Spearfishing for stripers

[Mike O]

Word I am hearing is that a spearfishing option for Freshwater and the salt passed the DFG process. Anyone else hear this? I can't find reference other than the rumor....

The only real fishery in this area, for diving/spearfishing is going to be the American below Nimbus, below the spawning area, due to water clarity among other issues. Tis opens another

[Randy Lee]

Mike,
Is there a spear and release technique applicable to our fisheries? LoL. Just another set back in striper conservation. Maybe we can fine tune a dynamite and release program. Who knows ,it might work!
Randy

[Mike O]

Nope...more of a spear and eat sorta thing

[Mr T]

Saw this on another site.

to read:
§ 27.85. Striped Bass.
(a) Open season: All year.
(b) Limit: Two.
(c) Minimum size:
(1) North of Pt. Conception, 18 inches total length.
(2) South of Pt. Conception, no minimum size limit.
(d) Methods of take: No striped bass may be taken while using a sinker weighing over
four pounds, or while using any power driven gurdy or winch. Striped bass may only be
taken by angling as defined in Section 1.05, Title 14, CCR, spearfishing pursuant to
Section 1.76, and bow and arrow fishing tackle; snagging is an illegal method of take.
Note: Authority cited: Sections 200, 202 and 205, Fish and Game Code. Reference:
Sections 200-202, 203.1, 205 and 220, Fish and Game Code.
Section 28.90, Title 14, CCR, is amended to read:
§ 28.90. Diving, Spearfishing.
Persons who are floating or swimming in the water may use spearfishing gear and skin
or SCUBA diving equipment to take fin fish other than giant (black) sea bass, garibaldi,
gulf grouper, broomtail grouper, trout, salmon, striped bass or broadbill, except that:
(a) No person may possess or use a spear within 100 yards of the mouth of any stream
in any ocean waters north of Ventura County.
(b) When spearfishing for or in possession of federal groundfish or associated species
as authorized pursuant to subsections 27.25(c)(4), 27.30(c)(4), 27.35(c)(4), 27.40(c)(3),
27.45(c)(4) or 27.50(c)(3), in an area or during a season closed to the take of these
species, no fishing gear except spearfishing gear may be aboard the vessel or
watercraft.
Note: Authority cited: Sections 200, 202, 7071 and 8587.1, Fish and Game Code.
Reference: Sections 205, 7071

[Mike O]

Yup..Saltwater OK, now FReshwater OK

[David Lee]

Saw this on another site.

to read:
§ 27.85. Striped Bass.
(a) Open season: All year.
(b) Limit: Two.
(c) Minimum size:
(1) North of Pt. Conception, 18 inches total length.
(2) South of Pt. Conception, no minimum size limit.
(d) Methods of take: No striped bass may be taken while using a sinker weighing over
four pounds, or while using any power driven gurdy or winch. Striped bass may only be
taken by angling as defined in Section 1.05, Title 14, CCR, spearfishing pursuant to
Section 1.76, and bow and arrow fishing tackle; snagging is an illegal method of take.
Note: Authority cited: Sections 200, 202 and 205, Fish and Game Code. Reference:
Sections 200-202, 203.1, 205 and 220, Fish and Game Code.
Section 28.90, Title 14, CCR, is amended to read:
§ 28.90. Diving, Spearfishing.
Persons who are floating or swimming in the water may use spearfishing gear and skin
or SCUBA diving equipment to take fin fish other than giant (black) sea bass, garibaldi,
gulf grouper, broomtail grouper, trout, salmon, striped bass or broadbill, except that:
(a) No person may possess or use a spear within 100 yards of the mouth of any stream
in any ocean waters north of Ventura County.
(b) When spearfishing for or in possession of federal groundfish or associated species
as authorized pursuant to subsections 27.25(c)(4), 27.30(c)(4), 27.35(c)(4), 27.40(c)(3),
27.45(c)(4) or 27.50(c)(3), in an area or during a season closed to the take of these
species, no fishing gear except spearfishing gear may be aboard the vessel or
watercraft.
Note: Authority cited: Sections 200, 202, 7071 and 8587.1, Fish and Game Code.
Reference: Sections 205, 7071

I'm not sure if I've EVER been this pissed-off in my life .

That there isn't 10 pages of fury and outrage on this forum over this subject makes me want to vomit almost as much as this insane new provision . How many years did we have to buy Striped Bass stamps in order to be legal? How many people (who shouldn't have had to ...) crawled thru the mud , filth , and stink at Prospect Island back in the Winter of 2006 to catch and release Stripers back into the Delta ? How many MILLIONS of dollars have we , and other folks like us .... spent chasing these wonderful Gamefish ??!!??

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife should make one more name change - the Department of Fishsticks and Fillets . Spearfishing in the open Pacific , where you have a reasonable chance of dyin' ?? Maybe . But , Spearfishing in the American (and if you don't think our big resident Stripes will be removed in one season , then you are stupid) ?

NO F%$#ING WAY .

David

[Slice]

What am I missing here? I read that as saying spear fishing for stripers is not allowed. It's ok to take fin fish "other than"...

Further...

Section 2.30 of the 2012-2013 Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations states:

Spearfishing is permitted only in:
(a) The Colorado River District for carp, tilapia, goldfish and mullet, all year.
(b) The Valley District for carp, tilapia, goldfish, western sucker, Sacramento blackfish, hardhead, Sacramento pikeminnow and lamprey, from May 1 through September 15, except that no spearfishing is permitted in: (1) Shasta and Tehama counties (see Section Section 2.12).
(2) Butte Creek (Butte Co.).
(3) Feather River below Oroville Dam (Butte Co.).
(4) Designated salmon spawning areas (See Fish and Game Code Section 1505).

(c) The Kern River from the Kern-Tulare county line upstream to the Johnsondale Bridge for carp, goldfish, western sucker, hardhead and Sacramento pikeminnow, from May 1 through September 15.
(d) See bullfrogs (Section 5.05).

[David Lee]

What am I missing here? I read that as saying spear fishing for stripers is not allowed. It's ok to take fin fish "other than"...

Further...

Section 2.30 of the 2012-2013 Freshwater Sport Fishing Regulations states:

Spearfishing is permitted only in:
(a) The Colorado River District for carp, tilapia, goldfish and mullet, all year.
(b) The Valley District for carp, tilapia, goldfish, western sucker, Sacramento blackfish, hardhead, Sacramento pikeminnow and lamprey, from May 1 through September 15, except that no spearfishing is permitted in: (1) Shasta and Tehama counties (see Section Section 2.12).
(2) Butte Creek (Butte Co.).
(3) Feather River below Oroville Dam (Butte Co.).
(4) Designated salmon spawning areas (See Fish and Game Code Section 1505).

(c) The Kern River from the Kern-Tulare county line upstream to the Johnsondale Bridge for carp, goldfish, western sucker, hardhead and Sacramento pikeminnow, from May 1 through September 15.
(d) See bullfrogs (Section 5.05).

"Striped bass may only be
taken by angling as defined in Section 1.05, Title 14, CCR, spearfishing pursuant to
Section 1.76, and bow and arrow fishing tackle; snagging is an illegal method of take.
"

[Darian]

After reading what's been posted and the copy of the regs I have, I'm with Slice on this. I might be missing something but just don't see how anything was changed with regard to taking Stripers using Spearfishing gear in freshwater. I'm open to new info but it looks to me like spearfishing for Stripers in freshwater is still illegal.

[Darian]

OK,.... After checking on Blantons BB, it looks like this is a change in the regs that was recently adopted. However, it's not yet published. Wonder if it still has to go thru OAL review??? Also, who sponsored this change....??? At any rate, we really don't know what the change actually says until it's published.