Archive for Fishing News
NYS DEC Announces Recreational Marine Fishing Registry
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NYSDEC
The New York State Dept of Environmental Conservation has announced the No-Fee Recreational Marine Fishing Registry is now available online and ready for NY saltwater anglers to register for FREE. This Registry was created to replace the recently repealed NY Saltwater License to keep New York in compliance with the Federal law requiring all Saltwater anglers to be registered.
To register visit the following link and go through the process, when you reach the point to add Licenses select the Marine Registry. It will come up as No Charge. Simply go through the rest of the prompts to complete the registration. DEC will mail your card.
If you have already gone through the DECALS website before your information will already be stored there. Just confirm all is correct, ESPECIALLY your mailing address.
Link to DECALS Registration
Link to the DEC’s FAQ page on the subject
Very easy process. I completed the entire thing in about 5 minutes. Or you could just fish from a Licensed Party or Charter Boat all the time and be covered!! 
Tight Lines.........
Capt Paul Mandella
captpaul@maybetonightcharters.com
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New York Striped Bass Season Opens Today!!
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NY Striped Bass Season Opening Day
April 15th is a date that is very dear to Long Island saltwater anglers. This date signifies the opening of the Marine District Striped Bass season!! Long Island endured a very tough winter this year with a seemingly endless line of snowstorms one after another over the stretch to two months. While the fishing is generally still slow at this time of year, the striped bass season opening day, for me personally, has always brought promise of a Spring season loaded with big stripers.
In the Fire Island area I fish the reality is that the vast majority of the fish caught this time of year are under the 28inch size limit. That doesn’t matter. The knowledge that it is STRIPER season and not the HOLIDAY season is good enough for me.
Striped Bass Fishing Season Underway
So, to all my fellow striped bass fanatics, I wish you a very good 2011 striped bass season and hope you find the COW of a lifetime this year. See you out there!!!!
Tight Lines.........
Capt Paul Mandella
captpaul@maybetonightcharters.com
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Fishing Line That Keeps on Catching
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A Mess of Old Fishing Line
In a recent post I discussed re-spooling all my reels with new line for the upcoming season. Today I came across a post on a favorite forum of mine discussing the need to responsibly and properly dispose of our OLD fishing line. The post included an image showing a dead osprey hanging below it’s nest due to being tangled in old fishing line. A very heart-breaking image to say the least.
The timing of the post I read could not have been any better. With the new fishing season rapidly arriving, anglers across the country will be taking care of their preparations for the 2011 season. One of these tasks includes replacing the old line on our reels. This old line, if not disposed of properly, finds it’s way into the landfills and garbage dumps. Since it pretty much lasts forever the old line can cause problems for wildlife that come in contact with it for a very long time.
I would like to encourage everyone to take the appropriate course of action in disposing of your old line so that you can be sure it was not YOUR old line that tangled a bird or animal. It really is something that only takes but a few extra seconds but is time well worth it.
So, what are the appropriate steps you may be asking?? Probably the very best option would be the recycling plan that Berkley Fishing has been sponsoring since 1990. I believe they have been the leaders in the discarded fishing line recycling since their programs inception. Here on Long Island, a lot of the local tackle shops have cardboard bins used to collect the old line that is then returned to Berkley to be re-used in the manufacture of other products. During your next visit to the tackle shop you bring your bag of old line and just drop it off in the collection bin.
I prefer to take the old line from the reel and wrap it around my hand and then cut the coils across the top and bottom with share scissors. This leaves the line in small lengths that will not be able to snare any wildlife.
Another option, although probably not the Greenest, would be burning it. I’ve tried this in the past and it is a pain in the neck, not to mention stinking to the high heaven. The stuff melts away to practically nothing but my thought here is that the effort is not really worth the results.
The bottom line here is that all of us anglers need to do SOMETHING to make sure our fishing lines are not continuing to “catch” long after we are finished with them.
If anyone has some other methods of disposing of their old line I would love to hear about them. Please take a moment and post a comment letting us all know. Our local birds and wildlife thank you
Tight Lines.........
Capt Paul Mandella
captpaul@maybetonightcharters.com
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NY Sportfishing Federation Fishing Show
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2011 Freeport Fishing Show
I paid my annual visit to the New York Sportfishing Federations Fishing Show and Auction in Freeport today. I had hoped to take a shot at some of the white perch in the south shore tidal creeks but 45 knot NW gale conditions quickly changed my mind. As it turns out the wind was a blessing in disguise as I spent the entire day at the show picking through all the vendors wares for some good stuff, renew the usual magazine subscriptions and just talk fishing with other like minded folks. There was also several great seminars offered by some of the sharpest anglers in the area on a whole range of topics and techniques and how they apply to our local waters.
Freeport Show Lobby Before the Crowds Arrived
Capt Bob Rochetta, the NY State Striped Bass record holder with a fish of 76 pounds did a great session speaking about some of his favorite tactics. John Skinner, a writer for a local fishing paper, designer of FisherLogs software and all around sharpie fisherman did a presentation of bucktailing for fluke that included a bunch of underwater footage of the fish in their natural domain. A very cool video showed a test he did of Berkley Gulp baits where he just dropped a bunch on the sandy bottom and filmed fish charging the bait and fighting each other over it. Bruce Froh the original designer of Blue Frog bucktails ( some of the HOTTEST bucktails around the Northeast) shared his knowledge of fishing his creations for stripers, bluefish, weakfish and fluke.
Beautiful Hand Tied Teasers
And then there was the tackle vendors. The show featured four rows of tackle shops, fishing manufacturers, custom rod builders and many types of other fishing related vendors most of which were offering very nice Show specials and discounts. Of course it goes without saying that I was able to find a reason for “‘needing”" many of these items. Which reminds me, I now need to shop for an additional tackle box.
Loads of deals on equipment
I had a very nice time on a not so nice day. These shows are always a blast. They give us the chance to get out and spend time looking at all the new goodies which generally leads to the planning and scheming of how the new stuff will be put into action during the upcoming season.
It was well worth the hour ride from my point of view. Please forgive the quality of the pictures as I forgot my camera and snapped these quick on my cell phone.
Diamond Jigs Galore
Gorgeous Fish Mounts
Tight Lines.........
Capt Paul Mandella
captpaul@maybetonightcharters.com
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IGFA All Tackle Length Records and Concerns
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IGFA All Tackle Length Records
There is a lot of buzz going around over the recent announcement by the IGFA (International Game Fish Association) regarding a new category for All Tackle Length Records. This essentially amounts to Catch and Release World Records. With so many anglers currently practicing catch and release this sounded like a very nice idea when I first heard of it. HOWEVER, as they say in the NFL, upon further review, I find myself questioning some aspects and can’t help but wonder if this could be detrimental in some cases.
I have pulled the text highlighted in blue directly from the IGFA announcement on their website. My comments for each section are in-line directly below each highlighted paragraph. I would love to hear your thoughts on this as well.
General Information
All fish entered for Length Records must be measured by anglers at the site of capture and released so that it swims away on their own and in good condition. Fish should be revived by moving it forward in the water to ensure a healthy release. Fish caught and entered for length records are not eligible for weighing and submission for other record categories.Rules and Equipment Regulations
All IGFA rules and equipment regulations stipulated for fishing with conventional and fly tackle in fresh and saltwater shall apply with the exceptions below. All angling and equipment regulations shall apply until the fish is measured and released alive.A. GAFFS & NETS
1. The use of gaffs to land fish is prohibited.
2. Nets used to boat or land a fish must not exceed 8 feet (2.44 meters) in over all length. (When fishing from a bridge, pier or other high stationary structure, this length limitation does not apply.)
3. The use of knotless, rubber coated nets or other similarly designed nets that minimize slime and scale removal is strongly recommended.
This all sounds great and makes a lot of sense to me. I don’t think anyone would question the advice of swimming a fish around to revive it before release and I have to agree that the use of a gaff is a BAD catch and release tactic.
B. MEASURING DEVICE
1. All fish must be measured using an official IGFA measuring device. (order yours at http://store.igfa.org/)
2. The measuring device mat may be shortened by cutting it, but it may not be rejoined after it has been shortened.
I start having SOME concern here as after checking into this I found the cost of the required approved measuring device is $50!! Read More→
Tight Lines.........
Capt Paul Mandella
captpaul@maybetonightcharters.com
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Coast Guard Plan Against Poaching Striped Bass
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USCG Against Striped Bass Poaching
There has been a lot of noise in recent years about the striped bass population in the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) being targetted illegally. From the sounds of the statement below released by the Coast Guard that noise is being heard.
Coast Guard to cast net for striped bass poachers
PORTSMOUTH, Va. — The Coast Guard, state and federal agencies are intensifying efforts to stop the illegal poaching of striped bass off the Atlantic coast this winter season.
In an effort to ensure the health of the striped bass population, the Coast Guard is working to raise awareness of the federal regulations governing striped bass and to increase enforcement efforts to protect the migration and spawning of the fish from illegal poaching activities.
Striped bass populations are moving farther off shore into warmer waters and fishermen are often pursuing the fish beyond the authorized state waters. Atlantic striped bass may not be caught, harvested or possessed in the Exclusive Economic Zone. A person caught fishing for striped bass outside of 3 nautical miles and into the EEZ is subject to fines starting at $100 per fish.
The Coast Guard has established an Atlantic Striped Bass Reporting Hotline at 757-398-6598. The public is encouraged to report any suspected poaching activity to the hotline. Calls should include a description of the activity, those involved, the location and the time of the suspected offense. Such information greatly increases the effectiveness of law enforcement operations.
“The Coast Guard is working with state law enforcement and the National Marine Fisheries Service to enforce regulations prohibiting fishing for striped bass outside of 3 nautical miles,” said Lt. Kevin Saunders of the 5th Coast Guard District’s enforcement branch. “By working to curtail the illegal actions of a few fishermen, we can help ensure future generations have the opportunity to participate in this fishery.”
Tight Lines.........
Capt Paul Mandella
captpaul@maybetonightcharters.com
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