Catch and Release, More Word on the Bite and Is It Curtains for the Fish off Eatons Neck?
Did it seem like this was the shortest winter on record? Aside from two weeks of digit-splintering cold we seem to have sped through it. Yesterday we started talking about putting the boat in the water. When my son, Chris, mentioned that it seemed like only yesterday that we hauled the boat out I did some quick calculations (on one hand) and figured that this year the boat will only have been out of the water for 3 months as we kept it in well into December.
Meantime, there are happenings afoot in Long Island Sound that merit a closer look. While we are glad to see that Federal money is continuing (albeit at snail’s pace) to repair some of the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, we have to question the wisdom of dredging a highly fertile and productive fishing area off Eatons Neck to get the sand.
We are told that as soon as the dust settles the fish will happily repopulate. This prediction runs counter to experience and seems naïve at best. We also question the wisdom of disturbing a bottom containing PAH in levels that are above NYS standards. It is inevitable that when disturbed this will lead to resuspension and introduction into the food chain.
Who can forget the joy last summer of whales off the Connecticut coast and dozens of dolphins in Huntington Harbor? There seemed to be more and more stories of life returning to the Sound that we haven’t seen in decades. We think a few more bucks for trucked in sand might be the better solution – see our article in this issue and let us know what you think.
Boat show season is winding down and the fishing tournaments are coming to life. Coastal Angler Magazine is proud to be official media partner of the Pabst Blue Ribbon Fishing Tournament – which is announcing that this year they will move to 100% catch and release. The tournament will launch June 12 and run through August 20 in salt waters off of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and Long Island. There are big bucks prizes and fun for all – check out the details.
We can’t wait to see you on the water. In the meantime – send us your pictures! We feel that spring is truly coming early this year and we hope the fish gods bless us with a long and productive season.
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We are humbled and proud to bring you Coastal Angler Magazine each month, and look forward to hearing from you.
Tight Lines.
Lisa Helme and Mike Danforth
Owners and Publishers
