Massachusetts Fishing Charters salt water fly fishing Rockport

North Coast AnglerFly and Light Tackle Charter Services On the Water and Shoreline
978-546-9704

Old Photo's

Back in the "day", the late 60’s through the 70's, when we talked about how large a Striper was we did not use "inches" as a measure, but rather “POUNDS". A keeper in those days measured 16” and was mostly tossed back to grow up! We rarely kept a fish that weighed less than 15 pounds, and those fish we called "Bulls" even though they were really "Cows". Most of our fishing in those days we did at night, fishing live eels in the Merrimack River Salisbury flats or trolling at the rivers mouth with wire line and large Goo-Goo Eye wooden plugs. Ah, those were the days of big stripers! We caught and sold way too many fish, we really didn't know better at the time. So many fishermen caught so many stripers up and down the east coast that we almost lost them. Finally, the east coast states got together and established a ban on their sale and possession. Those bans were lifted in the early 90's when the striper population again became strong.
Thankfully, most of us, including many charter captains, practice catch and release today. The striper is far more valuable alive than as a grilled fillet on a plate at a local restaurant. However, we all must stay mindful of what happened 3 decades ago so that it does not repeat itself or what we have today will become "The Good Old Day's". Every season the "commercial"catch quotas go up a bit and more prime breeders (commercial size 36” and larger) are taken. And this with the over fishing of herring, mackerel and menhadden could very well lead to a significant decline in large stripers. Massachusetts is not the only state with commercial harvesting of striped bass, most all east coast states allow for large quotas. For information on striped bass conservation matters, visit :Stripers Forvever!
Your comments on this subject are encouraged.

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Old Photo's
Back in the "day", the late 60’s through the 70's, when we talked about how large a Striper was we did not use "inches" as a measure, but rather “POUNDS". A keeper in those days measured 16” and was mostly tossed back to grow up! We rarely kept a fish that weighed less than 15 pounds, and those fish we called "Bulls" even though they were really "Cows". Most of our fishing in those days we did at night, fishing live eels in the Merrimack River Salisbury flats or trolling at the rivers mouth with wire line and large Goo-Goo Eye wooden plugs. Ah, those were the days of big stripers! We caught and sold way too many fish, we really didn't know better at the time. So many fishermen caught so many stripers up and down the east coast that we almost lost them. Finally, the east coast states got together and established a ban on their sale and possession. Those bans were lifted in the early 90's when the striper population again became strong. Thankfully, most of us, including many charter captains, practice catch and release today. The striper is far more valuable alive than as a grilled fillet on a plate at a local restaurant. However, we all must stay mindful of what happened 3 decades ago so that it does not repeat itself or what we have today will become "The Good Old Day's". Every season the "commercial"catch quotas go up a bit and more prime breeders (commercial size 36” and larger) are taken. And this with the over fishing of herring, mackerel and menhadden could very well lead to a significant decline in large stripers. Massachusetts is not the only state with commercial harvesting of striped bass, most all east coast states allow for large quotas. For information on striped bass conservation matters, visit :Stripers Forvever! Your comments on this subject are encouraged.