John McMurray's Blog

NY’S LICENSE PROVISION FAILS IN ITS MOST IMPORTANT PURPOSE

By Capt. John McMurray Governor Patterson's proposed 2009-10 budget bill includes a provision to establish a recreational salt water fishing license. Indeed such a license is long overdue and if properly administered, we should support it. Such a pay-to-play system would immediately put a concrete figure on the number of saltwater anglers in New [...]Read original article

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PROMINENT MAINE GUIDE (AND STRIPED BASS AP MEMBER) SOUNDS OFF ON BASS

There’s been a lot of discussion on declining bass stocks on this site as well as plenty of others. After witnessing some of the epic bass blitzes this year in Montauk, it’s hard to believe that there could be a problem. But indeed there does appear to be one. If you are [...]Read original article

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SPIN POLITICS, IT AIN’T JUST FOR PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS…

It’s been over a month now since I saw the link-referenced letter to the Gloucester Daily Times regarding the “dissolving” of the New England Fishery Management Council. If that link dosen't work on your computer, you can cut and paste this one into your browser: http://listserv.uri.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0809&L=riseagrant-l&D=0&T=0&P=4.... Sounds like pretty serious stuff right? [...]Read original article

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ON BLUEFIN: CALLING IT LIKE I SEE IT

By Capt. John McMurray Readers of this blog may or may not read my column in Fly Fishing in Saltwaters Magazine (FFSW). I’m not trying to promote it here, but I do want to point out the recent column on bluefin tuna: (http://www.flyfishinsalt.com/species/conservation/the-bluefin-dilemma-10... ) I’m told by the editors over at FFSW that [...]Read original article

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NEW REFERENCE POINTS FOR BASS AND WHAT THEY MEAN

If you’re an avid striper guy (my guess is you are if you are reading this) then by now I’ll bet you’ve seen the ASMFC press release regarding the new reference points for the striped bass fishery. If not, you can find it here: http://reel-time.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64183 Yeah, I know, it looks like [...]Read original article

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NEW REFERENCE POINTS FOR BASS AND WHAT THEY MEAN

If you’re an avid striper guy (my guess is you are if you are reading this) then by now I’ll bet you’ve seen the ASMFC press release regarding the new reference points for the striped bass fishery. If not, you can find it here: http://reel-time.com/forum/showthread.php?t=64183 Yeah, I know, it looks like [...]Read original article

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FOR BETTER OR WORSE - BREAKING NEWS ON SUMMER FLOUNDER

Just this week a summary report of the most recent Summer Flounder Stock Assessment Workshop was released. It’s a difficult read for a civilian but it looks as if the only real change is an increase in the natural mortality estimate (the number of fish that die from natural causes). It follows [...]Read original article

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FOR BETTER OR WORSE - BREAKING NEWS ON SUMMER FLOUNDER

Just this week a summary report of the most recent Summer Flounder Stock Assessment Workshop was released. It’s a difficult read for a civilian but it looks as if the only real change is an increase in the natural mortality estimate (the number of fish that die from natural causes). It follows [...]Read original article

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CIRCLEHOOKS AND ANGLER’S RIDICULOUS RELUCTANCE TO USE THEM

Just getting in from what amounted to yet another good day of fishing in my neck of the woods. Without a doubt, this has been a good year so far and today was no exception. But to get back to the marina, I had to run the solemn course though the excessive crowd [...]Read original article

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CIRCLEHOOKS AND ANGLER’S RIDICULOUS RELUCTANCE TO USE THEM

Just getting in from what amounted to yet another good day of fishing in my neck of the woods. Without a doubt, this has been a good year so far and today was no exception. But to get back to the marina, I had to run the solemn course though the excessive crowd [...]Read original article

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