Holy Cow!!! A New PB

[Baitbucket]

And no....this fish would not of been kept if caught in any of our major spawning rivers here in Maine.  We have special regulations that require Artificial Lures Only - Single Hook, and Catch and Release Only, in place until after these fish have a chance to reproduce.  

So anywhere else in the ocean it would have been? Just like how this young man caught his?

Regardless, bashing this kid for legally keeping a single fish is moronic. If you got a bone to pick, go talk to the draggers and commercial guys..

What??!!!!  Sure okay    You most certainly need to educate yourself on this topic before you comment.  I don't know about you guys, but we most certainly have natural striped bass reproduction in some of our rivers that support the appropriate habitat necessary for this to occur.  

Some striper knowledge for yah.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striped_bass

Looks like MA does more for the reproduction of Stripers than Maine ever could.. But thats just science talking..

Life Cycle:
Striped bass spawn in fresh water, and although they have been successfully adapted to freshwater habitat, they naturally spend their adult lives in saltwater (i.e., it is anadromous). Four important bodies of water with breeding stocks of striped bass are: Chesapeake Bay, Massachusetts Bay/Cape Cod, Hudson River and Delaware River.

[bigredfishing]

I am curious......what does MA do to ensure we have stripers for future generations?

Its called a bag limit.   what exactly are you hoping to accomplish here?    The fish may have already spawned anyway, and he tried to release it, so why criticize?

[StingingLips]

It is....was a great fish.  Nice catch!  It is very frustrating for some of us here in Maine, to be working so hard to protect and preserve our striped bass fishery, and see these large brood stock fish picked off while passing through states with less restrictive regulations.  Many of those first wave early migration brood stock fish you see in MA, are on their way to Maine rivers to spawn. We have ALO and C&R regs on these fish until after they have a chance to spawn.  I am curious......what does MA do to ensure we have stripers for future generations?

Thats only true in 3 areas in Maine. That's not the case at all in my area of the state. If you really want to protect the species then dont fish for them, god forbid you put a hook in their gills or stomach. your fighting an endless battle. I have absolutely no problem with him keeping that fish as well as any other person that wants to keep them. Maine has the slot limit to protect the breeding class fish. 40" plus is considered trophy class in which his fish was. Not only did he have a great time catching it, he got to eat his catch as well.

Ebour nice fish!

[ebour]

Thank you!

[trout stalker]

ya this guy dr. striper from maine medical really needs to be a little more educated before bashing a kid about a 40" behemoth being kept.....Stripers DONT exclusively reproduce in maine they do it from chesapeak bay right on up ya right in mass too hence the ct and Merrimack river runs ive caught ct river stripers in September 16 inches long guess those weren't born there huh? Massachusetts is considered one of the capitols of striper fishing people come from all over to fish here maines slot is in place pretty much because it just doesn't see the pure numbers of big fish we do and I know because I faithfully fish both states....don't let the mindless self centered people bug ya buddy you did nothing wrong even if ya didn't try releasing it at all mabey he just needs a trip with you to get his first 40" fish hahaha

[JoeGG]

I hate to generalize but the Maine guys seem to have a gripe with anyone from Massachusetts. I have been on Ebour's end of a moronic rant a few times. This idiot has no clue what he is talking about. Most of the bass spawn in Chesapeake Bay. That's where they did the research and then put a moratorium on the size and numbers of them years ago. So, from what Backwash (or whatever his name is) says, this bass was on his way to Maine to spawn? Lol. Don't worry Ebour, this guy probably had to study to get moron status. He should be more worried about the 16 inch glass eels, I mean salmon, that come out of Moosehead. And how bout dem Atlantic Salmon rivers? Aya. Quite a success story there buddy. Did I mention how the farm-raised salmon that they brilliantly grow in the coves right on the coast escaped and crossbred with Wild Atlantics and screwed up the entire Native Atlantic Fishery? You should be ashamed of yourself for picking on this kid. The most interesting part of this thread is how Ebour handled answering your bashing of him. Style and class come to mind. The best part is that Ebour is growing into a fine young man and you're stuck being you. Too bad. This kid is learning fast. You could probably learn something from him.

[ebour]

I do my best