Hudson fisherman definitely have an effect on the fishery, true that most Charter boats don't hammer the big cows with boat limits like the Salt. But every 40" cow taken from the spawn is something like 3 million eggs that never get laid, it's a short sighted thought to only protect that same cow in River then only to be killed in Salt a month or 2 later immediately stopping future offspring of that fish. IMO the new Regs should have same slot limits Salt and River a few years to allow all those female 28"+ fish we are saving in River to hit sexual maturity and have a few seasons of spawning before removed.
Personally I think I've only kept 2 river fish <28" in 3 seasons, last year my charters did not keep any Trophy fish so we did our part. Yes Salt we had some 46-50" cows I'm not gonna lie. Charters customers are paying for trips and if legal it's their right to keep a fish, I don't do the "Capt" limit to give guests an additional keeper to take home it's just my thing.. With new regulations it makes this alot easier on for hire boats to convince customers release of cows for sake of fishery where before it's a slippery slope to persuade them to do at at time of catch and not piss them off.
