greybeard

Yeah, that was the site..I didn't read it thoroughly.. It was 64% didn't care, or didn't answer..

The DEC actually answers that question.on its website.under the heading of Why we don't have a Dove season(might not be the exact title, but it's there) It includes the fact that 64% of the hunters polled stated that they did not care if there was a dove season...

Stripers are still on the bunker on the North Shore !! Yesterday, I received a call that a friend caught a 30 lb. bass where I fish, and he had numerous "runoffs", predominantly by bass.(another friend got a 40 inch bass days earlier).. We have a small network.. Although the winds were predicted for gusts of 30 mph, and my cutoff is 15mph , I decided that since this spot has some wind protection, I'd go. I got there at around 7am, wind was tough, but I found the Bunker where they've been hanging and snagged one. I transferred it to my other set up and within a minute I was hit and after a really good ride, I landed a 20 lb. Striper. The adult bunker are not as numerous as they had been and I had to wait for them to show in my spot to snag them, which took a little time. However, for the next five bunker,that I live lined, I got hits and good runs, but failed to connect, except for a bluefish.(They would not take bunker chunks) I then snagged another and watched as it surfaced and get whacked, on top, by what I thought was a blue. I stupidly horsed it in because I was only looking for bass today, and I just wanted to get "the Bluefish" in and release it. It hit like a blue, and fought like one, but when I got it to the yak I saw that it was a bass, a good one.. I landed it and put in in the yak to measure it. It was bigger then the 1st. I released it after the measurement, and was home by 10am. So bass are still on Bunker for those that fish the North Shore, but from my observation, and others that I have spoken to, they may not be as numerous inside the harbors.

NYchick.. I might be wrong, but I believe that some companies sell farmed, or ranched venison in NY....If you check online you MIGHT find one in NY...Maybe NYC. My wife, didn't hunt, but was a really good freshwater fisherman(woman) when we were younger, so I get it.

Paula, I guess we'll find out, if and when she keeps posting

Paula.. Maybe I don't spend enough time here.. I can't imagine why anyone has to make up a story to ask how much game we eat, or anything else.. Why don't they just be honest and ask !!

NYchick.. Waterfowl hunting can add lots of meat, IF you like it..Early goose season has a bigger limit.. I would think about adding fish(high protein also), if that's acceptable to you... you can catch lots of them, and have variety.. Also, fish may carry you through the warmer months.Maybe you could get some bullfrog legs while your at it. I'm curious, what are you gonna do for fiber, and vegetables ? Grow your own ?

fasteddie.. You're right !! Sorry about that, I get carried away these days and have to be "reeled in"...I think it's age, but regardless of reason ,I shoulda stuck to my topic...I really went off it bad...Thanks for pointing it out, I appreciate it..I'll work on staying on point.. Virgil.. Wow !! congrats on the Musky.. Very Impressive..Did you get my last pm on striper spots

Pygmy.. I have 3 kayaks.. all sit inside...One is a tandem...When my father was alive I used to use a tandem to chase blues and bass.. He loved it.. great memories.. I am a fisherman who uses a kayak, not a kayaker who fishes. it's a tool. I don't have an outrigger.. My main fishing kayak is a 14 ft. sit inside, which has a bigger cockpit.. I bought it for waterfowling and fishing..Before I bought it , I loaded it with decoys to make sure they fit, then I put all my fishing gear in and took it out and casted and trolled..I had experience kayak fishing in my other kayaks, and also helped out on demo days at a local kayak shop so I kinda knew what to expect..I don't recommend shooting from a kayak.. I almost flipped over once shooting a Canada goose flyin' over... I learned my lesson that day !! It's great to get to spots, and my wife sewed camo cloth to fit so I could sit in it on the shore I am a total bluefish fanatic, I'm obsessed with them.....I live to catch them..Unlike a striper, they never quit .. Chasing blitzing bluefish and casting to them is "the best"... And when the gorillas are in and charge in to bunker schools, and I see them cut the bunker to pieces, my heart still pounds thru my chest.. I've been bitten ,had them pull me into moored boats, had them pull rods(twice) off the kayak and even had a couple jump inside the kayak (one was over 10lbs.)... My wife says that they hate me.. and says that they mug me ..I'm so used to them I even love the smell of those yellow eyed devils..I have lotsa photos of them, and even though I get them for about 7 months a year, I still look at photos a lot... Up until this year I ate blues all the time and loved them, but ate so many that I just can't eat them now(same with porgys).. I used to love to eat the spring blues in particular. My wife hates to eat them, but loves striped bass !! She doesn't fish anymore, but says she liked catching largemouth much more then catching a bluefish With all that, I love freshwater fishing and drool when I read about the Northern Pike that you guys upstate get. I've caught a number of them up there, and a couple in Quebec, when I was walleye fishing a few years back,but never a really good one. It's not only the catching, it's the surroundings.. God's country !! Just being upstate probably lowers my blood pressure.. I'd like to see posted photos of your pike, and read some stories..I winter pickerel fish here quite a bit , but even the biggest don't compare to a Northern I have dreamed of muskys since I was VERY young and my brother showed me a picture in a magazine. He told me that they were great fighters, and I never forgot... It's on my "bucket list", as they say...I'll do it someday, but for now it's something I like to dream about, so I'm not rushing to do it..

Thanks, I did, and your post made me appreciate it more.

When the bunker are hangin' in with the boats, it's tough fishing especially when the big blues are on them, but it does keep the heart pumping

I took the kayak out this morning to where I got the 12 pounder yesterday.. Bunker were still there in tight schools. I looked around and it seemed to be the only place where they were tightly schooled..It was tucked away a little, so I had it all to myself... I snagged bunker, took it off the snagger and put in on my striper set up... I had some runs and lost them.. Some were blues, but I suspected that some were bass because they weren't chopped up.. Around 7:30 am , I got a hit, let it run and set the hook and landed a 33 inch striper...I almost crashed into moored a boat, but I back paddled it out and landed it... A little while later, I snagged a bunker, but I left it on the snagger to run.. I almost never do this because I lose to many that way, and if blues take it they can cut my line and I lose the snagger...I only use wire leaders for that when the gorilla blues are in and even then, sometimes they bite thru it. I let the bunker swim and WHAM !! got hit, I put it in free spool and let it run then put it in gear and set the hook.. Great ride and fight.. I got it into the kayak and measured it. It was 36 inches...You can only keep one unless one of them is 40 inches... I was tired so I left .. It was 10 am.. I was told that stripers are in most of the harbors on the North Shore, but can't verify it..

Virgil, I just sent you a pm, I hope it helps..

virgil.. I protect my spots, but I WILL pm you with the info..

apoallo.. Thanx for the info.. I never tried sand worms for them..Sounds good I hope you get to go for stripers, there are some good ones around on the North Shore I got a 12 lb. this morning(dinner), But had one hit me and drag me around into the moored boats, He made my kayak do a 180..I locked the rod between my legs and backpaddled which works good most times, but it was determined to get under those boats. I was gonna crash and he was pulling me fast (for a fish) and I guess, and I inadvertently gave it slack and off it went.. Easy come, easy go, as they say... and a Great ride !!! It coulda been a gorilla blue, I'm not sure, but if it was a bass it was a beauty..Maybe tomorrow ..

All these years I thought they were bluebacks.. live and learn.. Thanx for that info.. We get alewives , I'm not sure what they look like exactly.. They put ladders from salt to fresh for them to spawn in some lakes.. I'm kinda lucky for fishing salt.. I'm 5 miles from the bay and 20 minutes from the South Shore ocean and 20 minutes to the North Shore Harbors leading to the Long Island Sound.Sometimes, rarely these days, I start North in the a.m. in the kayak.. then drop it home and head to the south shore surf.. I don't do it as much now, but for many years, in the fall, when weather wasn't good for 'yakin', or a good run was happening along the beaches I would start out to surf cast in the morning on the west end of Jones and go east beach to beach to search for fish.. Then go over the bridge to Moses..Then work the same in reverse. That'd be hard for you to do, and sometimes, as you know, ya don't find fish..( I also have a network of fishermen who fill me in and I do the same for them..). How's City Island ?? I've read that they do well there. I've been there a number of times, but never fished there. Check Rich Johnson's site...Thefishingline.com and go to the North Shore report.. As I recall it's the 1st report listed for the North Shore.. Then check the surf reports.. I'd pm you with fish movements, but an active beach with bass and, or blues today can be dead tomorrow.

Shawn.. I don't know too much about herring except that they stink, I get full of scales, and catch a load of them..I thought down here that they were bluebacks.. Is that different ??? What Herring do they get up there ? Are the shad that we get the same as up there ? I "think" the one's in the Delaware are different. Do you know how far that the bluefish go up the Hudson. (I was at the inlet today.. Blues came thru a few times. The terns were screamin' and diving, I love that.....They weren't big, and didn't stay long, but they're fun to catch. I happened to show up at the right time..)

Wow !! Great Sea Bass...and the porgy's were big too..It got my blood flowing !! I don't get many sea bass on the North Shore where I fish, but get some nice porgys in the kayak...They both give a nice fight, and sea bass are great eating.. I used to love Porgys, but I ate so many that neither my wife, or myself can eat them anymore. I still fish for them, I just don't keep them now so unless someone wants some, I release them... Seeing your catch makes me think that I should try them again, but cook them differently... Last year, I got a lot of sea bass while fishing for kingfish on the south shore, but they were ALL way too small to keep...Maybe I'm in the wrong spots, or just need to improve my techniques. Did you use clams ? High/low rig ? I'd appreciate it if you'd explain the set up that you used.I would love to get some nice sea bass. Congrats on the catches

Thank you for that info.. It was very informative...I didn't realize that the herring were up there so much later then down here..We use sabiki's also. I get most from shore, but take the kayak to some spots if the weather is ok and the ice isn't in the harbor.. A decoy fish, sounds great.. I never heard of that. I gotta look it up to see what they look like. I've seen some guys tie an aluminum piece to their lines to attract them, but never a decoy.. For herring from the yak I like to use a fishfinder...Sometimes the screen is black because there are so many.. I also will, on occasion, use a fish finder for stripers.. Friday the blues and bass were tailing and I could site cast to them..I like to do that..No fish finder necessary, and no sittin' in bunker schools..( I am an avid bluefish hunter,) I'm fascinated by pike, so if I lived up there I'd be a fanatic. Thanks again for all the info.... I'll check the stripers 247 site

JrDeerslayer.. I'd like to learn how you fish the river... Our herring run is in late fall into winter.. I get them until Jan. When is your herring run ? I live line bunker with no weight and drift thru the schools of bunker.. How do you fish the herring ? How do you keep them alive ? Do you have a live well ?? Do you get Bluefish that far north ? How's the Northern Pike fishing in the Hudson ? I am in awe of Northern Pike . my computer's blinking.. gotta go

JR, dEERSLAYER.. i KEEP TRYING TO ANSWER YOU AND ASK QUESTIONS, BUT MY COMPUTER KEEPS SHUTTING DOWN AND i LOSE IT.. later, i HOPE

Shawn, thax .. I have 44 lb. steel plates and tried it.. My scale was RIGHT on. My scale showed her heavier by a few lbs., but I think that I'll just describe her in inches because I KNOW that the inches are true, and I like to be right on with accuracy

That's GREAT !!! Congrats

Thanx Water Rat..In my log I wrote every detail.. VERY DRAMATIC..(It's an Italian thing).. I left out one part that I hate to admit to.. Here's my confession.. My wife immediately knew that it was a rattler by the sound.. and just before I saw it, I told her that SHE was wrong.. I didn't expect to see one there and didn't equate the noise with a snake so I walked a few steps towards the noise and almost stepped on it's head.. It's tail was 5'(actually 5'3") away from it's head, which is where I was looking... Some great woodsman I was.. HA !!! I HATE admitting that, but that's "the rest of the story"...We still laugh about it

In 1969, when killing timber rattlers was legal they paid a $5. bounty in Warren County to residents of that county. I went up there with my wife, then fiance, and she was gonna stay with her parents at Lake George and I was gonna pitch a tent on State Land, down the road, and she could drive up and get me in the morning. She drove me to the base of Tongue Mountain, which I did not know was called by some, the "Timber Rattlesnake Capital of the Northeast, or Ny"(I don't remember exactly). We got out to find a spot for me to set up and we heard a rattle and she yelled rattlesnake,. I didn't see it until I almost stepped on it. Back then, I always carried my .22 Marlin semi auto when I walked thru woods on NY State Land no matter where I was, so I shot it.. It was over 5 feet long and had 2 whole animals in it and remains of a mouse.. I measured it by holding it's now headless body against me( I cut the head off right away because a dead snake still has venom and still squirms.) I dug a hole and crushed the head and buried it and put a good sized stone so no one would find it and pick it up, which could have had a bad outcome. My brother shot one the next year... As far as I'm concerned, they DON'T taste like chicken !!!. I spoke to some local residents after I shot mine and heard some great stories .. I spoke to some kinda State Official, I THINK was DEC, I don't remember exactly, but he told me that there were a lot of them.. There was a guy up here at that time that would guide for hunting timber rattlers...I "think" he charged $50 for the hunt I skinned it , but screwed up the skin, and left it too long before I could tan it, and stupidly threw away the rattle when I was moving out of my parents house when I got married. I wrote up a whole story, with every detail, in my journal when I got home, and in fact was condensing stories from my log over the past few months, to put into a type written journal, and just reread it.. It brought back a really cool memory... I also have a good photo of my wife and I holding it, I should have taken more photos.. Oh yeah, I decided , screw the tent, I went to a motel !!! Since I didn't save the skin, I eventually had a hat embroidered with a Timber Rattler with the date.. July 1969..I do that with fish and game these days.. kinda nutty I guess, but it works for me. A number of years later I was going to try to get another and try a different cooking method and also tan the skin, but by the time I was going to do it they passed a law protecting them. I don't remember what year the law passed, but that's what I get for procrastinating