I haven't been catching WSB...my fish have been identified at Eastern Pacific Silver Drum. Okay seriously Jim S...I'm hit or miss on the head turning in thing. I've turned in my share but have been leaning towards gifting them to my Asian peeps.

Yeah, I could lie about it but when every Jap (only we can use this term!), Filipino or Thai person ALWAYS asks for the head...I'm like "why the head?". The response is ALWAYS, "it's the best part!". So I struggle. If only the head could be checked for the tag AND consumed by the people...

Here are the other deal(s)...
Hubbs has never been open for me to meet "Eric" (I'm a weekend warrior). If I get greeted, it's "the freezer is outside, drop it there...or go across the street and drop it off at Dana Tackle...oh by the way, give all the info on date, location, etc...to the guys at Dana too.
I've made requests to be notified if/if not this is a tagged fish...I ask for the drum bones...a mere acknowledgement that I did my part, but no. The responses have been near ZERO. I have never been told one of these fish are tagged...

I don't want to throw rocks but someone's not respecting the effort required to get the head down to Hubbs/Dana Tackle...I'm just saying.

Jim

Same experience for me in the past Jim..Right with ya.

Hubbs
 

Hey Guys...quite your whining and get those heads in...I'm not sure if you 2 guys were fishing WSB when United Anglers was around but the program was a lot more successful and easier to work with.
Jim...if those heads are that important to your friends...I'll make a few calls and find out who has a wand to wave magically over your heads to determine if they have a tag...hell, if they are only using them for stock or soup...freeze em and get them checked at your convience.
Really...?..."Hubbs has never been open for me to meet "Eric" (I'm a weekend warrior). If I get greeted, it's "the freezer is outside, drop it there...or go across the street and drop it off at Dana Tackle...oh by the way, give all the info on date, location, etc...to the guys at Dana too.
I've made requests to be notified if/if not this is a tagged fish...I ask for the drum bones...a mere acknowledgement that I did my part, but no. The responses have been near ZERO. I have never been told one of these fish are tagged..."
They say that Hubbs will return the stones if you ask...but I guess that hasn't happened? Can I help you recover them?
And...perhaps the fish didn't have a tag...so you weren't notified...I doubt if they call and tell each individual that it was a negative on the scan. I didn't see any of your fish as recovered tagged fish on the report that Hubbs gave at the AFTCO meeting on Wednesday. They actually have a report on every one of the recovered fish, with size, age, release area, and the area caught and who caught them.
I'm sorry Jim... but I think your asking for personalized service from a group that is operating on a shoestring budget. I know that they were cut 20% this year on their budget.
As I said in the earlier post...CCA is just getting involved in the WSB head return game and we intend to get it back up to the standards that UA had set it at for years...please bear with it and don't give up the effort to see if your heads are tagged. Freeze em and I'll work with you on finding a wand....it's valuable data...especially now as the WSB project is going through a scientific review and the proven sucess of the program determines if it will continue in future years. Please continue to be patient and work with us.
Thanks

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White Sea Bass necropsies
 

As the guy that formally did the necropsies at Hubbs mission bay I can assure you that ALL heads are scanned and individually measured and documented. If you want to keep the head, come in during open hours and have it scanned. You can keep it frozen until it's convenient. There simply isn't time to notify everybody that doesn't have a tag but that being said if you take the time to fill out the little white forms, I ALWAYS sent the otoliths!
The odds of catching a White Sea Bass with a tag are remote but I caught one at La jolla. It was approximately 8 years old and was released from the Carlsbad hatchery. If you think it's hard to catch White Sea Bass now imagine what it would be like without the 2 million fish Hubbs has released on the pacific coast so far!

Hey Jim-man...whining, really? Definitely don't know the program's details enough but let's just go there...I only got into the inshore kayak stuff a few years ago but ALWAYS had a boat. We didn't fish inshore much back then because, well, it usually sucked unless the squid were around. A 25# WSB or butt was big time.

Along with the WSB's return, came the big beautiful halibut's return. There was no restocking program on them, only the gillnet ban. I appreciate everyone's sincere efforts and passion on the WSB stocking program. I just haven't seen the data that suggests real success due to that specific program. Peace brotha.

Jim

Opinion
 

Hey...everyone is entitled to their own opinion...that's what makes this crazy world go round...!
Funny you should mention Halibut, as that's one of the next species they are looking at to help replenish the stock...it's pretty amazing how many fishermen have never caught a legal Butt or a Ghost.
Let me know if a tour of the facility and some science will change your mind Jim.

Between the gill net ban, 3 miles from shore, and the Hubb's restocking program is what (IMHO and educated one as well) has allowed sport fisherman the successes as we enjoyed in the '50&60's, now. Going to a 3 fish limit and 1 in spawning season(even for the commercial guys) was huge, also. I've been around this game a very long time and anything I can do to help with my chances of catching a 60-70 pounder & help with the substantion of the species for the future fisherman/fisherwoman -- I'm all in! Even this 40#'der is an awesome catch! It would of made the cover of WON back in the days when I see was growing up. Now a days, it is almost an average sized catch...
I worked at the 'Harbor Fish Market' in Oceanside, in the early through late '70's. I witness the only ones catching large c-bass and huge halibut on a daily basis, where the gill netters...
I haven't caught as many Cbass as of late, however the ones I have the good fortune to catch, I take to Hubb's. There facility is fascinating and so cool. I encourage anyone who hasn't taken a tour - to do so!

Tight Lines,
Geno

Ooooh this is interesting....


Tell us more....

This one doesn't need popcorn



This one needs
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Seabass heads work great for lobster bait

I like your style

Awesome job! Good eating right there!

Great report and great fish. The yoyo is killing it on the ghost right now

why is malibu so mad?

December Tanker...
 

What happened to all the wsb porn,, guess just like ghosts they disappear...


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Nice job geno machino! :wsb::jig: