May.....a Disappointment

The good news is that there were fish around. The bad news is that most were small and their numbers were down (no surprise there!). I managed to snare just over 100 stripers in the month of May. That sounds good but just four years ago I landed 200. Figuring I am fishing about the same number of days in the May that is a 50% reduction in the amount of fish. Oh well, the experts tell us the numbers are down about 60% compared to five years ago. Seems to be running true to form. Disappointing, though expected.
Another major disappointment in my assessment is the lack of large fish. I am embarrassed to say that the biggest fish I landed in May measured 32 inches. Not pounds, INCHES. In all my times out, the biggest fish I saw caught went 34 inches. I fished from shore, boat, kayak, south shore oceanfront and Gansett Bay. Big fish....a real disappointment.
The menhaden fishing has been a major bummer for boaters. There are spotty schools of bunker here and there in the Bay, but where are the big fish that were in abundance just two short years ago? A couple of years back I would see hundreds of keepers caught in day in May within sight of Providence. And, there were plenty of fish over 40 inches. Nothing even close to compare this year.
So, another month is in the books and another month of disappointing fishing. Looks like 2011 is heading in a disappointing direction. Are we surprised?