A big fat oops...

[nay_sayer]

I was just looking at the DNR maps for Rockfish seasons/areas and noticed that Herring Bay (where we were at for the M&G on Sat) is a catch and release area until June 1st. I never knew that. Good thing no one caught any keeper size Stripers at the M&G!

[surfdog]

i guess you have to go around holland point for keepers

[AnimalPA]

Confusing

Why does it have to be so complicated.

[surfdog]

all the pointy heads that get elected are the problem

[AnimalPA]

Really

I agree, it could be simpler. You made me look and I see what you mean; the bays are c&r but the main waters are open. The text even reads that way but I hadn't noticed that before. Thx

[Southerly]

i switched opinions over this one. i used to say 'too complicated', now i look at it as DNR's giving as much opportunity for fishermen and Maryland's fishing traditions as they can and still provide what they gage will be sufficient protection of the spawn.

by contrast they could just prohibit targeting of striped bass from december season close until june. this would be conservation but would be kick in pants for a lot of us, the tackleshops, charters, etc.

the maps, seasons, etc is complicated and not perfect but the price we pay.

[AnimalPA]

True

That would be bad! I'm just new and used to knowing the regs in the area I fish. Learning all the rules/etc is a lot at first but what you say is true.

[Southerly]

i'm still learning - this year (2012) I've fished Del+Mar+Va, oceanside bayside, and rivers,..., i'm pretty much shell shocked and don't want to take a rod from the rack w/o refreshing some rules.

[mcveyr]

Do you think this is crazy, I think the more north you go the rule get crazier. I use to do a lot of outdoor activities throughout my career in the military, but one thing I saw was that there were many asinine rules in places like New York. For example their fishing regulation that prohibited fishing for bass before the third Saturday in June was absolutely the stupidest one on their books (next to not allowing dove hunting); you could fish for pike starting the first of April, but not bass (they lived in the same waters). Hence there was a out-of-control game warden who try to catch (quote his words) “hard core poachers on the waters around Fort Drum, what BS that state had, hence that is why I live south of stupid law locations now.

[archeryrob]

I made that comment on the M&G thread. I said how if you went around Holland Point you could fish for a striper.

Striper season for fishing I treat like my hunting seasons. They are too hard to read through the manual everytime you wantt o go out. I use my personal computer Outlook calender and set up the seasons like meetings for that season and I copy and paste the season map from the website in there. Then one quick click and I know whats legeal for what days, now andcoming up without researching it every week.

I am a waterfowl hunter and I think the rules for that are setup to make it easy for wardens to write tickets. You have to really pay attention to seasons, shooting times and all. Rockfish seasons seem easy to me compared to my winter seasons.

[nay_sayer]

I made that comment on the M&G thread. I said how if you went around Holland Point you could fish for a striper.

I must have missed that on your post.

I look at the season maps for Stripers quite a bit but I missed the tiny little bit of yellow in tiny little Herring Bay. To me, Herring Bay is just a cove on the Chesapeake. I find it hard to consider it a separate body of water but I guess therein lies my problem. I know that the tributaries and bays are mostly C&R until June 1st but never put Herring Bay and "bays" together.

I guess my aversion to eating fish saves me again. Since I don't eat them, I practice C&R every time I go out regardless of the season.

Woo Hoo, 300th post!!!

[mcveyr]

Although I am like many of you who practice CPR, I have had ethical crises before that have occurred while targeting LMB along the Potomac/Occoquan River. I have had stripers that were hooked so deeply in the throat of the fish that it was going to die; hence, what is the right thing to do then.

[archeryrob]

Since it's going to die it would be wasteful to throw it back, but expensive to try and keep it. IMO, it's not worth the fine and just toss it back.

[MDFishin]

Come on guys, the rules are not that complicated. DNR has made it as easy as possible with the maps dated for the different seasons. If you cant figure it out try and take a second look. These regs are in place because as you all know the Striped Bass was at all low in the 80's without these regs they WOULD be over fished. Spend a few minutes getting to know the laws, it helps everybody out! And I am by no means and advocate of the DNR but they get an extremely bad rap. After all they are only trying to protect the resources we all cherish!

[jsnyd86]

Do you think this is crazy, I think the more north you go the rule get crazier. I use to do a lot of outdoor activities throughout my career in the military, but one thing I saw was that there were many asinine rules in places like New York. For example their fishing regulation that prohibited fishing for bass before the third Saturday in June was absolutely the stupidest one on their books (next to not allowing dove hunting); you could fish for pike starting the first of April, but not bass (they lived in the same waters). Hence there was a out-of-control game warden who try to catch (quote his words) “hard core poachers on the waters around Fort Drum, what BS that state had, hence that is why I live south of stupid law locations now.

I love it! This is true. I grew up in New York right on the coast of Lake Erie. The rules are hard to follow and the game wardens are nuts too. I was delightfully surprised when I got on the waters here and wasn't harassed every time I got a line wet.
The rules could be more simple, but at least it's not too bad.