Mixed emotions
- Thread starter Capt. Art
- Start date
Hi Stan, it was lots of fun. I took out my son & a bunch of his friends. After we docked they actually volunteered to help wash down the boat. I should have had a picture of all the professionals washing her down... a lawyer, a CPA, an engineer a very expensive crew. All I had to kick in was fuel for the day - Ouch.
20" is an awesome fluke!! Here in Jersey they have to be 18" and out of the 100 or so we've caught this season, only 3 were keepers. I've switched over to using #2 Circle hooks so that the fish have a better chance at survival. The circle hooks work by hooking them in the side of the mouth, as opposed to gut-hooking them....
Arty - Are really putting fish slime on that nice boat?
We caught well over 20 yesterday evening too ,but only 1 was over 21". Luckily, our min.in MA is 18 1/2"/5 per per. . A couple of nice 15-16" black sea bass were nice bonuses as well. Delicious sea bass dinner over garlic mashed spuds the last 2 nights, and fluke tomorrow.
Maybe try a little deeper water and larger baits?
Is the Lady M going casting, trolling, or chunking (or harpooning- Capt. Arthab???) for bluefins? Attaboy! Don't forget your NMFS HMS premit. http://www.nmfspermits.com/
We caught well over 20 yesterday evening too ,but only 1 was over 21". Luckily, our min.in MA is 18 1/2"/5 per per. . A couple of nice 15-16" black sea bass were nice bonuses as well. Delicious sea bass dinner over garlic mashed spuds the last 2 nights, and fluke tomorrow.
Maybe try a little deeper water and larger baits?
Is the Lady M going casting, trolling, or chunking (or harpooning- Capt. Arthab???) for bluefins? Attaboy! Don't forget your NMFS HMS premit. http://www.nmfspermits.com/
Arty - Are really putting fish slime on that nice boat?
Yep. Sandy, I had all the guys laughing about all the plastic carpet covering I had put down all through the boat. As long as everybody is willing to help give it a good cleaning as soon as we get back the decks are ok to fish. I would be better if I can tow a fishing barge behind us? AND, thanks for pointing out the Blue Fin Permits? I had no idea I needed one? Do I also need any permits to fish fluke or Shark in NJ offshore?
Yep. Sandy, I had all the guys laughing about all the plastic carpet covering I had put down all through the boat. As long as everybody is willing to help give it a good cleaning as soon as we get back the decks are ok to fish. I would be better if I can tow a fishing barge behind us? AND, thanks for pointing out the Blue Fin Permits? I had no idea I needed one? Do I also need any permits to fish fluke or Shark in NJ offshore?
Perhaps next trip you could just keep them in full hazmat suits out in the cockpit they could doff before entering the salon. You're a good sport.
I believe rec shark fishing is covered under the HMS permit. There are size , number and species limits and prohibitions. I don't think any fluke permit is required for rec fishing in the EEZ (3+ nm out) but the state of the port you return to would govern the rec, regs. Obviously both a state & fed commecial boat permit , plus quite likely add'l special limited fishery permits, are needed to sell any open season fish but it sounds like you are just going for fun.
Unless you really get serious about selling HMS fish , I'd suggest sticking with the Angling Category /no sale of any covered fish, rather than the commercial only General Category. Then again, you are a licensed operator, so you might think about the Charter/Headboat permit to keep your options open. It gives you a choice of fishing under Angling no-sale regs or General Cat. commercial regs with closed days and quota closures. Angling keeps things simplest though and has fewest USCG approved commercial offshore safety equipment requirements. I'm strictly Angling cat. these days and haven't been tuna fishing this year-yet. With the price of fuel a bit less palpitation-inducing this year I point the bow way out towards warmer water once again.
Here's a good NJ list ; http://www.scottsbt.com/fishids/regsrecs/regsNJ.htm . Just keep in mind I don't believe it is legal to take NJ size 18" fluke for instance over there and land them later in NY state if you guys have a 21" min. size.
Not sure about down there but we can only keep 1 recreational bluefin per boat per day this year in a size slot limit 27" to less than 47", plus 1 bft 47" to less than 73". (Angling and charter/headboat fishing under angling regs. For charter/headboat ctaegory you cannot fish both angling and general category rules in 1 trip. 1st fish kept determines which category & it's regs.. )
I believe rec shark fishing is covered under the HMS permit. There are size , number and species limits and prohibitions. I don't think any fluke permit is required for rec fishing in the EEZ (3+ nm out) but the state of the port you return to would govern the rec, regs. Obviously both a state & fed commecial boat permit , plus quite likely add'l special limited fishery permits, are needed to sell any open season fish but it sounds like you are just going for fun.
Unless you really get serious about selling HMS fish , I'd suggest sticking with the Angling Category /no sale of any covered fish, rather than the commercial only General Category. Then again, you are a licensed operator, so you might think about the Charter/Headboat permit to keep your options open. It gives you a choice of fishing under Angling no-sale regs or General Cat. commercial regs with closed days and quota closures. Angling keeps things simplest though and has fewest USCG approved commercial offshore safety equipment requirements. I'm strictly Angling cat. these days and haven't been tuna fishing this year-yet. With the price of fuel a bit less palpitation-inducing this year I point the bow way out towards warmer water once again.
Here's a good NJ list ; http://www.scottsbt.com/fishids/regsrecs/regsNJ.htm . Just keep in mind I don't believe it is legal to take NJ size 18" fluke for instance over there and land them later in NY state if you guys have a 21" min. size.
Not sure about down there but we can only keep 1 recreational bluefin per boat per day this year in a size slot limit 27" to less than 47", plus 1 bft 47" to less than 73". (Angling and charter/headboat fishing under angling regs. For charter/headboat ctaegory you cannot fish both angling and general category rules in 1 trip. 1st fish kept determines which category & it's regs.. )
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I had a Commercial Halibut operation in Alaska. Unless you can really count on lots of product and lots of buyers its really not a good thing to get into.
And of course if you have lots of product and lots of buyers, you'll have lots of competition soon enough.
The IRS has some pretty tough rules on the difference between 'Sport or subsistence or hobby' and 'business'. They will be your bottom line in the decision.
And of course if you have lots of product and lots of buyers, you'll have lots of competition soon enough.
The IRS has some pretty tough rules on the difference between 'Sport or subsistence or hobby' and 'business'. They will be your bottom line in the decision.