Early morning at Crane Beach. (courtesy of Brian O’Connor)
Gloucester Sunrise. (Courtesy of Brian O’Connor)
Michael Azevedo shows off a nice “keeper” caught during a night fishing session at Crane Beach. (Courtesy of Brian O’Connor)
Stephen Gallant casting at sunrise in Gloucester. (Courtesy of Brian O’Connor)
Morning in Gloucester (Courtesy of Brian O’Connor)
Sunrise in Gloucester (Courtesy of Brian O’Connor)
Sunrise in Gloucester. (Courtesy of Brian O’Connor)
Brianmoc
At the surface. (Courtesy of Jim Levison)
Hunger striper hits a school of bait fish. (Courtesy of Jim Levison)
Feeding on the surface. (Courtesy of Jim Levison)
Vincent Laforet NY USA
Feeding on the surface. (Courtesy of Jim Levison)
Vincent Laforet NY USA
Khris Kendrick (left) and Chip Price of Beverly Farms caught these four “keepers” in 2017 using live mackerel off the rocks in Magnolia. If the same fish were caught this year, at least two of them would have to be released to comply with the new regulations.
This summer the DMF is sponsoring a “Terminal Tackle Mortality Study” in Salem Sound. The plan is to catch 180 stripers (half with “C hooks” and half with “J hooks”) and tag them with a device that can be monitored by acoustic sensors on special buoys in the locations shown on the map. If a fish seems healthy upon release but the sensor shows that it has stopped moving after release, it is assumed dead. The study will allow the researchers to better understand the impact of the different hooks on release mortality. The working assumption is that the “C hook” is less invasive, i.e. more likely to lip-hook the fish and less likely to more deeply penetrate its mouth, throat, and gills. (Source: Mass Department of Marine Fisheries)
This is graphic shows another way to describe the health of the striper fishery according to recruitment (as explained in the article) and overall estimated biomass of females of spawning stock age. The graphic clearly shows the troubling decline of female spawning stock biomass that Al Williams referred to in the article. (Source: Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission)
“It’s a keeper!” Photo courtesy of Brian O’Connor, shot along Bass Rocks in Gloucester.
Brian O'Connor
Striper fishermen like Skip Montello live for beautiful days like this one on the Essex River. (Courtesy of Brian O’Connor)
EDITOR : Jim Behnke |
PHOTOS : Brian O'Connor & Jim Levison
This slide show includes more great photography from Brian O’Connor of Rockport and Jim Levison of Sag Harbor, New York, as well as additional data and information on the status and health of the striped bass fishery on the East Coast and here on Cape Ann. If you have questions or issues you’d like to discuss, please contact Jim Behnke at jim.behnke@thecricket.com