Mid Atlantic and Chesapeake Bay - 3 mile line?

All the reports I am hearing about are coming from outside the line. I have a lot of friends going out on charters in Va Beach, and they are consistently going over the line and exceeding the bag limits, so I refuse to go with them. Its just not fun when you're cheating. Are the majority of the boats out there cheating, or am I just hearing about the few that do??? I have a new kid and have only wet the boat once during bay season, so i don't really have any first hand info. Are the local authorities doing anything about it? It just really P's me off when it seems so many are breaking the rules and getting away with it. Heard some capts are speciffically telling their charters that they are breaking the rules and be prepared to dump the fish without hesitation. Just not used to this, as all the blue water charters I've been on out in the OBX are very professional. Guess any yahoo with a boat can striper charter.

I don't striper fish can you explain the rule and why the rule is in place. I asked a buddy the other day and he really couldn't explain the rule.

its just part of the regulations to limit the number of fish taken- you can't fish for or posess any striped bass beyond 3 miles from shore. Currently, you can only keep two fish per person, inside 3 miles, and the season is pretty open. I have heard alternatives would be to do away with the 3 mile limit, reduce the limit to say one fish, and then reduce the open season. By restricting you to 3 miles, they are basically capping the number of fish you can catch based on the fish's habits.

The three mile line has nothing to do with the limit you can keep. The Federal boys have jurisdiction beyound three miles and there is not a season for Rockfish in federal waters.
And yes it has been going on for years.

Jimmy

Jim- agreed it is the fed line- but that does come into play when determining the limits and seasons.

I'm a charter capt in the Chesapeake and even though I've never fished VA Beach, I know several who do. To answer your question ..... YES, many charter Capt's go beyond 3 miles on a regular basis. If caught, they dump the rock and keep the blues ..... tell the LEO that "Hey, I'm just bluefishing". Happens very frequently.

Chris- kind of what I figured. Hopefully, most of the capts like you don't get a bad rep from them. does it seem like a big problem with the privates as well? Again, I usually fish the bay and don't hit the ocean too often in my boat, but curious about just how bad it is.

I believe they should have at least a C&R beyond the 3 mile limit.

I believe they should have at least a C&R beyond the 3 mile limit.
Agreed, I have been out there and caught Blues, Redfish, Football Bluefin, and yes Rockfish all feeding on the same school of bait. I don't need to kill Stripers, just let me C&R a few, please.

Agreed, I have been out there and caught Blues, Redfish, Football Bluefin, and yes Rockfish all feeding on the same school of bait. I don't need to kill Stripers, just let me C&R a few, please.
Redfish are off limits too aren't they. :nono:

I believe they should have at least a C&R beyond the 3 mile limit.
Catching stripers this time of year especially on lighter tackle and cold water from my understanding is very hard on the fish. So why C&R if it is deatrimental to the fish. I as much as anyone enjoy catching and EATING rock. But we need not waste a resource. They don't fight that good anyway.

From the National Marine Fisheries website;

Atlantic striped bass – EEZ fishery regulations
Recreational and Commercial fisheries -

EEZ closed to all striped bass possession or fishing. Atlantic Striped Bass may not be fished for, harvested, retained, or possessed in or from the EEZ. One exception - within Block Island Sound, possession of Atlantic striped bass is permitted, provided no fishing takes place from the vessel while in this EEZ area and the vessel is in continuous transit through the area. This area is north of a line connecting Montauk Light, Montauk Point, NY, and Block Island Southeast Light, Block Island, RI; and west of a line connecting Point Judith Light, Point Judith, RI, and Block Island Southeast Light, Block Island, RI.

Catching stripers this time of year especially on lighter tackle and cold water from my understanding is very hard on the fish. So why C&R if it is deatrimental to the fish. I as much as anyone enjoy catching and EATING rock. But we need not waste a resource. They don't fight that good anyway.


You need to read the catch and release study done on striped bass in Maryland. Arguably the actual mortality associated with C&R is lower than those observed since the fish were in much more fresh water with low tidal flow and they were penned after hooking for a couple of days to see if they died. The penning does not allow the fish to return to deeper water for recovery from the catch and release. This is more important as the water temperatures rose since the deeper waters are much cooler when the water temperatures get above 65 degrees. Unfortunately there were no real controls to see the mortality associated with penning alone.

Here is a quote from the Maryland catch and release study on striped bass on the flats in Maryland in 1998 (Lukacovic):

"Mortality was 0.15% at temperatures of 57-59°F, 4.2% at 61-62°F and 16.4% at 64-71°F. There was no difference in mortality between large (>24") and small (<24") striped bass at these low temperatures."


The fish were caught while using light tackle spinning gear in the 12lb class range.


Also, A study examining a striped bass catch-and-release fishery on the Roanoke River, North Carolina determined the mortality rate of released fish to be 6.4%. An earlier study, conducted in Massachusetts, found an 8 percent mortality rate of those released.

Why do I need to read that, its against the law.

because FISHNNCBLUE had his science mixed up...

Redfish are off limits too aren't they. :nono:
Yeah and it went right back into the water.

because FISHNNCBLUE had his science mixed up...
Is this the same science that predicts Global Warming, or the same one thats closed the season for Beeliners and grouper to recs. :roll I go by what I see and have experienced. Do not fully trust the so called experts that are shocked and befuddled everyday some data comes out different than they expect. But the point really is that is it against the current law whether this law is wrong or right. So you are not to C&R these fish out past 3 miles. And if just 1 out of 100 dies. Then that is a waste. If this dead fish was just successful at just 3 offspring for the future-would that not be beneficial?

Yeah and it went right back into the water.
:thumbsup:

Everyone catching fish out of va beach has been catching fish way south and out past the 3 mile line for weeks. The fish just aren't inside the line due to water temps and low numbers of baitfish. The authorities seem to not bother too many people that i have heard of, but if they do bother someone then it is going to be a recreational weekend warrior not the charter capt that goes 5 days a week everyday past the line. Yes, they have to make a living, but I do not get to go to work everyday and break federal laws. Just take a peek at the va beach fishing center website. Ridiculous number of citations caught a couple days ago. inside the 3mile line, i think not, but it keeps the people coming back and paying the bills.

But rember you can always run 200 miles out and catch all you want.

Everyone catching fish out of va beach has been catching fish way south and out past the 3 mile line for weeks. The fish just aren't inside the line due to water temps and low numbers of baitfish. The authorities seem to not bother too many people that i have heard of, but if they do bother someone then it is going to be a recreational weekend warrior not the charter capt that goes 5 days a week everyday past the line. Yes, they have to make a living, but I do not get to go to work everyday and break federal laws. Just take a peek at the va beach fishing center website. Ridiculous number of citations caught a couple days ago. inside the 3mile line, i think not, but it keeps the people coming back and paying the bills.

Last year the only one I heard of getting busted was a charter boat called the Poacher of all names. I'm sure other do get hit but that was the only one that I heard of. This has been a bad year for ocean stripers so I've just stayed home. Maybe this warm weather will bring them in but it maybe too late. The one trip we made we fished right on the line and most of the other boats where 4 to 5 miles out.

If I pocess a legal fish in the ocean and come back into the bay (while that season is closed), I can't stop and fish or else could be in trouble for posession. Along that line of thinking, couldn't the authorities go out and write down all the numbers of those fishing past 3 miles and then wait at the dock with a ticket book for anyone landing fish? probably wouldn't work, but just a thought. I hate that others are breaking the law to catch fish- they are just making it worse for everyone else. After all, limits are there for a reason (generally).