The past few weeks have seen a couple of news stories about local fishermen having boats impounded for fishing out of season, or beyond limits.
In mid-May a man in Mattapoisett was found to have more than 150 illegally caught black sea bass in a hidden compartment in his boat. And last week, in Wareham,police seized a boat with more than 200 black sea bass over the limit. Both fishermen face criminal charges.
Those are extreme abuses, yes. But it's the responsibility of every angler to know the law as it relates to fishing. So here's your quick primer, to get you square with the regulations, before you head out to enjoy your fishing season.
- You do need a fishing license. Kids under 16 don't require a license, but pretty much everyone else does. Good news is, a Massachusetts saltwater fishing license is relatively inexpensive: just $10. You can find details, and purchase one for immediate use,online right here.
- Know the regulations for your fish. This is easy enough. Here's the Massachusetts website that tells you the season for each species offish, with its size and bag limit. It's a good idea to bookmark this page on your smartphone. That way you can check it quickly, if you're ever unsure about whether that fish you just caught is a keeper.
- Make sure you can identify your catch. It's your responsibility to know the regulations for your catch. Uncertain what that particular fish is on the end of your line? Check out this visual guide of commonly caught species.
All good advice, right? Now let's get to the fun stuff.
With the striped bass action of the spring migration pushing up the coast, this is a particularly great moment to be fishing from the shore on Cape Cod and the islands. There are plenty of fish to be had, and the beaches aren't yet crowded with tourists. And you won't likely have to fight for parking.
Want to do a little shoreline fishing this upcoming weekend? Kevin Blinkoff, of On The Water magazine, suggests the Cape Cod Canal at daybreak is a good bet. This weekend and into early next week, dawn brings "breaking tides" to the big ditch. You'll find all the details in the Fishing News audio posted below - give it a listen.
