OK You NY Worm Trollers Now's Your Chance to let DEC your Concerns

[george]

DEC Proposes Circle Hook Requirement for 2021 Recreational Striped Bass Fishing Season​

Comments Accepted until Mar. 8, on Proposed Regulation for Circle Hooks to Help Improve Striped Bass Survival​ The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today released a new proposed regulation for public review and comment that would require the use of circle hooks when recreational fishing for Atlantic striped bass. This proposed regulation would reduce release mortality in recreational striped bass fisheries as required by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). Catch-and-release practices contribute significantly to overall fishing mortality in recreational striped bass fisheries and circle hooks work effectively to increase survival. DEC is accepting public comments on the proposal through Mar. 8, 2021. "From Montauk Point to the Hudson River, New York's waters provide critical habitat for striped bass of all ages and offer some of the best striped bass fishing along the East Coast," Commissioner Basil Seggos said. "Circle hooks improve the survival of fish that are returned to the water, and this requirement further supports conservation efforts that ensure we're protecting this highly sought-after sportfish for future generations of anglers to enjoy." The Atlantic coast-wide harvest of striped bass is managed by ASMFC. To address the finding that the striped bass resource is overfished and experiencing overfishing, ASMFC initiated and approved Addendum VI to Amendment 6 of the Interstate Fishery Management Plan (FMP) for Atlantic Striped Bass to reduce harvest, end overfishing, and bring fishing mortality to the target level. New York State adopted recreational slot size limits regulation changes in 2020 that reflect ASMFC's Addendum measures and are in accordance with the FMP. In marine waters the recreational slot size is 28-35 inches total length and in the Hudson River the slot size is 18-28 inches total length; the possession limit is one fish per angler. The open seasons and size limits for striped bass in all New York waters have not changed for 2021. Recreational striped bass seasons start April 1 in the Hudson River and tributaries and April 15 in marine waters. New York State worked cooperatively with other members of ASMFC to adopt consistent slot limit regulations and comparable season dates. The proposed regulation includes all New York State waters where recreational fishing for Atlantic striped bass occurs, including coastal waters of Long Island and New York City, the Delaware River, and the Hudson River to the Federal Dam in Troy, New York. The full text of the proposed regulation can be found at DEC's website. Comments on the proposed circle hook regulation should be sent to [email protected] or by mail to: Division of Marine Resources, 205 N. Belle Mead Rd. Suite 1, East Setauket, NY 11733. The public comment period closes on March 8, 2021. After reviewing public comments, DEC will be adopting and publishing a final regulation.

 

[Roccus7]

Besides worms on tubes, you might want to insist that pork rind and eel skins ARE NOT natural baits. Eel skins might be a bit of a stretch, but it doesn't hurt to try..

 

[chunkster]

They're tree huggers. It's going to work to my advantage.

 

[Rick67]

Thousands that I’ve caught T&W. One somehow got gut hooked while in Massachusetts another was close but not swallowed (Much livelier up there). I kept logs for NY always stated How and condition of release if needed. What a waste of time it was giving all that info. At least Masfor it to not apply to T&W.
Still don’t know how anyone can use a buck tail with circle hook either.
I make my tubes. I used a 10/0 circle, no offset for two years to see how or if they would catch. They were horrible. Tubes are either hit with finess from behind after

following or hit broadside rarely, most side hits are schoolies competing.
With blues it was a 9 out of 10 loss rate. Tubes were flying at me like rockets using circles.
Circles work to catch basically zero with tubes. Rather C&R.

 

[george]

This is something that Dc will listen to. But you need to let them know. I'm not sure what they could do with asmfc calling for it on the plan. That was some discussion on this issue but they voted for no exemptions. In any case send in your comments. They need to hear your grevences in order to act.

 

[chunkster]

The tube rides down the shaft. Extend the shaft.
If you feel necessary widen the gape. You're over
thinking it.

 

[fishyhands]

Rick67 - I don't have the time that you do in the yak, but iI've been doing it for years and I never, ever guthooked anything on T&W. I had a conversation with a DEC officer about the changes and she was totally shaking her head at the new proposals. After hearing my bride blast me for the jars of Uncle Josh I used to keep in the fridge (next to her film, no that's not toxic either, pffft) she had me show her the difference in strips I use now since Uncle Josh expired. I explained the new stuff was all synthetic and she just shook her head. She did mention if enough folks made a good, well thought-out case for exception it was still possible before the season started and they hit the beaches. Same thing with the Bay Constables, there were looking for shorts, sobriety and the safety equipment. All else was an eye-roll.

Chunkster, I respectfully disagree. With T&W, tube placement was never an issue with me in circle vs. conventional, rather the issue is where the bit of worm hangs in relation to the tube. With a circle it is out of the "sweet spot", and also I too had hook-sets drop dramatically with an improvised "legal" T&W. Drop-offs where common and foul-hooked robins were too. I also snagged more lettuce/weed with the circle. I do understand the need for it and have no problem using the few times I get desperate and live-line bunker, but this isn't going to work with T&W.

I don't usually drop bait, occasional bunker as mentioned earlier, and then cut up crab for Tog. I tried to alter a few of my tog jigs to make the complaint, and that sucked too. I did score, but I was robbed more often and would like to see how the Toggers out there think they're going to deal with the new rule.

 

[chunkster]

Your diamond jig acts as a drail.

 

[chunkster]

This is a dead issue.

 

[george]

I don't usually drop bait, occasional bunker as mentioned earlier, and then cut up crab for Tog. I tried to alter a few of my tog jigs to make the complaint, and that sucked too. I did score, but I was robbed more often and would like to see how the Toggers out there think they're going to deal with the new rule.

This regulation is only for stripped bass.

 

[fishyhands]

This regulation is only for stripped bass.

Thanks George, serves me right for not reading the small print!

And Chunk, that last pic is of a fresh water bass rig which has nothing to do with T&W. The T&W I commonly use is 18-21" long twisted into a loose coil. You put a piece of sandworm no bigger than 1" as close to the tube as possible. Doing it with a circle hook has the worm farther away from the tube where it gets picked off by robins, etc. Also, it's trolled slowly along the bottom where fouling with weed is common, so hardly a "dead issue".

 

[chunkster]

The mag dial runs on a bevel. The harder you hit the rod. The force opens the bevel
and exposes the magnets. As the reel loses momentum. The bevel closes and hides
the magnets. You can see the spool change speeds mid flight.

 

[Roccus7]

The mag dial runs on a bevel. The harder you hit the rod. The force opens the bevel
and exposes the magnets. As the reel loses momentum. The bevel closes and hides
the magnets. You can see the spool change speeds mid flight.

WTH does that reel's magnets have to do with circle hooks???

 

[chunkster]

Made by Mattel. Batteries not included.

I'm sorry I couldn't be of help. Do you think that sandworm and daiwa with
the striper circle hook will work for catfish?

 

[chunkster]

WTH does that reel's magnets have to do with circle hooks???

Do you think this will work for striped bass?

 

[pequa1]

WTH does that reel's magnets have to do with circle hooks???

chunkster being chunkster. although I will say that when I tried a T&W with the gulp worms he pictured I got nothing and went back to trying for fluke and weaks on bucks. what annoys me is "them" prohibiting pork rind on a bucktail jig. I had just started using the last of mine when the tails of my Gulp grubs were bitten off fluking !

 

[Roccus7]

chunkster being chunkster. although I will say that when I tried a T&W with the gulp worms he pictured I got nothing and went back to trying for fluke and weaks on bucks.

Yeah, figured that, just trying, vainly of course, to keep him on topic...

Interesting, many T&W boys up here say there isn't much of a noticeable difference between real and Gulp, some even prefer the Gulp. I can't comment with any authority, trolling anything bores the bejeezus out of me, I consider fishing a contact sport...

 

[george]

I have had zero results on those Gulp sandworms. I find they're good to add as a second worm, otherwise not a touch. And I've tried every artificial worm on the market. But when it comes to sandworms there's nothing like the real deal. For the record, I never troll for them I hook the sandworm, or a few sandworms, and cast them.

 

[chunkster]

Bloodworms are better for casting. I prefer drifting sandworms for stripers or week fish
and yes I have caught a variety of other species while applying these techniques. Casting
bloodworms from the bank while porgy fishing is very effective. Your hookup ratio is better
with worms than with clams. Clams are considerably cheaper. Then there's winter flounder
and coloring your sinkers fluorescent. Mussels for bait. Muscles for ait and beight.

 

[pequa1]

I have had zero results on those Gulp sandworms. I find they're good to add as a second worm, otherwise not a touch. And I've tried every artificial worm on the market. But when it comes to sandworms there's nothing like the real deal. For the record, I never troll for them I hook the sandworm, or a few sandworms, and cast them.

that is probably why I was given them for free, from some fellow shooter on longislandgunclub.com lol.

I just emailed DEC with my comment. since I only fish for stripers off the beach with lures in the fall, my comments really centered around pork rind, which I only started to use a little as stated above, and while targeting fluke and weaks and not stripers off the yak.