Fishing With Face

Pollock is the largest by tonnage fishery in the world. Until the late nineties, trawlers took half a million tons per year, harvested the roe [eggs] from them and dumped the body's back into the ocean.

The "Herring roe" fishery is called just that, Herring roe, they harvest Herring, just for the eggs, the rest is tossed. 2020 herring quota in Ak? 25,824 tons, for the eggs.

My kids worked in salmon cannery's one time or another. My oldest worked in the "roe" room, where King eggs were sorted, boxed and sold for around 2500 dollars per cigar size box of eggs to the Japanese buyers, they could care less what happens to the meat.

Heard of "Cod liver oil"? Cod or dog sharks harvested, just for their livers, the body's tossed.

The link above, sturgeon were harvested in the great lakes for fertilizer. The depletion of the resource did not happen because of some guy with a pole and line. Nope. Beluga caviar? Sturgeon don't produce eggs until over 20 years old and over 6 ft. in length.

There was a big fight in Ak, [still is] between the commercial fishermen and the sportsmen. The trawlers throw 11% of the fish they catch over the sides of the trawler ships, wasted, the entire fish, as [bycatch]. The sportsmen wanted a minimum of 5% allocated to sports fishers. The commercial fishermen will not allow sports fishermen even 5%, when they are shoving 11% overboard, just because they caught the wrong fish.

20% of all fish caught are wasted. http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/03/20/america-tosses-nearly-quarter-all-fish-we-catch/ That doesn't happen from a man taking his kid fishing.

Quote: Face

No need to feel guilty, IMO. Or, at least recognize that all it means is that you're human. Especially (no disrespect) someone your age, who was raised by someone your parents age. I mean, you are but just one degree of separation from the boon, most of the lessons you started with came from people who could cross a river via the backs of most fish, they were so plentiful. Before trawlers, before damming, before Detroit. It's not shameful to be a product of your upbringing, a result of your parents' experiences.

That you recognize the difference and changed something so innate in yourself should be all the evidence you need that you're OK. Hell, I remember milking salmon for eggs when I was 8. Or punting a trash fish onto the weeds. Or dumping bait so it "didn't die". That education brought change is hardly something to feel guilt over.

One reason I don't feel too guilty is I think the scenario was something like this: my friend who lived around there was all over the woods, fields, whatever all the time paying no attention to trespassing and all that, and knew this pond had fish in the past. Somehow he found out the fishing was better, no one was fishing it, and suggested we 3 hit it. Once we realized it must have been stocked it was a good joke too and it was part of the lark. It is fairly likely he knew it had been stocked but it was news to me and this other guy [I bet]. If I had known in advance. the guilt would have been inescapable.

But you are absolutely right the times were quite different too.

Quote: petroglyph

20% of all fish caught are wasted. http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/03/20/america-tosses-nearly-quarter-all-fish-we-catch/ That doesn't happen from a man taking his kid fishing.

To be clear, I wasn't arguing angling v commercial. Only that in the bitty bodies I frequent, a couple fry-ups could be noticeable for years. Of course, I am talking about bodies in the 1 acre territory. Everyone crushes limits of perch out of Erie all year every year and it only keeps getting stronger.

I do wish sometimes we could cancel money, if for just a second. Like harvesting salmon for eggs only... those are anadromous, they're gonna die anyways. By the time they're catchable in the streams, the meat's already rotting on the bone. And I don't know the specific success rate of salmon, but even in the most successful fish, we're talking 1 survival-to-fingerling for every tens of thousands of eggs. Some take millions to get to just one mature adult. To replace that number via stocking seems well within our current capabilities, meaning such a harvest is A-OK.

But who do you trust? The overseers who have political bias, or the consumer who have financial bias? Kinda seems like we need to cut the s#$% and figure it out before we muck up the whole operation.


In other news, what can you tell me about raw docks? lol I know you talk about running the boat right up on the beach; is a sandy beach the only way you do it? With current events I was beginning to think of how to just run up to the crick or lake undeveloped and dropping in, but our water's not sandy by no means.

I mean, can a trailer axle take humpin' over a downed tree? Could a submerged rock buckle the frame? Or if the truck can make it, then send it? Figure I should ask while I have the chance.

IF I need it, of course. Docks and marinas opened back up today by royal decree, at least "private" ones. I suspect that means the states'll be shut, but I've no idea on townships and the like, and I only use state and town launches. Guess I'll find out soon enough as we'll be out at first opportunity.

Quote: Face

To be clear, I wasn't arguing angling v commercial. Only that in the bitty bodies I frequent, a couple fry-ups could be noticeable for years. Of course, I am talking about bodies in the 1 acre territory. Everyone crushes limits of perch out of Erie all year every year and it only keeps getting stronger.

When I was a kid we lived on Erie, We would regularly take the boat out with four of us and come back with 200 perch. 50 was the limit then, I have no idea what it is now. There is nothing worse as a kid as coming home with 200 perch, Dad would make us spend all day fileting 200 perch in the heat.

Quote: DRich

When I was a kid we lived on Erie, We would regularly take the boat out with four of us and come back with 200 perch. 50 was the limit then, I have no idea what it is now. There is nothing worse as a kid as coming home with 200 perch, Dad would make us spend all day fileting 200 perch in the heat.

It's still 50, all year, with zero size restriction. And save a bizarre dip in the early aughts-ish, it's been non-stop banner year for the last decade plus. Same goes for walleye. All you hear every year is "Killing em!"

That's still several months off for us, though. Spring is crick, and any boating will be in small water close to shore. Spawning bass, gonna try some musky soaks this time once the fallfish and sucker come in. Cats in May hopefully. Perch I usually only target if I'm with someone that wants em, or if I got the kids and have no luck otherwise.

Hope to pack this thread this year.

Quote: Face

In other news, what can you tell me about raw docks? lol I know you talk about running the boat right up on the beach; is a sandy beach the only way you do it? With current events I was beginning to think of how to just run up to the crick or lake undeveloped and dropping in, but our water's not sandy by no means.

We've launched off the beach [ocean] in both sand and cobble, maneuvering around anything that would hit the axle. If in doubt about what is underwater, get your waders on and go kick around to search out anything that will make contact with the aft crossbar on the trailer or bend the axle. How steep is it? Is it so slight an angle that you have to back the pickup out in the water up to the exhaust pipe?

Does your trailer tip, so you can pick your boat off the beach? Some people launch their skiffs on a dry beach and wait for the tide to lift them off.

I don't think the axle that came with your nice trailer is hefty enough to do road grading with, at most, probably schedule 80? I didn't notice if it was tube or pipe.

Quote:

I mean, can a trailer axle take humpin' over a downed tree? Could a submerged rock buckle the frame? Or if the truck can make it, then send it? Figure I should ask while I have the chance.

"experience gained, is directly proportional to the amount of equipment ruined" : ), u/a

Quote: petroglyph

Does your trailer tip, so you can pick your boat off the beach? Some people launch their skiffs on a dry beach and wait for the tide to lift them off.

When I got a tilting trailer it made all of the difference in the world for launching in different conditions.

Those dogs are going to be lunch if they aren't careful.

And just to let you know @Face, I've read the thread from start to finish in a couple of enjoyable days. Not like I'm going anywhere. I couldn't really stop.
Thank you for sharing so much of your fishing knowledge, life and family so openly and freely. I think you're a pretty amazing guy.
Quite a read.

You know, it occurred to me that your son has a natural feel for fish. I would say he's absorbed everything you've taught him plus does reading on his own, but there's something to say about a person who feels the fish and just, like naturally has that touch.
You undoubtedly have it from all time, and now a young kid, your kid is like a pinball wizard.
He's in a natural zen with the line.

It's an amazing thing. It could be driving a race car, welding a perfect line, or so far with your son, fishing zen. If you watch some of your recent fishing vids, even just a few years ago, Jax was not looking down at all at his hands or rod when reeling and handling when fighting fish at his young age. That's feeling the gear. That's confidence. Like a guitarist who only looks down momentary every few minutes.

So very cool.

I lost my "extra" fishing trip this year to the current pandemic. To be fair, it was the fourth or fifth plan we made for last week after things started to happen on the virus front...but I was sill kind of hoping that it happened. I would have been socially distant from the world in a small house in the Keys with a 27 foot Sea Chaser tied up behind it. The closing of bars and all did not bother me; we pretty much make meals in and I can catch bait with a little squid, so our "needs" for the week would not have included much time in stores.

It was always in jeopardy; but there was hope...until they closed the Keys to non-residents.

I was planning on fishing offshore but not too far off. We usually go out 20-30 miles on a given day, but I like to see land when I fish solo (not sure how much that really matters; bad things can happen anywhere). That would put me in 500'-600' of water looking for birds, weed lines, and "floaters" and trolling them for Mahi Mahi. I run four lines--two flat lines and two on outriggers--most of the time. Sometimes only the two flats are run near a lot of weeds to save having to take weeds off all the time. The outriggers usually have a nice, fresh ballyhoo on them.

The best time is when you catch a fish, bring it in with a school following and then catch multiple fish out of the same school. Using some chunks of cut bait can help keep the fish worked up. Leaving a fish a little ways off the stern also keeps them swimming with the boat.

...okay...back to work now...maybe I will have some real fishing trips to talk about later in the year!