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PONDERING CORE ESSENCE
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The Bangor Daily News recently published an article about factors affecting the apparent resurgence of striped bass in Maine. I can't seem to find the article on-line at this time, but the overall gist was that the unified recreational catch-and-keep regulation (1 fish per day, over 28 inches) for East Coast stripers was protecting many of the fish summering in Maine. Combined with a recent local abundance of preferred bait (herring and pogies, to which I can attest), striped bass seem to be doing quite well at this time. This was made especially apparent in the article, as demonstrated by catches and fishing effort way up the rivers. These echoed a separate article I had read in the local paper during my recent trip, in which a business executive scored an early-July, keeper striper from the Penobscot River during his lunch hour in Old Town! The graph above, from www.maine.gov/dmr/recreational-fishing/landings/stripedbasslandings.html accompanied the BDN article. The map below pin-points Old Town. In my (limited and only local) experience, that Old Town striper was far away from home! But, I know that they historically belong there; and I'm glad to hear that such things are going on! And, especially so since stripers were absent from my Rhode Island childhood! They should have been part of it; but, they were literally absent. Fortunately, two other factors (not mentioned in the articles above) facilitated the striper's future resurgence. Long-term improvements in water quality enabled improved recruitment from Chesapeake Bay and the Hudson River; and restrictions on commercial fisheries enabled realistic numbers of fish to become available to recreational fishermen. Twenty years or so ago, I encountered my first striper and realized their seasonal presence at my feet. That story is at numenon.blogspot.com/2012/07/stripers.html Let's just say, striped bass have been a favorite target ever since. I'd like to think that their presence is normal and assured for the future. That these are not irrational thoughts is very Good News! Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways
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Once again, I was fortunate to have shared the week of July 4 with family in Maine. It was a beautiful week filled with good food, celebrations and fishing. My fishing approach here remains simple; throw spoons for mackerel and provide some bait options for striped bass. Most importantly, be there when the fish are! Secondarily, be persistent! I continue to be amazed at how many bass there must be; I will have a good number of chances while basically standing in a single spot; and this, a spot selected based on access, not necessarily on what the fish might demand. 2018 was no exception. There were many bass to be caught. Perhaps not as many as in previous years (it was super hot and water temperatures skyrocketed through the bass' preferred range), but still enough to keep me more than interested. Mackerel were completely absent (it got to a point where I no longer even threw a spoon), and the average bass was on the smaller side. But, I've accepted that I can't really control those factors; all I can do is capitalize on the chances that are available. Hopefully I do so while enjoying and appreciating the setting, scenery and wildlife. I could choose to chase these fish elsewhere during my stay; but our landing always seduces me into staying and settling in. A detailed log of the actual fishing can be found above under NumenonFunFishing, but with this post, I would simply like to celebrate the week. Pondering the questions of core essence and finding meaning in unexpected ways |
Steve LachanceVia Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Michigan and now, back to New England! Archives
June 2024
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