while it is illegal to posses a particular species.
The fact is, due in part to our one fish bag limit, the vast majority of stripers landed by recreational anglers are released no matter what time of the year they are caught. Anglers fishing in season with worms or clams often catch and release many short fish before they land one large enough to bring home. While there are undoubtedly some anglers who stop fishing as soon as they?ve caught their one-fish limit, most continue to fish and release the other bass that they catch.
I see little difference as to whether a bait-caught fish is released in April or in August. Some could even argue that a fish released into cool April waters is probably in a better position to survive the ordeal than a heat-stressed August fish.
I believe the important thing is not when you use bait, but how you use it.
Hook choice is important. Circle hooks have earned widespread acceptance over the last few seasons because their unique design causes them to embed themselves in the corner of a fish?s mouth. This results in a more secure hook-up with less chance of the hook doing damage to the fish. Do not set circle hooks in the normal method of hauling back on the rod. Instead, drop your rod tip, let the fish pick up the slack, then lift your rod smoothly and start reeling.
No matter what type of hook you use, you should hold your rod when fishing with bait, and set the hook soon after you detect a strike. This will greatly reduce the odds of hooking a fish deeply.
The decision to fish with artificials or bait is a personal one. By paying special attention to tackle and techniques, anglers who choose bait can do so and still give the fish they release a good chance of surviving.
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