Now YA Did IT!!!!!!!!!!!

[Deep C]

Somebody went and opened up a wound on the ol' Deep one here and now I'm steamin... You guys just had to say the "C" word around me and that did it. I blew the cuff and bulb off the blood pressure machine... Warning warning danger danger ! Deep is heated and no fun to be around. I'm glowin cherry red brighter than a portside bow light...
All the talk had me open a new can of whoop ass on the powers that be... How bad? I'm pretty sure that was Hogarths kneees I could hear knocking from under Mr. Kelleys desk...

My beef goes not against circle hooks them selves. Not even in use with natural bait. The lures were exempted from the rule after exhaustive testing proved that they were basically ineffective when used with circles do to several contributing factors.

I make most of my living from making lures that work best in conjuction with bait. Not coloring the meat like a skirt or a witch but rather flavoring the plastic type goods! With no testing what so ever they decided to toss any plastic / meat combos in the crapper with the meat. They can not work with circles basically for the same reasons as plain lures can't... A little 101 on that..........
As a lure with a broad head is not a drop back bait its run just like a lure. As the lure exits the mouth of a fish, the same broad head forces the fish's mandibles open . As the rest of the bait is dragged through the opening a "J" hook has the ability to grab jaw on the way out. As the diminutive gap of circle hooks is smaller than the diameter of the lure head it CAN NOT make contact much less sink while being dragged out of the opened mandible.

They acknowledge no tests were done on "combo baits" and that it was strictly an arbitrary flip of the coin to lump them in with meat. If the ruling stands as written. I stand to lose my business, house, everything I worked so hard to rebuild...Not just me but how many other lure men are gonna get doinked. I've seen it mentioned as a prime example is the islander type baits are now shot in the ass.

Well during my phone call I asked what steps have been taken to review their ruling on this issue. Conveniently it would seem that they have misplaced every last comment made on this subject by people like you and me. Now I know that I wrote no less than a hundred pieces that I have delivery confirmation for. Some how they have vanished. I have some theories but won't air them in public as to where they went.

After unloading lightning bolts all over them they have asked me to come and meet with them. Yep, Hogarth, Kelley and you got it... Me... On the night of the 7th we will have a long talk on this subject.
So I know we have voiced all kinds of opinions on circles and the involvement from our own Gestapo NMFS. What I'm asking of my fellow SFC guys is easy. Please comment on the combos being lumped in with meat in this thread. Don't go at the circles in naturals per say. Stick to the subject. However if you would like to comment on how you feel about their involvement in recreational fishing as a whole please do so. I will print the thread and hand deliver it to them...

[Deep C]

Come on guys post up... I wanna walk in that meeting with more than a bad attitude and a box full of lures in my hand...

[Deep C]

I better start seein some posts or its gonna be a long hard Halloween for our neighborhood trick or treaters...

Skip the tootsie rolls and reeses pieces... I'll just start passing out "J" hooks since we can't use em any more...

[gradywhite273]

this probably won't help deep, but just tooks a civics lesson. NFMS is controlled by NOAA. ok thats fine, i could see that. NOAA is controlled by any guesses DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, now how in god's name does that make any sense ?????? But it does bring a substantial amount of light on the subject of why ( my opinion here) the sportfishing angler gets the ballypoop end of the deal. Just found it interesting.

Also here is a list of the US senators who are on the subcommittee that directly controls the department of commerce.

Democrats

• John F. Kerry, Massachusetts, Chairman
• Ernest F. Hollings, South Carolina
• Daniel K. Inouye, Hawaii
• John B. Breaux, Louisiana
• Barbara Boxer, California
• Bill Nelson, Florida

Republicans

• Olympia J. Snowe, Maine, Ranking Republican
• Ted Stevens, Alaska
• Kay Bailey Hutchison, Texas
• Gordon Smith, Oregon
• Peter G. Fitzgerald, Illinois

just thought everyone should know.

Tim

[Deep C]

Thank you for that... Actually I have been working closely with of all people Ted Stevens of that list.
Alaska needs NMFS to help manage its delicate resources. Although Alaskan he also has a residence in Key Largo. Again though being Alaskan he has been very helpful in pushing them right out of Florida waters on other issues.
I was in tight with two congressmen who were friendly to our plight. Now one has gone and made himself a public spectacle and resigned. I'm hoping that our replacement candidate gets in as he and I are also close...

[Deep C]

So other than one of over 7000 members here not one of you has the hair on your ass to stand up to these blood suckin leaches?

Oh well I have a pile of copies of shit we sent them before.

100 + reads and you are all in favor of the commercial regulators just encroaching and squeezing our fishing right out the window???? Thats what your saying by no response... First it was tuna permits for free. Now we have the HMS and the Dolphin Wahoo pay permits. They have virtually shut down the tuna. They're shutting down the flounder for recs while keeping it open for comms. They're making no fishing zones from the gulf up the east coast and your favorite spot has a bullseye on it. Thsis shot has to stop. I have a chance to sit one on one with their top two men and unload on them. and you stay quiet???

I'm way disappointed in the response here. I thought I posted on SFC... I guess I was wrong...

[Reeltitanium]

Amen Deep C, See my prior post regarding the "it'll never happen" mentality. First regulate commercial fisherman out,then j-hooks,then Protect areas from all fishing etc...etc... Also be sure you request a copy of the notes from the meeting with your testimony (if it goes to hearing) amd you won't believe what shows up on paper.

[Deep C]

These guys know that Senator Stevens whos a stong backer to keep them in existance and I are way tight and all I gotta do is push and its gonna get squeaky...
We have an opportunity to get heard not in some loud meeting hall with a bunch of people yelling but in a private meeting... I can't believe that with all these great people on here that no one has anything to say...
So I'll go in alone and armed with only copies of old views and a real bad attitude. I'll fight the fight so I can at least sleep at night knowing that at least I did my part...

[gradywhite273]

Deep, if it will help, i will be glad to call congressman dent ( pa) i don't think he is on the house subcommittee but bet he has a buddy that is. I know his aide very well, just ran a fund raiser for the congressman.

tim

[Deep C]

ANy and all help is appreciated...

All we need here is people to say ... Include combo baits under the circle hook exemption... Its that simple and nobody wants to help.

For that matter they can say they are not pleased with NMFS presence in any aspect relating to the recreational end of the fishing industry...