quote:
Originally posted by poly ballNo stocking= no fish.
Ok, but what does that tell you about the state of our natural fishery, environment, limits, pressure, and on and on??
Who are the guides that allow their customers to keep a limit of reds that includes the Captains amount?
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Down here is where a signature goes but they can confuse and anger some people so I don’t have one.
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Originally posted by CaptFritzWho are the guides that allow their customers to keep a limit of reds that includes the Captains amount?
Names don’t matter. Why not just have a rule that would alleviate it if someone would do it? Could it hurt?
That rule shouldn’t have to be written.
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Down here is where a signature goes but they can confuse and anger some people so I don’t have one.
Agreed.
You Charleston guys are failing to understand the bigger picture. We (St. Helena Sound-Wadmalaw Sound) have LESS pressure since 2012 because strong guides from Charleston don’t come here anymore because the redfishing SUCKS! Our pressure is REALLY light compared to Charleston. The numbers went into a steep decline in 2011. In 2012, 212,000 fingerlings were stocked in the North Edisto, and numbers continued into a free-fall. I have a MUCH easier time finding good flats schools in the Charleston area than the 40 mile stretch in my home waters. In the Edisto area, fishing pressure is a SMALL part of the equation as stated earlier. Between 2010-2012, entire flats schools of 300-500 fish just vanished and never replenished. Charleston schools get hammered, but yet some nice schools are still there albeit tough to catch at times. As a tournament fisherman, you are forced to learn ALL waters as best you can and get a good understanding of locations through networking, and you can bet not 1 tournament guy will say any portion of our state has a better population inshore than it did 5 years ago.
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Originally posted by Hoppyquote:
Originally posted by poly ballNo stocking= no fish.
Ok, but what does that tell you about the state of our natural fishery, environment, limits, pressure, and on and on??
That tells me that stocking programs are essential.
Everyone talks about “no big government” by creating more rules and regs but what alternative is there if “we the people” won’t control ourselves or police ourselves?
In the future, where every stranger poses a potential threat, knowing the predator mindset is the only safe haven.
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Originally posted by RADDADDYI have a MUCH easier time finding good flats schools in the Charleston area than the 40 mile stretch in my home waters. Charleston schools get hammered, but yet some nice schools are still there albeit tough to catch at times.
I agree there are still schools to be found, further up the icw and in some of the sounds. Where I was speaking of is primarily “closer to town”. Areas that used to be loaded with fish are empty now. Maybe all the boat traffic and fishing pressure has just caused them to move / leave?
When I fished the Kiawah River area I would be amazed at the lack of cold/low water fish on the flats and oyster areas there. Pole for hours and not see a fish. Lot’s of fish around docks, low tide holes in creeks, and tailing fishing could be epic. But in the winter they were tough to find on a flat.
Has there been any research done on the breeding population of redfish that move in and out to spawn each year? I feel like catching monster redfish has become wildly popular in the past 10 years, especially in the charleston and Georgetown areas. I just wonder if catching those breeding fish day in and day out stresses them to the point that they become less efficient/effective at spawning? I understand catching them at the jetties where they are feeding and preparing to spawn or recovering from spawning. But my concern is catching fish in holes, depressions, river bends, deep channels etc. where they are actively working to spawn.
From a fresh water standpoint, we have all caught a bedding female bass full of eggs that expressed the eggs in the boat (live-well) or shortly after the catch due to the stress of being caught. My fear is that the same thing could be happening with the breeding redfish.
For anyone that may think the pressure isn’t that bad on breeding redfish or there is no way that enough fish are caught to make an impact, just go anchor up near one of the more popular places for catching them and see how many fish are caught day in and day out week in and week out.
Romans 1:16-17
Do you all think redfish are cannibals? You hardly ever catch a juvenile anymore while casting for bait. Maybe the larger redfish are eating all their young cousins.
Too much stress on the breeders at the grillage and jetties, not properly venting the fish pulled from 40 to 70 foot of water, making them easy prey for Jaws. However, just because a stressed large redfish can dive and swim after being released from a 20 minute fight, doesn’t mean it can out maneuver Jaws. Tight lines !!!
Agreed. I also know of several in-town flats that have ZERO fish now that were loaded 10 years ago. It’s easy to come to the conclusion that they were fished out because they were community holes, but the same thing has happened here with comparatively little pressure. Maybe they moved, but there is only so much habitat. For me, flipping docks was always a great plan B pattern, but that has dwindled also in this area. It still can be productive but not nearly as productive as times past. The speed at which they left coupled with them not repopulating the same habitat is my major concern. I literally witnessed the largest flats school in Wadmalaw Sound leave in a 2 month time span during the winter of 2012. There was absolutely no reason that I can understand why they left. 500+ fish just vanished. I’m sure they didn’t die. They just vacated and have not come back. On the other side of this discussion, I know of several river and ICW schools in Charleston that get hammered every day but still have decent numbers. As stated before, those fish are all wearing caps and gowns and are tough to get them to play most times. Same goes with some Broad River schools. Bottom line, I have no theories as to the “why”, but most places have seen steep declines in juvenile populations.
quote:
Originally posted by Hoppyquote:
Originally posted by RADDADDYI have a MUCH easier time finding good flats schools in the Charleston area than the 40 mile stretch in my home waters. Charleston schools get hammered, but yet some nice schools are still there albeit tough to catch at times.
I agree there are still schools to be found, further up the icw and in some of the sounds. Where I was speaki
I’ve posted this comment so many times its become habit :: I still feel that all the shat coming down stream and leaching into the creeks
from development causes far-far more negative effects than most folks
are willing to admit. I’ve noticed the replys on this subject enough
to convince me of it. Too much money being made by developers , golf courses , shopping centers , ect , ect…and not enough people standing and sayin enough is enough , but then who am I to complain, just an old fat man draggin bait around trying to catch fish that are now only a memory of days past.
You’ll most likely never see them return if their home is to remain a toilet bowl full of Shat![:0]
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When you see “Old Glory” waving in the breeze, know that it is the dying breaths of our fallen hero’s that makes it wave.
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It looks like a ruling might come up real soon on the redfish limits .
The commission is meeting this week in Alexandria, Va., where results of the still-draft assessment are being discussed and will be voted on. That group is in charge of the fishery and tells state managers what abundance of the stock to reach, but not how to achieve it. The fishery could be put off limits if the goals aren’t reached.
http://www.postandcourier.com/20160502/160509842/too-many-hooks-into-red-drum-federal-survey-says-
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Originally posted by skinneejReds are stocked every year out of the Waddell center from my understanding. They mark the hatchery fish with a chemical that binds to their DNA. When the racks are returned to DNR, the rack is checked for the chemical and if it’s present, they know it’s a hatchery fish. At the time I researched this (probably 8-10 years ago), about 3-5% of the racks that came back were determined to be from the hatchery.
- there is a problem with your theory that 200K hatchery fish should show an explosion in the fishery. There is a high degree of mortality on baby fish. They get eaten by bigger fish. Conceptually MILLIONS of babies are born each year, so 200K is a small number. That being said, the environment is harsh. Higher\lower temps, salinity, bait, etc could all contribute to be good or bad years. This happens in the wild too. Some “year classes” are more abundant than others because of this.
- Conceptually, the could distinguish if none of the 200K fish made it. This would mean that they would have no racks with the DNA that were from fish of the correct age (year that the mass release happened)
- SIDE NOTE: Something similar was measured with Cobia. I heard that 83% of the racks recovered proved to be from the hatchery. That means that wild fish aren’t doing so well…
To my knowledge, N. Edisto redfish have not been stocked since 2012 (I could be wrong). Redfish reach 30" in a little under 4 yrs. That would be now. There are hardly any 30" fish in that area compared to just a few years ago. Something happened to that stocking effort.
Are you saying that we see no effect from stocking? Thats laughable. Of course, many of the stocked fish will not survive. But a significant and very noticeable amount will. Look at striper. A quadrillion were stoc
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Originally posted by corkmanDo you all think redfish are cannibals?
Yes. Reds are opportunistic and given any easy meal, they will take it. I’ve seen a redfish come out of the water to eat a mouse as well as choke to death trying to devour a 10" terrapin…
May all your favorite bands stay together…
Here is something to chew on, and just saying what I’ve seen and asking a question, stating an opinion -
The schools in the ICW used to be composed of reasonably liked sized fish. You would fish a school every winter that would start off as slots and each year when they schooled back up they would be bigger, and then at some point they would leave, and be replaced by another school of slots. Sort of like once they left for the ocean there would be another school of in the wings waiting to take residence there. Now when you find them, not only are there far fewer fish, but are mixed in size from rats to 30inch fish.
I also agree that there is more pollution than ever. For some reason it bothers some fish and appears to not bother others.
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Originally posted by corkmanToo much stress on the breeders at the grillage and jetties, not properly venting the fish pulled from 40 to 70 foot of water, making them easy prey for Jaws. However, just because a stressed large redfish can dive and swim after being released from a 20 minute fight, doesn’t mean it can out maneuver Jaws. Tight lines !!!
I do agree with you on this statement. I fish Folly Pier allot. I’ve personally seen 25% of the bull reds caught go belly up after dehooking, picture taking and then being released. Just because a fish swims off, doesn’t mean it will survive.
Ya know, it must be nice living in Neverneverland. Remind me to come visit you, when I need a break from reality.
I don’t get to fish as much as I used to. Before kids I averaged about 700 hour a year between 2 boats though. I can confirm though what everyone else is saying, those close to town spots are no longer as productive. In the GT area NI has been decimated. The redfish are gone. There used to be several schools of 300-500 fish in there, now you’re lucky to find schools of 20.
“Those who have the ability to make a difference have the responsibility to do so.” Thomas Jefferson
I am not sure what the cause may be, but have noticed a decline as well. I also noticed during this period that the recreational shrimping is not near as good as it used to be, especially around the harbor. I quit years ago, but we used to be able to get a limit on a regular basis now it seems it is very spotty. I know some of the guys are catching them deep, but they are not in the usual shallower spots like they once were. Could it be a food source issue that has caused these fish to move to different areas. I can’t really say. In the 80’s I could go to the end of the jetties and guarantee you 2-3 king mackerel every trip. Now it seems they are not there in quantities any longer. Almost makes me think it is a water quality issue of some sort, but that is nothing more than pure speculation. I hope they can get to the bottom of it.
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Originally posted by ApickettI am not sure what the cause may be, but have noticed a decline as well. I also noticed during this period that the recreational shrimping is not near as good as it used to be, especially around the harbor.
That’s true. Especially given the fact that we haven’t had a bad winter with winter shrimp kills in several years. Used to be that several mild winters equalled and off the chart shrimp season. Then roll in the fact that the commercial season is looking to be epic. Where’d they go cuz…