Fish Report 4/4/11

Fish Report 4/4/11

Barely Dinner

Going Again

uP AnD dOwN  

 

Regular Tog Fishing Thursday, Friday; Sunday Too -- 7:00 to 3:00 -- $100.00.

And a Saturday long trip from 6 to 4....

Maybe a few cod on these trips--much less likely than a few weeks ago.

See below signature for May cbass & other upcoming tog trip info.

 

 

Hi All,

Got Saturday in. Nice day really.

Just as I became convinced, Was absolutely sure that I had been too cautious in staying somewhat close to shore, As I was ready to throw a sailorly cussing on forecasters ..Wind came hard WNW and blew 60.

Went from flat, scarcely-a-ripple, calm to getting pretty dogoned saucy in a big hurry..

But I'd been holding course some 30 degrees tighter to the beach. Didn't have much ocean between me and the beach when the big wind came up. In no time we were in calm water again with a long way to home.  

The bite Saturday was far better in the AM. Wasn't great at that.

A few tog, a few cod, some tags, some data; dinner for most: It was the best I could do.

 

Sunday I had one guy showing off, charitably donating to those who weren't doing so well. Others, despite serious talent, only nicked and picked; dropped a few in the box. There was only one keeper cod aboard and 1 guy limited on tog. Most--though not all--ended up with dinner.

 

Bottom temps out-front actually went lower last week by a little.

Tautog, apparently, were not enthused.  

 

The offshore forecast has a great big sustained southerly wind in it with gusts to 45. Maybe that will push a little warm water our way.

 

Supposed to be calm enough again come Wednesday. I'm going to try it. April 6th - Long Tog - 6 to 4 (ish) - $125.00 - Staying, Waiting, Sweating It Out - 16 Head Sells Out - Green Crab Provided - Know That Swinging For The Fence Leads To Strike-Outs......

 

Regular Tog Fishing Thursday, Friday & Sunday Too - 7th, 8th & 10th - 7:00 to 3:00 -- $100.00.

And a Saturday long trip from 6 to 4....

 

16 Head Sells Out Tog Trips -- Green Crabs Provided -- Lot Of Weather Rolling Through - Forecasts Will Change - Reservations Required @ 410 520 2076 - Leave The Best Contact Number Possible In Case Of Cancellation...... . . .

 

A few weeks ago I wrote about making brochures for fish regulations back when regs were brand new, About what a pain in the neck it was to wait while the regs were decided.

Recently I saw a nice stick-on ruler with pretty pictures of fish ..but no size limits at all, just phone numbers.

This is all MRFSS catch-estimate driven, all this uP AnD dOwN regulatory insanity.

 

I believe there are simple biological & management driven size limits that will certainly vary by region, but will scarcely need vary from year to year within those regions..

 

Angler effort isn't THAT hard to predict..

But the closer I look at this data the more I wonder: What Is Management Thinking?

For instance, in July/Aug of 2007 Maryland private boats are officially estimated to have caught 20,082 tog.

NY, NJ, DE & VA private boats all combined & all together caught 13,244 more tog in the same period.

OC's north & south jetties, the Rt. 50 Bridge pilings and some bulkheads produced more fish than almost 500 miles of coast.

We need to patent that kind of habitat production..

 

"Yup, angler effort is hard to reckon. Who'd a thunk all the coast's tog fishermen would congregate in OC, MD and pay the big money to stay in high summer?"

Fancy that..

 

NJ's tog estimates are UP!

Huge numbers -- UP!

In March & April, 2010, NJ's private boats are up 124,570 fish; The state's up 160,583 tog overall for the year..

Odd, the charter/party catch is cloven neatly in two..

Yet the shore catch is up 70,738 -- all of which is in March & April also.

Gee..

 

That's irrefutable data.

Not correct data, mind you; You're just not allowed to refute it.

You are, however, allowed to lose your life savings because of it.

All the states will have to tighten tog regs next year -- some of them a lot.

All of it because of MRFSS catch estimates.

All this sea bass turmoil too...

There's no logical test required for a MRFSS data set; It only has to appear and be worshipped..

Hopefully in the new MRIP catch-estimate statistical model there will be  tests of probability, of whether an answer might appear rational or irrational..

 

My favorite fisheries, my specialty, are the reef fisheries; These the data-poor fisheries where abundance/fish population data is hard to come by, Where our region's natural reef habitat remains unrecognized; Where our MRFSS' catch estimates have so mangled the truth that both economic and fishery collapse are perfectly feasible within the data's actual error spread..

 

I have often and always put forward the notion that our habitat needs to be addressed. Habitat restoration is, however, never a 'stand alone' management strategy. There must always be sound fishery management based on dependable fish population estimates & reliable catch-estimates.

Habitat is simply an unused tool that can rebuild stocks far more swiftly.  

 

Our 'restorations' are now built upon foundations of sand & mud; Upon untruthful catch estimates, data-poor stock estimates, and ignorance of habitat & habitat fidelity.

A lot of that's changing very swiftly.

It won't be painless ..but it will make for much better fishing.

It would all go just as well--or better--with MRFSS laid to rest while managers simply use 10 year MRFSS data averages: That's what the statistical program was designed for.

 

Regards,

Monty

 

April 6th - Long Tog - 6 to 4 (ish) - $125.00 - Staying, Waiting, Sweating It Out - 16 Head Sells Out - Green Crab Provided - Know That Swinging For The Fence Leads To Strike-Outs......

 

Lot Of Weather Rolling Through - Forecasts Will Change - Reservations Required @ 410 520 2076 - Leave The Best Contact Number Possible In Case Of Cancellation. 16 Head Sells Out Tog Trips -- Green Crabs Provided

 

Regular Tog Fishing Thursday, Friday & Sunday Too - 7th, 8th & 10th - 7:00 to 3:00 -- $100.00.

And a Saturday long trip from 6 to 4 -- $125....

 

Sea Bass..

Monday thru Friday, May 23 thru 26 - Regular Cbass Trips - 7 to 3 - $100

Saturday, May 28 -- Long Cbass -- 6:30 AM to 4PM -- $125.00

Through July 10th - Saturday's Long - Rest of the week 8 hour as on website..  

Reservations Required On All Trips -- Call 410 520 2076 -- Leave Your Best Contact Number In Case Of Weather -- Clams Provided -- BYO Gulp!

See http://www.morningstarfishing.com/ for reserved rail/spot positions...

As always: If everyone is 20 minutes early--We leave 20 minutes early! Be Early!

 

Capt. Monty Hawkins
mhawkins@siteone.net
Party Boat "Morning Star"
Reservation Line 410 520 2076
http://www.morningstarfishing.com/