Brandon
 

Interesting how all of a sudden Brandon is taken aback because his type of fishing is effected by the days off?? He could have cared less before, and he will push for Option 1...again, I dont want to start a debate about types of fishing, but now maybe he sees what he did to us. To quote the great Doc Holliday "his hypocrisy knows no bounds"

The way I see it - the DNR tosses out #2 which forces everyone to vote for #1.

Still makes no sense to me - push to limit C/R fishing because you are worried there are not enough fish.

IMHO - DNR should be pushing the C/R and curtail the C/K.

WHY would they do that Skip. It makes WAY too much sense and who wants HONEST opinions?. We see how well they have managed the deer population. Politics is a rough game in MD and only worse in Chicago.............Gary

Brandon lost a lot of my support after his secret deal with Ed O'Brien. I do feel Brandon is feeling some pain now and maybe he will rise to the occassion once this PSCR debate is handled, and go after the real 800# gorilla in the room. Unfortunately, I feel he has miscalculated and lost the upper hand he had on Oct 19th and his quest will be much tougher now that the horse is out of the barn...Don

Skip
I agree, and that is the fight we need to keep pushing forward with. Promote C&R, Curtail C&K...100%

Random thoughts
 

We've been worked over pretty good on this C/R issue. Hopefully this is a wake up call and we'll become involved and unified. I'm not sure what will happen on Mon, but we should work together over the weekend to present a solid case. Both options are unacceptable.

Here are the points/questions I have for the meeting;

• rods to 4 per person, manageable if I fish alone.
• no fishing with barbs or stinger hooks
• use of circle hooks only
• no daily restrictions
• I want to know when/how we can call for a motion to move back trophy season and end the C/K season on the Dec 15th...shifting focus from C/R
• We need make sure DNR is using correct numbers. What was used in the presentation was flawed. There are not that many guys fishing or catching as many fish as indicated.
  

Can you give me your thoughts on these..agree/disagree/add more/subtract some...
How do you feel about pushing for game fish status? We all know that the trophy season is the 800lb gorilla in the room, but can we use it to our advantage?

Don't write off Brandon yet, he could realize how his enthusiam was used to Ed's advantage and there might be backlash.

I'll also move to the Potomac River license and will not be renewing my subscription on TF....voting with my wallet. My little guy looks like he's got the H1N1 flu and one of my twins is starting to get sick, but I'm still hoping to make it Monday.

Wow, the power of ADD:D

I have made a post on the conservation board on TF. It has a graph that plots the number of fish harvested during the trophy season against the YOY index since the begining of the moratorium and the dates I use at the bottom of the graph are the opening days for each year. It definately shows a downward trend of the YOY index and an upwards for the time being of the harvest. At some point the harvest will fall like a rock with no reprodcution to support it.

At least my graph uses real numbers compared to what they are using to curtail C&R. If we really want to fight and get the opening day of trophy season moved back we need graphics to push home the point and some one or some organization to present it in the proper way to get support.

I have been pushing my point behind the scenes with some all ready, but I have been told there is not the political will to support it, also that no one has the political balls to propose it, also that if you think we are hearing screaming now we will really hear screams if we propose that, and also that we need to do it right the first time because we will only get one shot.

I believe all of those things said to me have some merit but the last one may have the most weight, it has to be presented right, at the right time to have a shot and we will only get one shot .

Does anyone but me really want to fight this fight?

I can not make Monday night, but will write letters to the Govenor, Secretary Griffin, Martin Gary, CCA and the MSSA to state my position

I really don't think there will be much you can say to change the two proposals that have been put forth. I think it is cut a dried, vote for one or the other. But heck, I have been wrong before.

At least the bait fishermen will be able to fish, as long as they use circle hooks, which is a great idea as far as I am concerned. Mr. O'Brien does not want circle hooks implemented during the regular season. He has fought that in several meetings I have been to. Personally, I think they should be used baywide if fishing bait, during all seasons.

Lucky someone came in my shop today and informed me of this site.;)

Ele

2 things your wasting your time trying.

Game Fish Status
Messing with the Spring Season.

You don't have the political clout.
Both have been tried and didn't make it.

Game fish status means you have to fight the commercial fishing lobby.

Spring Season means dollars out of Maryland's pocket.

Unfortunately, we could push on both of these items. We just wouldn’t like who we would have to get in bed with to accomplish them. In the end it would end up just like the current mess, out of control and limiting our fishing access. I am writing my elected officials and researching the idea of why we don’t have representation from RFA on the current Board.

Bill Windley is the Maryland RFA rep. He serves on the commission for the MSSA.

Just to be very clear, are all the people that will be making these decisions are "Elected" by the citizens?

If so, the ONLY thing they care about is where their reelection money will come from and actually getting reelected.

If they do not fish (and I don't mean going out on a chartered boat once in a while with Capt. Buddy) then they don't give a rats ass about the subject because it won't effect them. They will do what it takes to stay in office.

If you propose the common sense answer you will lose, just look at the Health care Bill we have been debating for the last year. Our "Elected Officials" want to upset 85% of Americans to please 15%. Trust me it's not because "they care" or they want to do "what's right", it's for votes and to make us dependent on them which give them "control" over us.

The commercial fisherman have been in bed with the politicians for so long there in no room for the rec anglers even though that where and how the money is poured into the state via gas, tackle, license, hotels, etc....

What is the answer? Hard facts about how commercial fishing, rec CR and CK, tactics, circle hooks, stinger hooks, trolling, Flats fishing, number of rods per angler / boat etc...and how it effect the stripers. You may not like the answers you find out.

Then if the vote goes against the facts that help the fish population, then you have something to point to and say, You dumb a$$es had the facts and you chose to ignore them therefore YOU are the ones that hurt the fish population not the anglers.

If some of these people are appointed, then vote out the one that appointed them, all the way back up to O'Mally!

But then again, when has the government ever done what makes sense?

Most of you are much more in tune with who is involved in twisting the arms of those that will be making the final decisions. I may have this all wrong, if so , sorry I wasted your time.

240; I don't know how they come up with the exact makeup of the boards, but I believe some of the members are "appointed" not elected. I'm sure someone better informed than I will chime in here to let us know how the commissioners were seated. I here your frustration, and I'm right there with you brother. 5th (Marty)

I just don't get it...
 

Why the rush to "address" the issue and the process whereby you have proposals released on Friday for a Monday meeting at a time when few can attend?

This is bad politics at its best!

FYI: The recreational license revenue at the Potomac River Fisheries Commission will soon exceed that of commercial license sales. In theory this would give the rec's more clout. Yet at every PRFC quarterly meeting there is hardly ever a recreational fisherman in the room let alone giving any testimony. Do you think that the issue of C & R will come before the PRFC and they may not do the same thing?

The process for the striped bass recreational catch and release regulatory changes is:

Nov. 16 – Scoping Meeting
Nov. 16-23 – Regulatory ideas will be placed on the fisheries draft page - http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisherie...gulations.html - and the public may provide feedback through the electronic feedback on the website or by faxing (410-260-8310) or mailing us comments (comments must be received by COB Nov. 23)
Nov. 24 – Final proposal will be submitted to AELR (legislative committee) by COB; DNR will post up what we submitted on our proposed regulations webpage - http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/fisherie...egulations.asp
Dec. 11 – proposed regulations go to the Division of State Documents to be published in the Maryland Register
Jan. 4 – proposed regulations appear in Maryland Register and public comment period begins (comments can be made by email – fisheriespubliccomment@dnr.state.md.us; by fax – 410-260-8310; or by mail)
Feb. 3 – public comment period ends
Feb. 17 – DNR can adopt proposed regulations
Feb. 26 – final decision appears in Maryland Register
March 8 – proposed regulations become effective