Monday, 25’ of water off Charleston, incoming tide starting from the change. Two of us caught and released well over 100 weakfish and left them biting. Finger Mullet, Pinfish, peanut Menhaden, and cut mullet and Bluefish. It’s that time of year, go get you some. Just remember limit is one per person.
Nice catch. Why can you only keep one Weakfish but you can keep a mess of sea trout?
Caught several off the beach Wednesday.
Up until a few years ago you could keep a mess of Weakfish too, just like Specs. Was dumbfounded when they made the change and still am today. Way fun catch and release. I’ve caught them just like this in the fall between the jetties just outside the channel.
“Temptation may lean on the doorbell… opportunity may only knock once”
quote:
Originally posted by SermonNice catch. Why can you only keep one Weakfish but you can keep a mess of sea trout?
You ask good questions. We caught 2 today in the channel/jetties.
“I am constantly amazed at the stupidity of the general public.”
~my dad
Equipment:
190cc Sea Pro w/130 Johnson
1- 19 year old (boy of leisure)
1 - 1 year old (fishing maniac)
1 - wife (The Warden)
ECFC
Problem with the weakfish is the mortality, not overfishing. They just are not living long enough to reproduce.
http://www.asmfc.org/files/commissionerManual/ISFMP/26_Weakfish.pdf
Stock Status
Depleted, overfishing not occurring. The most recent weakfish stock assessment was completed in 2009. Results were endorsed by an independent peer review panel. The assessment found age 1+ weakfish biomass to be at an all time low of 10.8 million pounds in 2008, putting the resource at three percent of an unfished stock, as compared to the 30 and 40 percent threshold and target values. The fishing mortality rate has been modest and stable during the period of biomass decline; in contrast, natural mortality has risen substantially since 1995. While factors such as predation, competition, and changes in the environment are having a stronger influence on recent weakfish stock dynamics than fishing mortality, the review panel concluded that the biomass decline is further exacerbated by continued removals by the commercial and recreational fisheries.