menhaden? - The Hull Truth

twofinbluna · 12-11-2006, 03:16 AM

I was talking to a guy who fishes for tuna out of NC and he was saying that there wasnt that much bait around (menhaden) so far this year, and that what was around was soon to be hammered by the seiner fleet.

So, is he right? Whats the menhaden situation like so far?

Mr. Magoo · 12-12-2006, 06:51 PM

I heard today that the big pogys were around southport today from a guy that lives there. he said they were right on the beach.probably won't be long til the blue fin really go off, I hope by Fri. since we will try it fri. and sat.

Greg Manning · 12-12-2006, 07:17 PM

We are the only state in our area that still allows the damn menhaden boats!!!

mullet man · 12-13-2006, 06:51 PM

just a question. we normally catch all of our pogys in the summer and maybe some in the fall. but i have never heard of any caught in the winter. how do you catch them. i havnt heard of any caught off holden beach. so wat is this i hear about pogys in the winter time???
thanks for any info

ZACK

twofinbluna · 12-14-2006, 02:33 AM

They catch them in or near the Chesepeake with massive seiners. I am sure there are more traditional seiners where the mother boat has a skiff at the back too, but many of the biggest ones have a mothership with two huge net boats that do all the catching. They then pump it onto the mothership. There was a good story on them in the National Fishermen a few months back.

Many of the boats fish for Omega (fish oil company)...but I think there are others. Someoene from down there would know better than me though.

We havent seen pogies in the Gulf of Maine in a long time. They used to plug the rivers and beaches running up on the shore, but we dont see any anymore. Wonder why?

Reelcontrol · 12-29-2006, 12:26 PM

They are also using aircraft as spotters, I signed a petition against this practice a couple of years ago. I guess it did not do any good.

glacierbaze · 12-29-2006, 03:10 PM

Beaufort Fisheries has shut down, and the big menhaden boat is going to be an artificial reef, if not already. I don't think Omega has fished below the NC/Va line for a couple of years, but the year is almost up, so I could be wrong once.