Stripers in Redding on the Lower Sac.

[cdccopp]

Have heard a couple reports of stripers up to 10lbs being caught up river from the South Bonnyview bridge. Does anyone have any first hand report on catching these in that area? I was wondering when on tonights news it is reported that the hatchery at Shasta dam is releasing up to 500000 salmon smolts in the next few days. What a food source for the stripers if they are there.

Dennis

[Tony Buzolich]

Dennis,

Those smolt releases are a dinner bell wherever they happen. The first week of February is always the release of smolt in the Feather and that seems to start all the locals fishing again. Some of the stripers do arrive before the release of the smolt though. My largest striper to date came on Feb. 6, 2013 before the release.



There are numerous other places they release smolt as well closer to the bay such as Benicia and above the Antioch bridge all to help with the downstream migration, but I don't think this actually triggers the stripers to turn on the bite. The stripers are simply hungry and are opportunists to whatever food is available. Dumping a bunch of food right in their face simply provides an easier meal and less work to hunt and stay alive themselves.
Tony

[Idadon]

Can't think of a reason why they wouldn't go up as high as Redding. In the late sixties just below the Red Bluff diversion dam was a great place to fish for Stripers in the winter and early spring. I'm not sure if Stripers could get above the dam back then but I thought they opened it up in the winter when they didn't need to divert water into the canals. Used to catch Shad below that dam in the early summer too. Now that the gates are locked open they can probably go all the way up past Redding if they want to. And I would think a feast of baby Salmon would give them a reason to go up.

Those poor smolts just can't catch a break!