[Dizzy24]

Recently, I have been thinking more and more about this topic and quite honestly, I am scared for all of us that hold the sport of fishing as dear as we do.

With the outlook of our upcoming season and it's "new" strangling regulations for all of our favorite target fish (flounder, fluke, scup & tog), I have been pondering what I would do if fishing as we know it was gone. The last few years have brought us closer and closer to a complete shut-down of this areas most coveted fish species.

With not only plenty of money vested in this sport but my heart as well, I am scared for all of us in this game of recreational fishing. Never have I found myself thinking so often of the end of it all as I have this past year or so. Looking at the proposed fluking regulations for 2008 (with many of them being an extremely short period of time), I know that would surely take the wind out of my sails for fishing because I am an extreme fluke addict.

So, the closer we get to fishing for skates and sea robins prompts me to ask my title question.

What Will Your Plan Be When it's All Over?

 

[BOBBYWALDBAUMBS]

WITH OUT FISHING, IT WOULD BE LIKE LOSING MY LIFE !!!

 

[6to8ftSeas]

I don't want to talk about this!

I'm getting all choked up

 

[bhm25]

my plan..... fish as i always have while all noreasters stay at home and post on the internet why the "man" wont let them go fishing..lol

i think the only thing worse then the regs are all the people crying about them on the internet . that is speeding up the process of the "end" of the industry FOR SURE .

 

[6to8ftSeas]

Its not the regs I'm afraid of, Its being forced to fish for skate and searobin because the other fish are all gone.


I'll say it again, I welcome regs with open arms. I'd rather pull up trophy fish all day long and only be allowed to keep one, as apposed to being allowed to keep ten fish and only catching one fish all day.

I realy don't think our regs are that bad, its not like the fish are coming over the rails all day. the fisheries have been in decline for a long time.

Compare our regs to some of the countries in central america. If you pay attention to some of these fishing shows, there are areas were you can't fish at all. On espn's Spanish Fly last week, they were fishing off some island in mexico for sailfish and it was illegal to use live bait. And I know there are areas were circle hooks are manditory.

can you imagine if we were told you can't fish 17 because it is a fish sanctuary now, or you can't live line bunker for bass anymore, artificals only. I don't think we have it bad at all.

 

[639722]

I won't change a thing other then throwing everything back vs. throwing some back.

 

[TonySMJC]

bhm

Thanks

Ive been saying that for a while now

Internet whinning is speeding the process along

New fishermen that are not indoctrnated into the we need to kill them all philosopy read these boards and think why bother instead of lets go have a nice day on the water

Its mind boggling to me we are our own worst enemy on so many levels

 

[bigfished]

My plan? It's simple...just go fishin' and learn to live with shorter seasons, and smaller bag limits. Don't like it but "it is what it is" and I'll adapt. Release most of what I catch anyway. I would feel differently if fishing were my livelihood though.

 

[JC30967]

Yes, many of these regs are unfair, not to mention unneccessary (especially in the case of fluke!). While those of us who feel that way should do whatever possible to effect change in this whole fishery MISmanagement sysyem we're currently stuck with, at the same time I, for one, will not be forced to stop fishing. I'm becoming more convinced that the true agenda of the various gov't agencies is to end fishing, period! Why let them win? BTW- that goes for both recs and commercials. I truly believe that if more recs would realize that we're in the same boat with the commercials with regards to unjust regs, and find common ground, we would be better off. Strength in numbers! But, we recs constantly bicker amongs ourselves. Keep in mind, the green groups lump ALL fishing together as cruel, wasteful, ect. Doesn't matter to them that you may release everything you catch.

 

[gebby]

the opinion bouncing around my little brain goes like this:

i fish for fun, meat u catch and cook always has a good story and a better taste, but whatever. tog i think something had to be done, those are going to be very expesive eight fillets a man. fluke is a silly situation, the definition of a travesty of justice. but if you want to follow the regs, and bring fish home, you will adjust your tactics. you'll trophy fish, and not fish for action. or you'll fish for action and be happy with it. scup, i dont spend a lot of time on them, i did have some fun with the nephews last yr in the bay with a bunch of keepers but they were all released anyway.

i think im going to fish much lighter tackle, much closer to home, and learn some new methods. and im looking forward to that.

 

[Blazetoy]

It's okay with me...more Sashimi time for me

 

[636943]

TonySMJC wrote:
Thanks

Ive been saying that for a while now

Internet whinning is speeding the process along

New fishermen that are not indoctrnated into the we need to kill them all philosopy read these boards and think why bother instead of lets go have a nice day on the water



Its mind boggling to me we are our own worst enemy on so many levels



Absolutely 100% true.



That being said, I am going to focus on freshwater fishing. Less hassle, less people, more fish...

 

[Leprechaun]

I agree with gebby:

" . . .i think im going to fish much lighter tackle, much closer to home, and learn some new methods. and im looking forward to that."

100% agree. Plus as I wrote in another thread, I intend to explore some of the fishing options from my earliest days of SW fishing. back even before my Dad bought his first boat.

Look around, and think about it for a bit. There's still plenty of opportunities, including C&R fishing.

Lep

 

[Savvy18]

I won't lie, fishing for tog and fluke is a big part of what I consider "enjoyment of life." I always have an extra bit of anticipation for opening days of both species.

My biggest concern is that the people that are "in charge" of OUR fisheries management probably have a "different" agenda than we know about. Not to mention the fact that they are clueless.

Like Pete and Gebby mentioned, fishing lighter is what I've been doing for the past several seasons. I have more fun with it and at the end of the day, I'm not too concerned with how many fillets I take home. How many can I eat anyway?

The whole tog situation is what bothers me most. Too much pressure for a fish that has such a slow growth rate. That spells bad news for us fishermen.

 

[Azaiter]

Had any one ever think about CIVILIAN DESOBIDIAN.....? They been pushing us too much if we get together and started some trouble they may listen, Im ready....Fred

 

[quiknet]

Pete, Savvy and Gebby all make great points.

My plan is to make a trip up north in april or may and put quite a few meals of haddock, cod and pollck in vacuum sealed , deep freezed, happiness so that anytime I want fish it's available. I will continue to fish for all local species, comply with bag and size limits and support my local party boats, bait and tackle shops and marinas. Hopefully, I'll get a few offshore trips in this year for those big fishes that make your reel make funny sounds

.

Also, hope to spend a few days on the bay this summer with my little one, introducing her to the bay and all the life that's in it. That should be fun.

 

[toghead]

FISHING PLAN

GLAD I ALSO ENJOY FRESHWATER SO MY TIME IS SPREAD.EATING MY CATCH HAS ALWAYS BEEN SECONDARY.THE FLUKE SITUATION IS STILL RIDICULOUS HOWEVER. IT LOOKS LIKE JERSEY IS GOING FOR 18.5 INCHES.THIS MEANS THE RELEASE OF SO MANY FLUKE THE MORTALITY RATES WILL ZOOM.THE VERY LAWS THESE IDIOTS PUT IN PLACE TO PROTECT THE RESOURCE WILL DESTROY IT.I'VE JOINED SSFFF AND HOPE THEY CAN ACHIEVE SOMETHING BEFORE A TOTAL SHUTDOWN IN 2009.MAYBE THE POWERS THAT BE WOULD LOOK INTO THE ILLEGAL LIVE TOG MARKET THATS FLOURISHING INSTEAD OF SLAMMING THE REC. FISHERMAN WITH SHORTER SEASONS AND SMALLER LIMITS.OH WELL,STAY WARM AND GOOD LUCK. GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS.

 

[JC30967]

Civil Disobedience

Azaiter wrote:
Had any one ever think about CIVILIAN DESOBIDIAN.....? They been pushing us too much if we get together and started some trouble they may listen, Im ready....Fred

Azaiter, I recall reading, I believe in that Montauk Sportfishing mag that's published annually, that when DEC put the moratorium on stripers back in the 80's, the Montauk charter capts got together and staged a demonstration. They went out and caught & kept bass, then held a rally at the dock. They let it be known in advance that they were doing this, so DEC was there issuing summonses, which is what they wanted.

 

[ihavegills]

Mad Max- Here we come

If it's not fuel or air it'll be fish!

No more fluky, embargo on!

 

[CoppersCrew]

I'm going to try and help beat them at their own game!! If it ever does close down we will only have ourselves to blame. I'm gonna keep writing letters and asking my family & freinds to do the same. Keep renewing memberships and donating what I can afford to organizations like RFA. If I have to become more "ploitical" just so I can enjoy my passion then so be it, even though I don't like it.

I have faith in science, technology and fellow fisherman. The technology of the last 15 years alone helped this website become a reality. Because of this site & others like so many more people are aware of so much information and developments. Remember there is strength in numbers. But instead of being handed the controls we have to fight for scraps. That is sad but that is the way it is.

I only hope the PBs, tackle shops and all other small businesses can make it through this period of absolute B.S.