ghaynes1 Loc: Strawberry Plains, TN

Not to open a debate about global warming here but I was curious what my fellow anglers thought about the following question:

For whatever reasons(weather, too much fishing pressure, pollution, lack of public access, etc), have you noticed a decline in your success fishing? Are you catching fewer fish? Do you work harder to catch now than you did say 5 or 10 years ago?

Any particular reasons that you think has changed your results or are they just as good as always?

I'll give you my thoughts on this later. You folks go first.

ripogenu Loc: norfolk, MA

when I was twelve and fishing with my dad he told me when I was his age one of the problems I would have to deal with would be pollution. 12 of the 14 freshwater places I used to fish have NO fish. I still have one hidden location where I can still catch native brook trout. Here in the northeast I think that most of the pollution comes from the incredible increase in the use of herbicides and pesticides. they all ultimately drain into streams and rivers or leach into water tables that feed the springs in lakes and ponds. some of the ponds on cape cod need to be limed occasionally because they get too acidic. we are our own worst enemy. getting rid of ticks and mosquitoes is also killing fish, birds and small animals (fox, ground hogs, moles). I don't think we have learned a damn thing about not messing with mother nature.

ghaynes1 Loc: Strawberry Plains, TN

No fish in 12 of 14? Wow. Are they stocked at all? Fished by anyone at all? That's pretty stunning if they have completely dried up. Thanks for your input.

plumbob Loc: New Windsor Maryland

To soon to answer that one Greg. Being in a new area these days and not enough fishing time to compare to. Check in next year this time.

However, in conversations with my previous neighbors they are still doing well if not better on certain species. And it's no BS i see the pics and they see my drool from lack of being there.

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

ghaynes1 Loc: Strawberry Plains, TN

Nothing there Fly.

Big dog Loc: Bayshore, Long Island, New York

I’m not one for over reacting, I prefer to think there are cycles for everything, such as the 11 year cycle for roughed grouse or the ebb and flow of prey vs predator. But if there’s even one ounce of credibility to combining all the bad news, then it probably means we’re in big trouble.
I’m talking about the 6th Mass Extinction.
It’s not happening as fast as a speeding asteroid slamming the dinosaurs into extinction. More like a snail loose in the garden taking out one seedling at a time.
When I was a kid, the bulkheads in the GreatSouth Bay were old and covered with barnacles, sponges and weeds. Then all those bulkheads were replaced with pressure treated wood. No more barnacle, sponges, weeds. No more place’s for the micro critters to hide, so, no more micro critters for the larger critters to eat. Right on up the line to no more bigger critters around.
I remember using a net at night to catch winter flounder laying vertically on the pier to snatch up the brine shrimp. Now no more brine shrimp, and even fewer winter flounder.
Same is true with our local Blowfish. And the mackerel runs are a distant memory.
I remember the night sky this time of year being so full of migrating ducks that the stars would be no more than blinking lights. Now the stars shine bright!
The striped bass population is down again despite billions of manhadden in the ocean.
You asked so I’m putting it out there.

Jeremy Loc: America

Declining. It was much better. I met people when I was much younger that told me the fishing I had then was nothing compared to when they were young. The dams in the PNW really ruined it here. They have done things since then to help but it is still nothing like it was before them. In some of the smaller streams dams have been removed and then it changed to catch and release only so some still go but many stopped. Anyone that can honestly say it’s as good or better are very lucky.

J in Cleveland Loc: Cleveland, Ohio

Overall fishing in Ohio has gotten worse over the last 25 years. You spend more time to catch less fish. Especially on Erie. That said the walleye has been great the last few years but the perch fishing has been the worst I can remember. Most all small bodies of water around here have good fishing still but years ago they had great fishing. The cormorant is a major contributing factor to both the the small lake issue and the perch in Lake Erie. Those huge rats eats tons of fish daily!! Destroy everything with their toxic $h*+!! I would say overall in my lifetime the pollution has gotten way better but the damage was done in many places. And like most things man knows how to screw things up but rarely knows how to fix it! I could go on and on but I’ll stop here.

Great topic Greg!!!

Tight lines
J

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Sorry, the mouse fell off the chair arm.

To answer your question, I'm not catching as many fish as I did 10 - 20 years ago, but I was in my fishing prime at that time. I had time to do it, and I did it. Now, maybe, maybe not. Plus, I don't like to leave Marion unattended for very long. I actually think we had more pollution back then, and I think were are starting to clean the Midwest up, and I can say that about TX. too. When we started going to TX. in 2009, TX. was filthy. Now, it much better. (MHO)

Foodfisher Loc: SO. Cal coast

In my little corner of the world, pollution is the culprit. Sewage from Tijuana flows across our beaches making contact with the water, hazardous to your health, making fishing less a thing to do. What it has done to the fish population remains to be seen.

Dakoda Loc: Cle Elum, WA

One thing to watch is the Bee population. The Bee population has declined throughout the world due in part to excessive heat ( it has been hotter than normal) Honey may be harder to find and obviously more expensive if the trend continues. Wildfires have an impact on Bees as well as chemicals used in farming and domestic use. Alert Einstein said if the bee population dies off, so will mankind.

ghaynes1 Loc: Strawberry Plains, TN

Thanks J. The guys I fish with around here(boat and bank fishing), say fishing has declined significantly here. Taking TVA out of the equation,( they regulate water levels here in the spring and fall), the big thing I hear is guys are working harder for fewer fish and water temps are too warm. Some people do very well on given days but the consistency isn't there for catching fish. Too many variables we can't control and some that man can all play into it.

Justoldjim Loc: JUNCTION CITY, OR.

Absolutely there are fewer fish

ghaynes1 Loc: Strawberry Plains, TN

Short and to the point Jim.