.......about the Stripers in the Lower American river.
Here is my sad response:
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Hello Friend,
I have been fishing for Stripers for about 60 years now. I even guided Striper fishing from a skill with fresh sardines.
I have been in the fishing tackle business dealing with Stripers for 50 years.
California is the richest state in the Union and 5th largest economy if it were a country.
For these reasons I believe we have the most corrupt state government in the United States.
Our CA Department of Fish & Wildlife has virtually nothing to do with any decision making that is important.
Politicians run the state for the benefit of the people who donate the most to their re-elections or slush fund.
Striped Bass were introduced from the East Coast in 1877ish along with the American Shad.
The Commercial Salmon fishing industry has a lobbyist and I guess they have been pushing to eliminate the Striped Bass?
We have a huge water supply in Northern California and Southern California has all the most people so they run the water decisions.
They opened up spearfishing in freshwater for Stripers now to help reduce the population.
A taxidermist friend mounted a 60-70 pound Striper out of the lower American river about 40 years ago.
20 years ago they were catching 40 pound Stripers on flies in the lower Amercan river.
Back then a 20 pound Stripers in the lower American river and the Delta were commonplace.
Now if anyone gets a Striper over 10 pounds it is a big deal.......
All of our anadromous fisheries, Stripers, Salmon, Steelhead and Shad are down about 90% since I was a youngster.
50 years ago anyone could catch fish, even people with little skill and even off the bank?
A terrible thought is that the 'powers to be' want to eliminate all the fish, then there will be no fisherpeople.
With no fisherfolks then there is no one to fight them in their quest to totally control all the water in California.
These are my own opinions, so far, and I am open to having discussion on this.
Let me know if you have any ideas or questions.
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