Landing Striped Bass In A Muskie Cradle

Posted on April 25th, 2010

My colleague John Page Williams, who works for the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, is also involved in the Maryland CCA. He turned me on to Careful Catch Maryland, which is promoting the use of catch cradles used by muskie anglers to keep big bass in the water during release. The science behind it is that the less a fish is handled on release, and the less time it spends out of water, the more likely it is to survive. Check out this scientific paper on catch and release mortality, and how your gear and handling affect a fish’s recovery.

Tagged: catch and release, Chesapeake Bay, Droppin' Science, fish mortality, responsible angling, rockfish, striped bass

The State Of Bonefish and Tarpon

Posted on April 17th, 2010

I asked Dr. Aaron Adams a few questions about the state of bonefish, tarpon, and permit, particularly in Florida after this brutal winter. I also asked him about the mission of the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust. Here’s what he had to say. FJ: Could you kind of summarize what the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust is all about? If I’m giving money, where is it going? AA: Bonefish & Tarpon Trust was founded as Bonefish & Tarpon Unlimited in 1998, by a group of concerned, anglers, guides, and scientists. They were concerned about the apparent decline of bonefish and changes in behavior of tarpon in the Keys, and wanted to do something to improve the fisheries. They quickly learned that very little was known about…

Tagged: Aaron Adams, bonefish, Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, conservation, habitat loss, permit, responsible angling, tarpon

Fishy Kid Writing Contest

Posted on March 6th, 2010

Get out the pencils and the wide-lined notebook paper and get your kid to write about why fishing and being on the water is so important, and he or she could win a 10′ NuCanoe that you just might be able to borrow once in a while. Go to the Fishy Kid website to check out the rules for the latest contest aimed at getting kids out on the water.

Tagged: Fishy Kid Writing Contest, Getting kids involved

Project Permit Is In Full Effect

Posted on March 5th, 2010

Project Permit, a new joint venture between The Bonefish and Tarpon Trust and Costa Del Mar Sunglasses, has the goal of tagging 6,000 permit for scientific research. The stuff they have found out about bonefish and tarpon is phenomenal so I imagine this will bear the same fruit. Go to the Project Permit website to apply for tags if you are so inclined.

Tagged: Bonefish Tarpon Trust, Costa Del Mar, Flats fishing, permit, Project Permit, vital fish research

The Menhaden Problem

Posted on March 2nd, 2010

An article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch about the debate between anglers and scientists who have seen a decline in the atlantic menhaden population and the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) and the Omega Protein Corporation, who say the baitfish population is just fine. From the vantage point of my home waters on the Western Sound, I’m going with the scientists and anglers.

Tagged: bunker, Chesapeake Bay, menhaden, omega protein

STRIPED BASS: Driving a Good Thing Into The Ground

Posted on February 26th, 2010

Earlier this month the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC), which essentially decides the fate of the striped bass population along the coast in terms of cull numbers, voted to increase the commercial catch quota. This despite evidence on the front lines that the stripers aren’t doing as hot as the numbers suggest. People had some strong opinions about it: John McMurray, who always has the pulse of the striper situation: Years ago I wrote that Flyfishing guides like me may have a unique perspective on the striped bass fishery because of time-on-the-water and the inherent difficulty in the method. Thus, we are perhaps the first to see what could be the beginning of a very serious problem.” From the Coastal Conservation Association: This…

Tagged: conservation, dodging responsibility, overfishing, striped bass

Close the Parks? Paterson, You’re Gone

Posted on February 23rd, 2010

So this is what it’s come down to in the budget, closing State Parks–some of the only accessible green in the giant NY metro complex–to trim budget deficit. Even though it likely will save very little money. People are coming up with schemes to keep the parks open. Private operation, corporate naming rights, non-profit donations. New York has one of the most labyrinthine State governments in existence, with the most insane amounts of over-legislation and money drains imaginable. Biblical length books have been written on the subject so no point going into it on a fishing blog, but these proposed closings would cut access to a lot of green–and fishing water, to be honest–needed by many to keep their sanity. Me included.

Tagged: Paterson's Doomsday Budget

FLORIDA: Chilling Consequences of Recent Weather

Posted on February 11th, 2010

While down here for the Miami Boat Show, I met briefly with Aaron Adams of the Bonefish and Tarpon Trust. We had planned on sitting down for a full interview but outside forces pulled us in different directions. We did get to casually discuss the recent cold-induced carnage in Florida, and he dispensed some staggering information. Possibly 300,000 adult snook killed, out of an estimated 1.5 million adults total. That’s a huge percentage. Plus, he speculated that possibly two entire year classes of juvenile tarpon that come of age in the mangroves have been wiped out. Plus damage to turtle grass beds and mangroves that could take years to recover. The thought I took away from it is, extend the catch-and-release only fishing for…

Tagged: Bonefish and Tarpon Trust, cold snap, fish kills, snook

Tribal Bonefish

Posted on February 3rd, 2010

Aaron Adams has come up with a cool new concept called tribal bonefish. Check it out.

Tagged: Tribal Bonefish

The Fishy Kid Adult Coloring Contest

Posted on November 3rd, 2009

Fishy Kid, the org started by Cameron Mortenson of Fiberglass Manifesto and his buddy to help parents get their kids psyched about fishing through a kids coloring contest, is now running an ADULT COLORING CONTEST. Who’s got skills?

Tagged: coloring, Fishy Kid, Fly Fishing Blogs, hooray crayons

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