My Theory......

[Finaddict]

There are a lot of seals in the Merrimac and they are on the beaches too, not in huge numbers, but two, three or four are enough to ruin a a day or night of fishing in a particular spot.

I am also seeing them in places that I never did before, or at least in the past 10-12 years and at least not this early in the season as they would show up when the water was cold -- around Fisher's Island, I never saw any seals, occassionally across the way on the North Fork of Long Island, some of the islands there would occassionaly have seals, but they are pretty much every where these days.

And as a result, it is and will continue to impact the fishing .. IMHO

[Raven]

is to organize a fisherman march to protest the seal population.
to get the culling process started asap.

or buy boats to go to the open ocean where there's less seals.

what else can ya do...?

[t.orlando]

Hit them with bait...Just because you are not catching large sure don't mean they are not there. Most large will fall to bait over wood

[Flaptail]

Hey Larry, got your messages. I was at a conference in Randolph today all day and went home then out the door to the beach and just missed your evening call as I had just left the truck to trudge down to my spot.

Anyway I will call you tomorrow.

As to your theory, tonight I actually caught too many fish, I KNOW THAT SOUNDS WIERD! but its true and nie of them were legal and I dropped a few more that felt that they were in that range as well. Also I broke off a real good one on a Gags white Pocket Rocket on 12lb braid (I was gunning for twinkies tonight and never imagined I would run into what I did. I hit the beach at 5:45pm and just got home. I left two guys there who were getting them as well. All on needlefish. I think we will have to go there tomorrow night and chat about your Pencils. I will call you. Cannot type anymore my arms are sore. True story folks.