[619627]

I would imagine that if you have been fishing for a few decades, you can probably tell just as many storiesas I can on how the opening of flounder season was seen as the start of a new fishing year. The optimism down at the docks and in the boat yards was so great years back with everyone just itching to get their boats into the water and just go out there and catch fish.

At one time here in the NY Bight, we used to have what amounted to a 12 month season, wich some boats like the Helen H, Capt. Al, and Starstream here on the west end fishing literally every day through the winter. As they used to say, 'you show - we go', and that meant something to Captains like Hermann Huckermeyer and George Thomas, Richie Kessinger and Al Lindroth. Even Tommy Marconi was going out and running down south to fish offshore Long Branch or the Farms area to catch a few blackfish and cod, just waiting to switch over to Naversink River flounders.

Well now what do we have here to look forward to?

After speaking to a few captains who fished this weekend, I am more convinced that the grey skies for the recreational fishing industry will continue as the waters off the shores of Long Island have just gone dry, with few of the winter species we normally see at this time of the year being brought into the docks around this area.

To think that a few weeks ago, codfish were seen in quantities unheard of for the last three plus decades....more fish then anyone could count wete being caught off of the Fairway Buoy and CIA grounds area. Anyone who had half a clue on what to set up on, caught enough cod to make everyone forget the blight we've had in this area since the nineties.

It was sooooo good....the excitement of fishermen posting their catches and the groups of fishermen coming down to the boats during March brought back memories, and some said maybe the good-ole days are coming back.

It definitely was short lived, as a three week showing of all the cod you could catch-bonanza, dried up quicker then Britney Spears stay in rehab. Yes it was quick, and if you missed it you did miss some of the best codfishing we have seen here in two generations.

Now with opening flounder season starting tomorrow on April 1st, I ask is there anything to look forward too?

I don't know about you guys, but flounder season was always sometime in the middle of March, and usually after a warm day or two in the Bay with the smell of paint drying at the docks, a number of boats would be ready to start carrying fishermen to the flounder grounds...remember asking the captains back then, 'which way are you going, Jamaica Bay or up the Naversink'?

During those early weeks of March the tackle shops would be bustling getting flats of worms, and bushels full of mussels to have on hand for the number of boats and fishermen who would be running out there in what was sub-freezing conditions to catch a few nice flounders. As cold as it was, everyone was still so optimistic no matter if the catch was only a few dozen pieces of flounder for a full day of fishing.

I laugh when I write a full dozen flounders, since today a few dozen flounders is seen as a great catch, but back in the seventies and early eighties here in the NY Bight, that was considered a slow day for the party and private boats.

We now look at the 2008 season in terms of the high cost of fuel, or the ridiculous prices we need to pay to buy a few sinkers, or the cost of just walking onto a party boat to catch what seems to be a bare handful of fish, if we are lucky to catch that many now.

It used to be great at one time to look forward to the start of a new fishing year, and with the warm winter we just had I know there are many out there who just cannot wait to wet a line. I just want many of you guys to remember to not be dissapointed or shocked in what you now catch these days. It seems much cannot be expected, and you cannot put a dollar value on your fishing trips as far as catching enough fish to at least cover your fare.

As bad as you think the recreational fishermen has it, just think of the boat owners out there who now worry about the unheard of crazy price on the cost of a gallon of diesel, and the much higher costs of buying bait....after getting the sticker shock of the boat yard bill, and these days you will pay (no cash-no splash), its now time for the boat owners to try and eek' out a living. No more is there a pocket full of cash to be spread around in this industry...it is now about saving fuel by not running as far, watching bait and tackle costs, and trying to maximize the most trips with the most customers during the season.

The year 2008 for the fishing industry here in NY will be one about survival, and shaking out, and just trying to get through the year. The great optimism for the fishing season is now one built around the worry of a major and costly breakdown, closures on back bone fisheries such as blackfish and fluke, and having customers come down to your boat to fish for 10 porgies or a handful of sea bass during the summer.

It was during my generation that the amount of fish that anyone could catch off our shores was described in terms of 100 of this species or that species for a good rod and reel fishermen. We had so much right here off the beach, and in the winter you could always fill barrels up of whiting and ling, even when the codfish started to become scarce.

The 2008 season is the start of a sad-new era for the recreational fishing industry. More party, and private boats will now target striped bass, and as one party boat captain told me in the shipyard two weeks ago, 'I am now forced to become a 9 month striped bass fishermen, both day and night'.

Bottom fish Captains have been wondering during the winter if sea bass will come from out of thin air and fill up all the wrecks, rockpiles, dumps, hangs and snags that we have in this area. I personally do not see it, but I do know there are a few captains praying to the 'fish Gods' for enough sea bass to be around from mid May till mid September to get them through the season.

As for fluke, a species that many of us have now find out is the backbone of our summer fishery here in New York, many again have had thoughts of making the special rulers, and keeping the frozen racks along with a few other little tricks so that a few fish can be kept for their customers.

Why has it come down to recreational fishermen now thinking about violating the laws before they leave the docks? Is it a question of becoming that lawless, or is it something more akin of civil disobedience as a number of NOREAST members have talked about in other threads.

Being a saltwater fishermen from this point on requires much faith in that the system and the regulations are doing the right thing to improve fish stocks for the future. Yes, we can deal with the high price of fuel, much higher prices to go fishing or buy bait, or even buy fishing tackle. That is always something we can live with and adjust to.

But it is extremely tough to deal with the few fish we now see in our area and off our shores, and dealing with the most stringent regulations that every fishermen must now deal with. Keeping the faith, and doing the right thing will be a tough test for many out there who make a living on the water trying to catch a few fish for there customers.

There was always so much to look forward to as the winter months ticked down, and the spring flounder season approached. I do hope there are full coolers tomorrow when a number of you guys go out there and set up on your favorite flounder spots. I will be around, and if you see a big blue boat go by, wave and give a smile.

I know early tomorrow morning there will be excitement around many of the docks in our area, and don't let the regulations and money you spend on your hobby temper your enjoyment of going fishing. You have waited all winter for the opening day of the season...I know we cannot expect much but lets try to start off on the right foot for the 2008 fishing season and just enjoy the act of going fishing.

EC NEWELL MAN<>

 

[DandJfish]

Excellent read EC

and so true. My season still is a 12 month season as i do almost as much freshwater as i do saltwater. I find it helps to keep me sane. We all have to learn to temper our expectations when going out these days, and your right when you say we can adjust to the increased costs and we can no longer measure our success by the number of racks in the box. But i fear that with the current regs on Fluke and Porgies, many of our Party Boats will have a very tough time trying to survive 2008 let alone 2009. I used to run out of Moriches back in it's heyday. Sold my Boat when the bottom dropped out of the flounder fishery. Now i do mostly Party Boat/Charter Boat fishing. I wounder if many of these operations will survive? Who will be there to teach the next generation of fisherman/woman. Most of us learned by observing what was then called the "sharpies". Who will be left and what will they be fishing for? Very very sad, to asy the least.

 

[JC30967]

They won't stop me!

Steve-

Everything you said seems to be so true, and I truly feel for those who are struggling to make a living from fishing and fishing-related activities, on both the recreational and commercial sides. However, it's because I feel for them and sympthize that I, for one, will never let increased fares, through the roof fuel costs, and unwarranted regs stop me from fishing. In my opinion, the best way we anglers can fight back this year is to actually go fishing, as much as we always have. If we don't then the green groups ( the biggest threat to fishing today, far more so than any dragger) will have won another victory. I am convinced that the greenies and their allies in the fishery management agencies are hoping that draconian regs and higher costs associated with fishing will demoralize us to the point where we take up another activity. Let's not let them win!!!

 

[Prefessa]

Steve:

I used to be able to fish about 11 full months per year. Around the end of Jan, the weather would get brutal and the whiting fishing slowed down. We would spend 3-4 L-O-N-G weeks in the Sheepshead Bay Triangle (Stella Maris-Dunkin Donuts-Mikes Tackle Shop) amonst antsy pinhookers, filling up Mikes Tackle with enough Pipe Smoke to complement the smell of spar varnish and color preservative.

Opening Day for Flounder in those days was Feb 22nd! Butch went to the Navesink in NJ and The Pilot and Jet went to the Silver Hole in J Bay. Most sharpies came back with repectable catches of thin flatties...Capt Butch used to put us on a few pet drains that held large Flatties! The Zephyr came in with quality....the Pilot came in with quantity!

The Betty W used to get in on the action later as they hated flounder fishing with a passion! Alvin Coley would chase the first mackrel of the season even if he had to travel 40 miles just to get out of the boredom of fishing for flatties.

Every boat had there niche....Butch fished for flounder until June, when 40 fish catches of keeper fluke started off the Rockaways. Marconi fished for flounder until April when wrecks like the Monofilament were ready to yield huge catches of big tog! Al Coley flonder fished only until the first reports of mackrel filtered in. He chased mackrel until they were gone, then went as far as the oil wreck to bring in the first bluefish catches. He would Troll an umbrella rig until they hooked up, then immediately dumped 2-4 cans of chum overside to hold the fish. They would come around and sit on the anchor and chum with slop mixed with spearing. They fished 10# mono with Bonito Hooks and Wire, big spearing as hookbaits...no swivel! and put 500 bluefish on the boat!

No one had to fight for spots...everyone had there own act...you just picked the one you liked best!

I can't believe what has become of our once great partyboat fishery! Its sad! Old Timers like my brother can't adapt. He grew up in the days where a 15 cent subway fare, a dropline, a pitch fork and a shoe box (use to gather you own bait...pretty much illegal now!) was all you needed to bring home a bucket of fish! When he got home, he made the milk run to all of our "paisans" to share his catch. In those days no one wrinkled their nose and asked "Are they Cleaned??" They said thank you! Some were so grateful they brought you back a plateful of fish cooked to say thanks again!

The sadder fact is that as bad as it is now we will be talking to our kids about today being the good ole days! ...Imagine that!

 

[619627]

Joe, remember when we all used to fish right at the bridge right across the street from El Greco for flounders....everyone would line up there, chum pots down, two or more rods and everyone would catch fish.

Then the party boats would come in and some of us would pack up and take a look at what the boats were bringing in that day.

Early season used to really mean something around here. While sitting in John Dewey High School in the seventies, we used to hear the party boat horns in the late afternoon. Boy our attention was not on school work but on what the party boats had caught....and you used to know when the Tampa came in, when they blew that distinctive horn.

By the way Joe, Al Coley would run flounder trips down to Debs inlet and catch some monster sized fish. Joe Grace would go out and catch some big fish fishing around the Jetty area in May....and I remember years later when Greg Ocean Eagle found the Valley of the Giants flounder spots around the Island in the lower Bay...man those were some freaky big fish.

Yesterday I was out and rode around in the afternoon and just saw one boat fishing, Captain Paul out of Great Kills. That was it....no one was out along the beach in Princess Bay, or south towards Round Shoal area.

Yep I also remember gathering bait, and how the whole crew of guys that fished used to take a trip to Marine Park off Ave U, on the bus mind you, and dig up the biggest bank mussels for our fishing trips....wouldn't do that today, probably get locked up for the destroying the wetlands or something like that!

You probably right about maybe this being the last of the gold old days....the future is not looking to bright for the fishing industry here in New York.

EC NEWELL MAN<>

 

[GradySailfish]

I hate to read all this doom and gloom stuff, especially since I'm considered in the eyes of EC and the likes a "Rookie", one of those who never experienced the crazy fishing of the good ole days.

I'm not hoping for a return of the great days where one could fill up burlap bags of this or that, days where you could top off a 100 quart cooler, etc, etc. Right now I'm minimally hopefull for things to at least stay status quo and not deteriorate even further. Hopefully and with some luck the fishing will improve, and again I'm not looking for the good old days to return, but merely an improvement over what we have now.

Do you guys think that with the current regs fishing will stay the same or improve. By regs I mean both recreational and commercial ?

As for flounder, do you think their habitat is what cuased their decline or over fishing. I've read reports on other forums the offshore stocks are good, but the inshore stocks have significantly declined due to environmental contamination in the back bays.

 

[638475]

ALEX

Nope Grady your wrong

it's done, become veagan, support PETA and move away.....

 

[GradySailfish]

You keep saying that Jaybird.

Why are you being mean to me. If you don't stop it I'm going to send

up there to annoy the heck outta you. And from what I hear he's been pumping iron and sharpening his teeth so that when he bites down great damage will be inflicted.

Seriously though, what does the future hold with tighter regs. Can we expect to see incrases in fish stocks ?

This post edited by GradySailfish 12:07 PM 04/03/2008

 

[HungryJack]

If you can wait until 2015 it will be better than today.

 

[GradySailfish]

Ok then I'm satisifed. I know its pathetic to hear, but as long as it stays the same and ideally gets better I'm happy.

I just don't want the future to hold a barren sea.

 

[638475]

Nope it's over, chicken little the sky is falling

 

[steamboat1]

Fishing isn't that bad

Most of us are thinking of flounder this time of year. Last year was OK but by the time the season opens they are in the ocean already. Two seasons ago flounder fishing was very good but you had to fish the ocean (romer or cedars). Bluefishing and striper fishing was good last year and they stayed around all season. We didn't get the July-August duldrums. Fishing isn't the problem, it's the lack of fishermen/women that is the problem. That's why there are less boats doing less business. People don't go fishing anymore. The old saying about wooden boats & iron men has reversed itself. Now it's iron boats (metal) & wooden men. And all this gloom & doom talk doesn't help. I agree certain types of fishing isn't available anymore, especially winter species, but fishing is still very good in my eyes. We still catch plenty but can't keep them because of regs. Nothing wrong with regs if they were only fair & equitable for everyone.