gang...

I've read the regs on stripers, but they are not the most clear... If I catch a 29" striper in the ocean, is it illegal for me to possess it when I motor back in to the bay to trailer my boat?

yes it is legal as long as you do not put a line in the water, in the bay with that striper in the box.

You can not stop and fish on the bay side of the line of demarkation once you have stripers in possesion.

Last year with 2 people on board I caught 2 over 28" in the ocean and stopped at the CBBT and kept 2 more under 28". But if I caught 3 over 28" I would not have stopped because I would have been over the bays size limit.

I'm pretty sure this was legal but I'm not 100% positive. Can anyone add to this.

As long as you were within the Bay season, then it was legal.

AND WHERE DOES IT SAY YOU CANT FISH BOTH WATERS ????

WHERE DOES IT SAY THIS ??

You can fish both waters, but you cannot have in your possession fish that are considered illegal for the area you are fishing. So if you are in the bay fishing you cannot have more then 1 fish over 28" per person during the bay fall/spring seasons and if you are in the ocean you cannot have any fish under 28" in your possession. It is all about possession, not fishing.

4 VAC-20-252-80. BAY SPRING/SUMMER STRIPED BASS RECREATIONAL FISHERY.

A. The open season for the Bay Spring/Summer Striped Bass Recreational Fishery shall be May 16 through June 15 inclusive.

B. The area open for this fishery shall be the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

C. The minimum size limit for this fishery shall be 18 inches total length, and the maximum size limit for this fishery shall be 28 inches total length, except as provided in subsection E of this section.

D. The possession limit for this fishery shall be two fish per person.

E. The possession limit described in subsection D of this section may consist of one trophy-size striped bass, 32 inches or greater which is subject to the provisions of subsections A, B, E, F, G and H of 4 VAC 20-252-60.


4 VAC-20-252-90. BAY FALL STRIPED BASS RECREATIONAL FISHERY.

A. The open season for the Bay Fall Striped Bass Recreational Fishery shall be October 4 through December 31, inclusive.

B. The area open for this fishery shall be the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

C. The minimum size limit for this fishery shall be 18 inches total length.

D. The maximum size limit for this fishery shall be 28 inches total length; however, the maximum size limit shall only apply to one fish of the possession limit.

E. The possession limit for this fishery shall be two fish per person.



4 VAC-20-252-110. COASTAL STRIPED BASS RECREATIONAL FISHERY.

A. The open seasons for the Coastal Striped Bass Recreational Fishery shall be January 1 through March 31 and May 16 through December 31, inclusive.

B. The area open for this fishery shall be the Coastal area as defined in this chapter.

C. The minimum size limit for this fishery shall be 28 inches total length.

D. The possession limit for this fishery shall be two fish per person.

You forgot Trophy season.

Correct. My mistake. Here it is. If anyone wishes to read the entire regulation here is the website:

http://www.mrc.state.va.us/fr252.htm

4 VAC-20-252-60. BAY AND COASTAL SPRING TROPHY-SIZE STRIPED BASS RECREATIONAL FISHERIES.

A. The open season for the Bay Spring Trophy-size Striped Bass Recreational Fishery shall be May 1 through June 15, inclusive; provided, however, the season may be adjusted as set forth in subsection G of this section.

B. The area open for the Bay Spring Trophy-size fishery shall be the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, except the spawning reaches of the James, Pamunkey, Mattaponi, and Rappahannock Rivers.

C. The open season for the Coastal Spring Trophy-size Striped Bass Recreational Fishery shall be May 1 through May 15, inclusive; provided, however, the season may be adjusted as set forth in subsection G of this section.

D. The area open for the Coastal Spring Trophy-size Striped Bass Recreational Fishery is the Coastal area as described in 4 VAC-20-252-20.

E. The minimum size limit for the fisheries described in this section shall be 32 inches total length.

F. The possession limit for the fisheries described in this section shall be one fish per person.

G. The Bay and Coastal Spring Trophy-size fisheries, combined with the fishery defined by 4 VAC 20-252-70, shall have a target take of 30,000 total fish coming from both the Virginia and Maryland portions of the Chesapeake Bay and any tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River, and includes the area under the jurisdiction of the Potomac River Fisheries Commission. The season for this fishery shall be closed when it is determined that this total target has been reached.

H. Persons engaging in the Bay and Coastal fisheries shall report the retention of any striped bass to the Commission. Filing the report shall be the responsibility of the person retaining the striped bass, or, in the case of any charter boat or vessel, the captain of the charter boat or vessel. These reports are due 15 days after the close of this fishery and shall be on forms provided by the Commission. There will be separate forms for persons and for charter boats or vessels.

I was reffering to the Ocean season going on right now. If you fish in the ocean your min size is 28". Do not stop on your way back to port if you have fish in possesion.

You are correct 28 Min.for the Ocean.