In the last few years I have had trouble catching a keeper slot fish most have been to long! Don’t know why but my wife likes bass better than flounder or mahi! So have to keep one every now and then. filleted with skin on and fried outside in a black frying pan. The new laws would suite me but they have to be enforced! We as sportsman must report all violations with boat and auto # and follow up. As Ron said the fisherman sure helped the striper in the lower Saluda to the salt!
Stripper populations were hurting bad in the Chesapeake bay. They put a moratorium on strippers. It was a 3 year period and some people complained. Looking at the population now it shows that the stripper population made a HUGE comeback. I support all regs that will protect the fishery for years to come. It’s on us who are out on the water to report violations. As for DNR I have never been stopped in the wando or up the Cooper however, I have been stopped and checked 5-6 times up the ICW and at both Garrin and Buckhall landings.
I honestly would mind seeing a year or two of catch and release on reds. Keep trout flounder, sheeps and those endangered BSB’s. In the long run something like that would greatly benefit our fishery and make it super easy for DNR to check boats. If you have a fish in possession here’s your ticket. Could be interesting for tournaments and fish in the live well. Maybe tourneys can issue catch cards where fish are to be released at the dock after weigh in. Pretty sure that would not be legal but hey.
Fact of the matter is some will always b1tch and complain about ANY rules and regulations while others will ALWAYS break the law regardless of rules and regs. Some use the argument of “why pass new rules when people won’t obey them.” Well, that’s about as stupid as stupid gets. The simple fact that more people follow/obey the rules/regs/laws makes them worth while.
99% of the time, we launch out of Remley’s. While we’ve never been stopped on the water, we have been checked a few times at the ramp itself. Fisherman and points of access to the water will always outnumber Game Wardens but just because you don’t see them or you haven’t personally been stopped doesn’t mean they’re not somewhere doing their job, enforcing the rules and regs and protecting out state’s natural resources. Besides, sometimes it’s the Game Warden you DON’T see that’ll get the bad guys.
“…be a man and PM me.”
First, I am in favor of managing this red fishery more effectively. Clearly the fishing pressure is playing a huge impact in a lot of areas on the red population along with a major increase in the number of guides and new comers to the area. Raddaddy, you and I have spoken at length on this subject and have fished the N Edisto together for years. You are right on with the decline. I think like many gov’t agencies, DNR has limited resources to effectively study this problem. If money is the issue then I am in favor of paying for example $20 year redfish stamp. In addition, like dear hunting you can buy “X” no# of tags if you want to keep a redfish. Either way if you continue to ignore this problem, it will go away soon on its on.
On a different note. Not trying to derail the topic but we have had 4+ years of middle winters thus resulting in excellent trout fishing. However, the average trout size has not increase dramatically IMHO. How some could explain that as well.
He must Increase,but I must decrease. John 3:30
Don’t know the answer to why our average size of trout does not increase dramatically around here during extended mild periods, but it’s a moot point now as they will take a major hit this week. Does anyone know if we are still restocking trout from Waddell? It seems to be a good plan to rebuild hatchery stocks when we have a rough winter such as this one will be. Also, if money is the problem, most anglers would donate graciously when they knew every dollar was going to replenish stocks in their area. Just add another few boxes to check (or not) on the license application that coincides with a particular species in order to donate like already exists for SC Wildlife magazine.
I’m good with the change. Seems like enough evidence to allow dnr to get ahead of a problem as Goldfinch describes. I’ve not personally seen the decline. But I fish a small area and suppose I’ve learned more over the years. Been able to catch spottails without much problem. I have noticed more black drum in the last 5 years compared to previous 10.
Bag Limit of 5
Slot change 15 - 26
Gigging ban? Why, just for a change? What impact does that have?
The CCA and DNR are NOT looking out for recreational fishermen AT ALL.
I’m glad all of you are so conservative but some of us like to eat fish and you don’t speak for me.
Some of us don’t live at the coast and want to take something home when we have time to go.
I’m tired of constant rigid regulations on recreational fishermen.
Capt. Garry Coats
Folly Beach & CHS
@DolphinChartersSC
quote:. There’s going to be a bag limit of 5 ?
Originally posted by DillyDallyBag Limit of 5
Slot change 15 - 26
Gigging ban? Why, just for a change? What impact does that have?
The CCA and DNR are NOT looking out for recreational fishermen AT ALL.
I’m glad all of you are so conservative but some of us like to eat fish and you don’t speak for me.
Some of us don’t live at the coast and want to take something home when we have time to go.
I’m tired of constant rigid regulations on recreational fishermen.
Capt. Garry Coats
Folly Beach & CHS
@DolphinChartersSC
quote:
Originally posted by DillyDallyBag Limit of 5
Slot change 15 - 26
Gigging ban? Why, just for a change? What impact does that have?
The CCA and DNR are NOT looking out for recreational fishermen AT ALL.
I’m glad all of you are so conservative but some of us like to eat fish and you don’t speak for me.
Some of us don’t live at the coast and want to take something home when we have time to go.
I’m tired of constant rigid regulations on recreational fishermen.
Capt. Garry Coats
Folly Beach & CHS
@DolphinChartersSC
Now there is a solution! Honestly, how many Redfish are taken from Gigging?
“live and let live” … “those that deserve it.”
I’m sure a lot of redfish are gigged,back in my outlaw days we decimated them with the gig.Nowadays I enjoy catching with a rod and reel and don’t want to see populations decline.The proposed new regulations will help but the biggest issue is the enforcement of the law.Also just because someone doesn’t live near the coast,it doesn’t give them the right to bring home a large amount of fish. I can’t go to Alaska and bring home a truckload of salmon just because I don’t live there.By the way, in my younger days, I would be setting nets in this snow.Dont think it’s not going on.
quote:
Originally posted by DillyDallyBag Limit of 5
Slot change 15 - 26
Gigging ban? Why, just for a change? What impact does that have?
The CCA and DNR are NOT looking out for recreational fishermen AT ALL.
I’m glad all of you are so conservative but some of us like to eat fish and you don’t speak for me.
Some of us don’t live at the coast and want to take something home when we have time to go.
I’m tired of constant rigid regulations on recreational fishermen.
Capt. Garry Coats
Folly Beach & CHS
@DolphinChartersSC
I don’t live on the coast either but I “take something home” every time I go fishing. Even if there’s an empty fish cooler, I had a great time, learned something and made some memories. I couldn’t imagine the quality of my experience or a “good time” hinging on whether I brought fish home or not. If fresh fish is on the menu or I’m catching fish for an upcoming fish fry, then I bring fish home. Otherwise, we catch and release everything and still “take something home.”
SC is known for a lot of things but “rigid regulations” aren’t one of them. If agencies like the SCDNR make a scientific decision to change regulations in a particular fish or game species, they sure as hell aren’t going to make a change that would jeopardize that fish or game species’ health or longevity. That would be pushing themselves out of a job. Plus, the DNR can’t just step in and make sweeping changes without going through the General Assembly first.
It absolutely blows my mind when people who either don’t understand change, don’t want to understand change or simply oppose change immediately jump to some sort of conspiracy theory that somehow victimizes the fisherman or the hunter. I couldn’t imagine living my life with the constant thought that someone was out to get me or my way
quote:
Originally posted by smanI’m sure a lot of redfish are gigged,back in my outlaw days we decimated them with the gig.Nowadays I enjoy catching with a rod and reel and don’t want to see populations decline.The proposed new regulations will help but the biggest issue is the enforcement of the law.Also just because someone doesn’t live near the coast,it doesn’t give them the right to bring home a large amount of fish. I can’t go to Alaska and bring home a truckload of salmon just because I don’t live there.By the way, in my younger days, I would be setting nets in this snow.Dont think it’s not going on.
Obviously, we all know the legal limits, but for those of us that travel and may like to keep fish, how do we determine how many we actually have “the right” to keep?
… and how does that compare to how many a local has “the right” to keep?
Is it determined on a per trip basis or per year?
'07 198 DLX Carolina Skiff
DF90 Suzuki
Glad the Chesapeake strippers made a comeback
Interesting questions with DillyDallys response. I disagree with his suggestion but appreciate his honesty. I like to eat much of what I catch. Someone earlier mentioned tags like deer tags. I’d would not like this approach personally but if we were issued tags with our license and it were managed like deer then that would even out the local/travel thing. Fill your tags in 4 trips or 14 depending on how you do. Daily bag limit of course like for deer.
I don’t think the local/travel issue needs to be addressed really. More important the fishery and what can be managed. It’s not like people will take redfish to a processor where you have a second check like on most deer. I would not want the extra hassle of tags and management it would take.
Others have said it and I agree poaching is unfourtantely the most serious human impact. Not just people setting nets and all the other things we know go on especially in the colder months. But “regular “ people keeping too many fish, too big, too small, just this once, from shore because no one will check. And not just redfish but the 5 gallon bucket of undersized blue crabs I saw one guy with. People will be people unless something forces us to act in the interest of community.
quote:
Originally posted by smanI’m sure a lot of redfish are gigged,back in my outlaw days we decimated them with the gig.Nowadays I enjoy catching with a rod and reel and don’t want to see populations decline.The proposed new regulations will help but the biggest issue is the enforcement of the law.Also just because someone doesn’t live near the coast,it doesn’t give them the right to bring home a large amount of fish. I can’t go to Alaska and bring home a truckload of salmon just because I don’t live there.By the way, in my younger days, I would be setting nets in this snow.Dont think it’s not going on.
Only fish I know that got gigged illegally way back (when you could find them in the swamps) were rockfish.
Maybe you know something we don’t and if so turn em in. I’m on the water a good bit and know many locals that are too. I just haven’t seen the illegal gigging or over limit thing. Every time I’m with a person that I know may have once kept a few we all think about the fine for just one over under slot fish… It’s not worth it, to anyone … IMO.
So you are pointing at individuals that live upstate that travel to the coast as the ones taking more than our creel limits?
No
Yes Fred ,rockfish are really easy to gig ,they don’t move like a spotail. I’m just saying that I feel there is a lot of illegal fish kept because of the lack of DNR presence. I know how the outlaw mind thinks and believe me they aren’t the least bit scared unless they see the man every now and then. I never realized the impact of a few bad apples until I started catching a lot of tagged fish.
Enforcement is ALWAYS the “biggest issue” when it comes to EVERY law so why are people doubting this proposal based on the difficulties enforcement may face? Laws have, do and will continue to be broken but that doesn’t mean we don’t need them. Enforcement shouldn’t even be a consideration when discussing the validity/necessity of new rules/regs. The benefit of the natural resource intended to be impacted by the proposed rules/regs should be the main consideration. How the proposed rules/regs impact those pursuing said natural resource, in this case it’s fishermen, should be a secondary consideration. It’s the responsibility of the SCDNR LEO’s to enforce the rules/regs. It’s also the responsibility of fishermen to police our own. There’s been a few accusations about illegal activities within our own ranks. Hopefully those illegal activities have been reported. If not, you’re just as guilty as the violators themselves. There are far more of us than there are SCDNR LEO’s so we need to make sure we’re doing our part. We can’t complain about enforcement of rules/regs/laws and then not help the LEO’s with enforcement. We have more eyes on the water than they do so it only makes sense to help out.
I don’t see how far you travel as being relevant to how many fish you can keep. Legal limits are legal limits and that should be the end of the conversation. Every time I fish the salt, I gladly drag my boat two hours to the coast. Like I said, sometimes I bring fish home and sometimes I don’t. Most times it’s by choice but sometimes it’s not. The distance I drive to fish has no bearing on whether I catch fish or not or bring fish home or not. For those that think they have to somehow make the trip worth the drag, I’m sorry you feel catching something or not is the benchmark for a “successful” fishing trip. Personally, I couldn’t imagine living life with those blinders on.
“…be a man and PM me.”
I agree with everything you said bang,great post
quote:
Originally posted by smanI agree with everything you said bang,great post
I do too.
One thing that I do see is a DNR presence. I’ve been checked many times and also have had them ask to see what I’ve caught at the landing. Maybe I just time it different? or fish in different areas.
I still think we need to go back to earlier posts and discover the reason for the decline in juveniles.
I don’t think the decline is from fishing pressure. Until we know what’s really going on more governmental limits are not the cure, but a patch.
Many go back to catch and release. I think no one should purposely target the Big Breeders for any reason. Just one big Breeder dead from a bad release or good release and bad stress during the catch is a possible loss of 2,000,000 eggs a season.
I can guarantee that many caught around the jetties and dynamight hole (just to name a couple of places everyone knows about) have fallen victim to shark predation after being released and while being caught. Just because one swims away doesn’t mean it’s regained enough energy to be fast enough for the trained sharks in those areas. We have pictures of this right here with smiling faces photoing it. Don’t think it doesn’t happen. Dang things are just to easy to catch and too many people catching them for a silly photo op. Shut it down for a couple of years and lets see what happens.