Quiet Winter Days

This winter hit hard early, and the fishing suffered for it. Snow and melting ice drop the water temperature to the point were nothing bites. Most boats have shut down, as bottom fishing can be frustrating, to say the least. Mackerel fishing was the best game in town, but huge draggers are working the schools far from shore. These boats are freezer trawlers and can hold as much as 350 tons of fish! Our government seems to think this is fine, but it is the reason we no longer see the spring mackerel fishing. Tremendous schools of big spawning mackerel would pass the coast every year in April and would support the party boat fleet as thousands of anglers would turn out to fill burlap sacks. These fish would be as close as a half mile off the beach and boats full of anglers made as many as three trips a day to start the season. Now there are only two party boats between NY and NJ even trying, and they have to have nice weather to get 20 to 30 miles offshore. Another example of failed fishery management. Oh well, at least NOAA protected the dogfish for us.