Small Bass But Lots Of Them

You have to admit, while veteran striped bass anglers spend an awful lot of time these days lamenting how much better the fishing was even just a few years ago, the future is looking awfully bright as well.

There are huge numbers of small striped bass still grinding away on bait species off Montauk and I’m told Cape Cod is still seeing massive blitzes as well (along with great bluefin tuna fishing). You can see the future swimming at your feet on some days.

Amid that good news, there was some bad this week. The results from this year’s young-of-the-year studies of juvenile striped bass exiting the Chesapeake Bay are mixed but not generally very good. Maryland scientists said their surveys showed very low recruitment. Virginia said they saw about average.

Either way, one bad year is not necessarily a downswing. Striped bass recruitment has been shown to be fickle and has off years amid stretches of very good years. Four out of the last five years have been strong, resulting in the huge schools of bass that returned the blitzes to Montauk this year.

We have a solid foundation for another up-swing in the fishery. Hopefully, regulators will see those who kowtow to greed and self-interest and label actual conservationists “anti-fishing” for the industry shills and political hacks that they are.

Tight Lines Tackle in Sag Harbor has launched a new website for easy access to Kenny’s selection of surf plugs, rod and reel combos and everything else you need. Check it out at TLTackle.com