CT, NY & RI TELL PORGY ANGLERS TO KEEP ON FISHING

Officials Cite Economic Emergency and Healthy  
 
(9/29/2011) It's official, coastal anglers in Connecticut, New York and Rhode Island can keep on fishing for porgies (scup) for the rest of the season!The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CTDEEP), the New York Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RIDEM) have each announced that their respective recreational porgy fisheries will remain open through the end of 2011. The recreational porgy season had been scheduled to close on September 27; however, the three adjoining states have rescinded the closure due to the health and abundance of the coast-wide scup population.

For anglers fishing from shore or on private vessels, the minimum size (10-1/2 inches) and bag limit (10 fish) remain unchanged during the extended season. For passengers fishing from a party or charter vessel, the current 40-fish bag limit remains in place only through October 11; thereafter, the bag limit returns to 10 fish. The 11-inch minimum size for those anglers fishing aboard party or charter vessels remains unchanged through the rest of the year.

"A combination of healthy fish stocks and harvest levels far below existing quotas have made it possible for Connecticut to take this action," said David G. Simpson, Director of Marine Fisheries for CTDEEP. "This opportunity will benefit anglers and tackle shops alike. It is a direct result of coast-wide conservation measures enacted over the last decade that have successfully restored scuppopulations."

In their official release, NYDEC said they were officially "extending the season based on data that show that the scup stock is rebuilt to very high abundance, and that commercial and recreational harvest on the coast is projected to fall nearly 10 million pounds short of this year's allowable harvest of these popular food and sport fish. Also, increased access to the robust stocks of scup could redirect fishing effort and reduce the ecological risks faced by the local tautog population which has been declared overfished."

RIDEM Director Janet Coit determined that it was necessary to adopt regulatory amendments via emergency rule making in order to extend the recreational season for scup until December 31 "to increase access to the overstocked scuppopulation and thereby afford relief and reduce the ecological peril faced by the tautog population which has been declared to be "overfished"."

The state of Massachusetts is still pursuing similar measure which would keep the porgy fishery open for anglers for the remainder of 2011 there too.

"The Recreational Fishing Alliance applauds officials in those Atlantic States for using the economic emergency occurring along our coastline in taking this bold position," said executive director Jim Donofrio. "If the fisheries service can use emergency rulemaking authority to close down fisheries when they think the science supports it, our coastal states should be given authority to take similar action to reopen fisheries when the science warrants. In the case of scup, clearly the science supports giving our anglers increased opportunity."

"The fact that states have to go through such drastic political maneuvering just to allow their anglers to catch a few fish from a healthy stock shows that our federal fisheries law, the Magnuson Stevens Act, needs to be fixed," Donofrio added.

Saltwater anglers are reminded that recreational porgy fishing in federal waters did officially close on September 27; federal waters occupy portions of Block Island Sound, all of the Atlantic Ocean beyond three miles from shore, but not Long Island Sound.

Some reports listed the weight of a blue marlin landed Sunday off Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, at an eye-popping 1,213 pounds, a record for the resort destination. Others claimed the behemoth fell short of "grander" status, weighing only 972 pounds on a marina scale.

Whatever the weight of the billfish, it was an extraordinary catch, especially considering that the battle played out for nearly 28 hours, giving this yarn a Hemingway quality that seems more like fiction than fact.

The angler credited with the catch is Richard Biehl of Traverse City, Michigan, but he had help from the crew aboard the 31-foot yacht, Go Deep, which was plying the Pacific Ocean north of Cabo San Lucas at Baja California's tip.

After an offshore marathon that began Saturday morning at 8:20 and ended close to noon Sunday, those aboard the yacht either resembled or felt like very old men of the sea. 
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Due to bureaucratic red tape Frank and Dicks will no longer be serving food and liquor for the remainder of this season. However,  the bait shop will still be open for for fuel, bait, coffee,  bagels, pastries, soup and beer.

Frank and dicks new TV has been installed so if you would like to hang out and watch Sunday football, please feel free to come over! their hours are 6am-8pm and you can call them at 631-587-8442.

Just to clarify, although they are having the party on Oct 8th, we will still be open thru the first week in November for fuel and everything for sale inside the bait shop (including bait, tackle, beer, coffee, bagels, pastries, soup, etc

This year's end of the season party will be Saturday, October 8th. There will be beer, wine coolers & free food!
http://frankndicks.com/

Mustad®, the world’s largest-selling fish hook brand, is hoping its new “Hook a Million” promotion will deliver $1.4 million in cash to lucky anglers who set new world and state records.

In announcing the promotion, Mustad General Manager Tom Kurtz said the company was looking for a fun way to involve anglers across the country. “With over 50 new state records set in the last year or so and several world records pending certification, we felt the time was right for a program that rewards these accomplishments. We all know that the next cast could be the new record, and this promotion makes it easy—anglers fish on their schedule and their waters.” 
The “Hook a Million” promotion, which kicks off this October and runs 12 months, targets 10 of the country’s most popular fresh and saltwater fish. These include Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, White Crappie, Coho Salmon, Striped Bass, Kelp Bass (Calico Bass), Red Drum (Redfish), Spotted Seatrout (Speckled Trout) and Yellowfin Tuna. It’s open to US residents 18 and older. To participate anglers must use a Mustad hook and register only once at least 24 hours in advance of fishing during the contest period.

Cash awards for the promotion total $1,400,000 and recognize both fresh and saltwater all-tackle state records and new IGFA certified all-tackle world records. “Our goal is to make sure anglers from coast to coast have the opportunity to participate and the chance to win,” noted Mr. Kurtz. “It doesn’t matter what state you live in, you’re still likely to have five chances for a big cash award.” Anglers who establish the first TWO new freshwater or first TWO new saltwater state records for the covered species receive $100,000 each, for a total of $400,000 in cash prizes. The first new IGFA certified all-tackle world record for any of the listed species nets the lucky angler $1,000,000*. 
To make sure they qualify for big cash awards, anglers must register in advance and catch the new record on a Mustad hook. “We make thousands of premium hooks for all the species in the promotion and we’re encouraging anybody who fishes to register,” added Mr. Kurtz. “It’s free and you never know when that next record is going to bite.”


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