Was out with a friend north of the bridge again yesterday (skunk). I'm not saying there aren't fish north of the bridge, but I'm saying, "You can have at em?"
Too much effort for skunks. We hit 5 areas that are usually productive, even if it's for smaller fish. Nobody home
Even the birds must be ganged up down south. We saw a few terns (liar birds) dipping on some bait near the surface, but that's all. Three years ago, we had pelicans all the way to the Key Bridge working bigger bait
People often point to health care or education as to reasons why we shouldn't give the government even more authority over our lives, but all you need to do is look at the wonderful job they have done with the rockfish population in the chesapeake bay.
As we ignorant fishermen continued to tell the State and Atlantic Marine Fisheries that populations were dwindling. Their response continued to be "SUSTAINABLE". It was the magic word that allowed continued taking of the resource. In fact, each year was sustainable, sustainable, sustainable, until "Crisis", "Crisis", "Crisis", we need to take drastic action.
I was nearly drummed off Tidal Fish as being "Anti Conservationist" (even by friends over there), because I was against the circle hook requirements. My position was that it was just an illusion by the State to appear that they were doing something. It was a new rule that cost the State NOTHING to institute, yet made them appear as though they were taking action.
What happened, all the guys on TF continued to cry about all the dead floaters even after circle hooks was a law. AND, how many people do you know that were even checked by DNR for using circle hooks?? Yep, it was a big initiative by the State
Now we have a real crisis on our hands again. I'm not so sure that the proposed restrictions will bring back the population. Could it be that the migratory stock no longer makes the turn into the Chesapeake Bay like they used to?? After many many years of turning into the Chesapeake and hitting Virginia (where most of the food source has been eliminated by Omega Protien), perhaps they just turned around and headed back into the ocean.
Oh wait, it's not that they didn't come, it's because we continually missed them (that was DNR's answer). Remember, one year they came in too early, because it was a warm winter. Another year, it was because they came in too late, because it was a cold winter. "The rivers are full of spawning fish", they kept saying. Bullchit. We were out there, and nobody was home
If fewer and fewer cows made their way up to the Susqahana to spawn, fewer and fewer fry have that "imprint" to return to the chesapeake.
Over many years, we may get a spawning stock to return (there are a lot of one/two year old fish in the bay), but that's almost going to need another moratorium to get 30+ inch breeding stock.
Virginia has finally stopped turning a blind eye to Omega, and that may help as well.
I just see four/five very lean years ahead.
Can guys like Greg (Befaithful) continue to move and follow the fish, sure. But guys who are tied to slips are going to have a much harder time. Some of my friends who used their boats primarily as fishing boats, have already made the switch to pleasure boats. It's going to be very interesting to see how aggressive the State and ASMF get with the restrictions.
The only thing I can say for certain is, VOTE TRUMP in 2020
I only say this because I'm a "cult" member and I've been mind controlled not to vote democrat. At least that's what all the mainstream media tells me this week
Have a great Thanksgiving,
5th
Done
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