Circle Hook and Big Bass

TOO BIG? CIRCLE HOOK?

Well, the law is the law, even when you disagree with it, or when you don’ know what a circle hook is and when to use it. Once again an angler was sited for taking oversized bass and not using a circle hook. The oversized bass thing is obviously a case of an angler not knowing the regs. He bragged to the ECO’s about it and must have been very depressed when he found out his fish of a lifetime was headed to the zoo? (I still don’t get that part, does that fish look alive? In my opinion, this should be taken into consideration. Especially in this fishery where we have different regs everywhere from the Hudson to Montauk. It sure seems like they’ve made a huge effort to make sure we abide by these new regulations. But when you consider that out of 21 boats this was the best they could muster up then I’m thinking we’re doing a pretty good job of following the rules.

On May 18, ECOs Helmeyer and Wamsley conducted boat patrol on the Hudson River for striped bass fishing enforcement. The ECOs began conducting vessel checks for fish on board, correct tackle including circle hooks, and required safety equipment. During the check of the vessel, the Officers discovered a large striped bass within the live-well of the boat. The fish measured 39 inches, well outside the slot limit of 18-28 inches. When asked for a marine registry required to fish for striped bass, the individual could not produce it. The ECOs issued two summonses to the subject returnable to the Town of Newburgh Court.

NEVER BRAG ABOUT YOUR CATCH – ESPECIALLY TO THE LAW

Continuing their boat patrol, the ECOs came across another vessel where the individual bragged about catching a big fish. The striped bass measured in at 40 inches. The officers issued a summons to the individual who caught the fish returnable to the Town of Newburgh Court. ECOs checked a total of 21 vessels during their patrol. The two illegally kept striped bass were seized and donated to a local zoo.