Why was today the last day of the rockfish season?

[JigStix]

Marty, this is not targeted at you, more for people like, well Skip and his lemmings.

I love you guys that preach conservation while practicing kill all you can within your limit, and then ponder why noone takes you seriously. You hope and wish for a longer season to kill Rockfish, but throw out "put back all fish over 40". Conservation when it's convienient to you, like when they limit Catch and Release. You stand there at meetings and defend actions like trolling through a gannet storm, state that you are for saving the future of the rockfish population, and then in the same breath post on a public message board that you wish you could catch and kill later into the year. If you truly just love fishing, go catch and release and stop hoping for a longer kill season. You want to eat it, go buy it or eat one of the hundreds of fish you kill all year long that have to be overflowing your freezer.

[Hockleyneck]

Originally Posted by JigStix

Marty, this is not targeted at you, more for people like, well Skip and his lemmings.

I love you guys that preach conservation while practicing kill all you can within your limit, and then ponder why noone takes you seriously. You hope and wish for a longer season to kill Rockfish, but throw out "put back all fish over 40". Conservation when it's convienient to you, like when they limit Catch and Release. You stand there at meetings and defend actions like trolling through a gannet storm, state that you are for saving the future of the rockfish population, and then in the same breath post on a public message board that you wish you could catch and kill later into the year. If you truly just love fishing, go catch and release and stop hoping for a longer kill season. You want to eat it, go buy it or eat one of the hundreds of fish you kill all year long that have to be overflowing your freezer.

Where's the icon for the guy eating popcorn?

[Hockleyneck]

Originally Posted by JigStix

Marty, this is not targeted at you, more for people like, well Skip and his lemmings.

I love you guys that preach conservation while practicing kill all you can within your limit, and then ponder why noone takes you seriously. You hope and wish for a longer season to kill Rockfish, but throw out "put back all fish over 40". Conservation when it's convienient to you, like when they limit Catch and Release. You stand there at meetings and defend actions like trolling through a gannet storm, state that you are for saving the future of the rockfish population, and then in the same breath post on a public message board that you wish you could catch and kill later into the year. If you truly just love fishing, go catch and release and stop hoping for a longer kill season. You want to eat it, go buy it or eat one of the hundreds of fish you kill all year long that have to be overflowing your freezer.

Since we are just giving opinions and Marty asked us to be respectful, here is my assessment. The larger fish are targeted and harassed from New England to NC. They are targeted in and on their breeding grounds here in Maryland. How can this be good? I am guilty of targeting the larger fish as well, who in this group is not guilty? I personally would support a longer C&R period in the spring and extend the winter season for the smaller fish. Once the larger fish are gone due to low water temps, who cares if you keep a 20 inch local fish? Those in charge also need to do something about the commercial guys whether netters or hook and liners. While we are at it, it would be nice to limit Omega. It would seem the striped bass is in trouble, let's hope something is done before another moratorium is necessary.

[Mikie]

The season was scheduled to close on Dec 15th - it did. The anomaly was LAST year when it was extended.

[Skip]

JigStix - I've done my best to ignore your constant jabs at me but since you called me out by name this time - I'll reply.

That multiple hook up under the Gannets was a once in a lifetime event - figured someone with your expertise would understand that. So many factors came together and I happened to be right there when it did.

Letting the bigger fish go is my way of conserving fish for the future.

Me taking a legal limit when I fish is not the trouble. You really need to direct your anger at the poachers.

[reds]

Mikie

It was 2008 that the rec season was extended 16 days to Dec 31.

Skip

The reason for the Dec 15th cut off date is two fold.

The original date was Dec 1 so as not to conflict with the gill netters. The 15th was asked for by the Maryland charterboat people so they wouldn't lose as many customers to the Virginia fishery. The gillnetters didn't oppose the 15 day extension and it has remained that way for awhile now. (except for 2008). I don't think 5 percent is correct as to rec fishing in the winter in Maryland. It's maybe one percent, if that.

The second reason is that there has to be a cut off on Maryland's Striper fishery to satisfy Maryland and ASMFC's agreement on the size and quota numbers.

[5th Tuition]

I was simply trying to figure out how DNR is thinking. It just seems counter productive to extend the season on a "good" year when people are catching lots of fish. But then; on a year (like this one) when catching was difficult (and less fish were taken) why didn't they extend the season?

I was wondering if this was a subtle message from DNR that they really do believe the stock is in jeoperdy. By not extending the season, they have at least saved a small portion of the stock.

kill lots of rock...extend the season
kill fewer rock...end season on the 15th

The above didn't make sense to me. I believe DNR is concerned about the size of the stock and felt it prudent to close the season on time this year.

Thanks for all the responses.
5th (Marty)

[B-Faithful]

Law of averages. They dont shorten the season when a good year has been had either. It at least gives consistancy in the seasons and consistant access and opportunity. If they shortened seasons on good years and someone had taken a week off to fish for Thanksgiving, they could be SOL. Also industries around rec fishing benefit more from consistant season lengths. It is why rec fishing works better with targets and not having quotas like the commercial side.

[JigStix]

Originally Posted by Skip

Me taking a legal limit when I fish is not the trouble. You really need to direct your anger at the poachers.

Poachers or Illegal Charters? Both are bad, I'm assuming you only do one, so you constantly harp on the other. I'm overwhelmed with illegality. PS I have no anger, just dislike for hypocrisy, I'm very Zen.