12 May Weekend report….
Hi Gang,
The season is upon us!! I finally got my first few fish of the season on Saturday….mouth of the Merrimack, Beachfront and back marshes have all produced fish. Get out there folks and start tossing some small bucktails, plastic swimmers and you will eventually connect with some fish, but there are some bigger ones mixed in as well. If you not sure where or what to fish with, stop into Surfland Bait & Tackle and the gang there will point you in the right direction with the right supplies….Tight lines everyone….GAME ON!!!!
-Steve
FridayNightFishing
Posted at 18:57h, 12 MayNice to see this this! So excited blowing off the day tomorrow morning and heading up. Yessah
Chris
Posted at 19:55h, 12 MayNice work, thank you for the report. Schoolies are in Seabrook too, Chatruese Swedish Pimples, size 6, were the name of the game up in the Marsh. Ended up with a few wind knots (suffix braid), may be time for Power pro?
Is that a MAK bag?
All the best!
Chris
Steve
Posted at 09:34h, 13 MayHi Chris,
The bag is made by a company called “Gear Up Surfcasting”. They are a pretty new company. Look them up on google and you’ll find their site. Absolutely bulletproof!
-Steve
sharkbait
Posted at 12:04h, 13 MaySchoolies are in, finally! What I don’t understand is how people can complain about the health of stiped bass population, but insist on catching schoolies for fun. Are these people aware tha at least 25% of what they release dies? How about leaving the schoolies alone and catching (and keeping) the keepers?
http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/9963.html
Steve
Posted at 12:11h, 13 MayI agree with you 100%. This time of year I try to crush down my barbs as well for the best shot a quick and clean release. The other thing that annoys me is seeing people out there with their freshwater bass setups taking 10 minutes to land a 16″ schoolie in heavy current. We all know light tackle for small fish is alot of fun, but when you prolong the fight like that it’s very bad for the chances of a successful release…..
-Steve
Chris
Posted at 06:31h, 14 MaySharkbait – I’m not sure keeping the ‘keepers’ will help with the conservation of the stripers, if that is your concern. How about letting the ‘keepers’, and some of them are ‘breeders’, live too?
As stated, crush those treble barbs. I think bait soakers deadsticking get a lot of gut hooked fish.
Chris
Orca
Posted at 21:24h, 13 MaySharkbait…The mortality report sited above refers to very old data on the use of J hooks and can’t be used to compare agianst the use of lures/jigs to catch schoolies. This is misleading info, however, catch & release sure beats the killing of keepers anyday.
Jeff
Posted at 11:25h, 14 MaySchoolies are fun period.. Crushing barbs is a big role in conservation as well as quick release and not bouncing them off rocks or kicking them back in. Nevermind poaching. I found a backpack full of schoolies last yr at plum thrown to waste in the bushes. Ive seen people stuffing a bag or burying them too. Make the call to F+G. Dont think some else will. MA F+G 1-800-632-8075.Throw it in ur cell. But what irks me and that there are WAYYYYY to many people keeping EVERY keeper they catch Big or small. I call them meathunters. Known fact bigger fish are big breeders and people have no clue. Bigger fish dont taste as good, higher toxins especially belly meat and big reproducers. I hate how some people just wanna walk the red carpet with their huge fish down the beach or a certain ditch disregarding that the nice 15-30pnd fish will bring thousands of offspring in years to come. Dont get me wrong,I keep 2-3 fish a yr 28- 34in and we wait all winter to get some fresh striper on the table or the kid whose never caught a big fish and wants it. GREAT. But keeping EVERY damn keeper you catch.. Really? biggest part of this rant is preservation. I would love for my 3yr old to have a shot at a nice 50pnd fish when she grows up etc. Rant over. Tight lines everyone and hope you have the best season ever.
——– TALL GUY JEFF ——-
Jeff
Posted at 11:30h, 14 MayPS: Dont forget to support your local shop. Surfland !!!!!!!!!!
Paul
Posted at 15:52h, 14 MayWhats the problem with “catching schoolies for fun”? Isn’t that the point of fishing… Just about all of my released fish survive, and if the course of events leads to an injured fish… I keep it. It a rare occurrence.
john
Posted at 04:15h, 16 MayIsnt that why they created the circle hook. I completely disagree about the dead sticking comment, what is this elitism? If you use a circle you are far less likely to gut hook a fish. Its never happened to me yet. Its about ethics and being a good sportsman and treating your harvest with respect. I’m no con-edison when it comes to killing stripers. I fish with rod and reel in the surf and if i get a keeper most likely i will be taking it home and dont expect to be disparaged for that. By the way, us dead stickers also fly fish and use lures. So lets not be too righteous.