With respect Mike O, I didn't label you as anything. You labeled yourself as a "spearo" and now made everyone on this board aware that you intend to kill striped bass in the American River.
If I see ANYONE keeping or killing a large striper I have a talk with them. I see plenty of fishermen keeping big fish that should have been released. Most are caught throwing swim baits or dunking minnows and sardines and are caught legally by chance. A few of these guys that fish regularly WILL throw the big ones back. Even some of the more reputible guides will encourage their clients to release the big one back into the river system. They are aware of the harm killing these big fish will do to future populations and I applaud their effort for trying to save these big fish while at the same time keeping their clients happy.
As a former spearfisher myself, I am well aware of barbed shafts, reel packs, and pole spears like Hawaiian Slings. Three prong spear heads like you've shown are not meant for large fish and were designed around killing small reef fish for food. Using a head like this on a "legal size" striper will more than likely result in a lost fish now with fatal injuries left to die a slow death.
I have no problem with spearing all the trash fish there are, but to spear a game fish is like paying to shoot a trophy buck or elk in a fenced coral.
Lastly, with the use of spears and other such equipment, there is no such thing as Catch & Release. Nor is there any way to accurately measure the size of the fish before shooting it.
Tony
TONY BUZOLICH
Feather River Fly
Yuba City, CA.
(530) 790-7180
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