Stripers are Here....Maybe

[John H]

I found a spot today with some stripers that looked like new fish. I thought this could be the big breakthrough and a tsunami of stripers could be moving into the Delta but I fished a few other spots and nobody was home so maybe it was just one pod and I was in the right place at the right time. The funny thing was the fish I found had a boat on top of them for about an hour. I was at a spot nearby fishing and watching them and when they left I went there. I figured there was no way those guys left any bites for me but they did. I am not sure if they missed the fish or the fish moved in after they left but there was definitely a pod of biters. Whatever. I am happy to have found them.

I was feeling pretty good about my day until I chatted with a guy who fishes live bluegill and got a look at his stringer. If you want a ten pound striper live bluegill for bait seems like a pretty good way to get one. I could do that once just to see how the other half lives but I might get caught on the dark side and never make it back. If you choose to fly fish you impose limitations on yourself that generally result in you catching fewer fish. If you like what you are doing it is worth it. I think for stripers it is worth it but a bunch of ten pounders is tempting. I have spent days scouring the delta for just one ten pounder which I don't have and he has a pile of them that he got in one afternoon with little effort. He said he got a 23 pounder a couple of weeks ago. I am out there casting all day hoping for a 23 incher and he is battling a 23 pounder. Whatever. Tie on a Clouser and keep casting.