What will it take to get some more artificial reefs off the coast built?
This Sunday was a perfect example. I counted no less than 16 boats at a local reef, including a 36 ft express (not sure what he was doing). The poor reef was simply battered by anchors and it was hard to fish with all the circling boats (think JAWS scene where all the little boats go out dumping blood in the water and in search of the maneater).
I got to thinking, where does the fishing licenses revenue go?
I would be glad to pay $50 a year for an “nearshore” license if they would take the revenue to build some additional artificial reefs. Enough is enough.
State law dictates that most of the revenue from your fishing license goes towards saltwater fishing programs. The only problem is, the budget committee will reduce other funding when they see more license revenue coming in. It’s basically a wash.
One thought comes to mind is doing as other states has done and start an independent AR program which consists of local fishing clubs and recreational fishermen joing forces and fund-raising to purchase reef balls. There comes a time for people to join together and now is apparently a must for us fishermen or we will have no access to the resources. We must address all issues at hand as well as this one. bing a lifelong fisherman and growing up in South Carolina this project would be near and dear to my heart to provide our future generations are ensure close to shore AR’s to fish as their knowledge increases and their sea-legs continue to grow.
Wanna kill fish, then let’s go! Always ready, always willing to teach the ways.
I know Scott C. is in Venice with Scott F. but We’re working on such a thing right now. This is their baby, so I’ll let them chime in when they take a break from the yellowfin action. Scoutin probably has a CF.com app for his furuno where he can patch reports from the water. Maybe he’ll chime in soon.
ps, there use to be a guy on here that helped us with my family’s reef (Goldfinch Reef) off of Murrells Inlet. I think his internet name was Longbeard??? If I recall correctly, he worked for DNR. Is Longbeard still around?
I know Scott C. is in Venice with Scott F. but We’re working on such a thing right now. This is their baby, so I’ll let them chime in when they take a break from the yellowfin action. Scoutin probably has a CF.com app for his furuno where he can patch reports from the water. Maybe he’ll chime in soon.
ps, there use to be a guy on here that helped us with my family’s reef (Goldfinch Reef) off of Murrells Inlet. I think his internet name was Longbeard??? If I recall correctly, he worked for DNR. Is Longbeard still around?
Stephen Goldfinch
“Sleep When You’re Dead!”
Longbeard1 is still around. He is the man. I'll PM you on how to contact him.
Yah, you need to pour some money into new reefs so the Fed can lower the limits on what you can catch and the state will honor the limits also and bust your AZZ at the ramp!
We were out there Sunday with the rest of them. It was a bit packed. I wish the Fed’s and SC law makers would look at other states like Alabama to see what they are doing to help the fish habitat and help the state make some $$$. It’s like they have blinders on. I am all in for what helps the sport even if it costs me a extra dollar or 2.
A wise man once said “Do as I say not as I do” Good advice when I tell you that.
I love all the folks concentrated on the fisherman attracting devices keeps em busy and off all the natural live bottom that they actually would have to go out and find for themselves.
Maybe we could just hand them the fish at the ramp and they wouldn’t go out at all.
I personally think they should charge for parking at the ramps and have those fee’s used for reef building. Might cut down on the jackwagon’s that park a car in a boat trailer spot as well.
Our tradition is that of the first man who sneaked away to the creek when the tribe did not really need fish.
I asked a DNR the question about artificial reefs at one of the ECFC meetings. I don’t recall the specifics of the answer, but the SCDNR does studies on where to place their reefs and once they find a suitable place, they concentrate their program in several general areas.
Example:
The Charleston 60 has 33 separate reefs
Charleston Near Shore has 23 separate reefs
Kiawah 4K-I has 19 structures
So there is a lot of material being used to create reef’s off our coast and I’ve just listed 3 reefs. I think there are 45 separate designated reefs off the coast each with multiple debris piles for reefs. We have plenty of reefs…it’s just that not all of them are easy to get to for guys like me with small boats.
I asked but don’t recall getting a satisfactory answer about why doesn’t the SCDNR folks concentrate reefs within easy reach of many more boaters. It would be nice if they’d put more reefs within a few miles of our rivers and landings.
I think they know the more accessible reef locations suffer the most pressure. I think that’s why they place more reefs in difficult to reach locations, it gives more fish the chance to grow and breed.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 17 year old
1 - 13 year old
1 - wife (The Warden)
Every concrete company in the lowcountry has hundreds of tons of stuff that was not used and is sitting in a pile. If we can find a way to fund a truck and barge, we could theoretically make our own barrier reef for the cost of diesel to haul it and drop it off. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went.”
Will Rogers