Big Stripers on the Move

[Tony Buzolich]

This past week has been quite impressive as to fish in the Feather River.
Early in the week I spoke with the Dept. of Water Resources people who were taking a census of the river for fish and fisherman. They stated they've never seen so many fish up high all at the same time, shad, stripers, and now salmon.

While fishing this past week, I've noticed lots of spawning and dying shad drifting downstream.
Also this week I've had a large number of big stripers come in to the shop for weighing and bragging. Biggest this week was 39lbs.,another at 32lbs,28lbs, 22lbs, and lots of guys talking about 18lb-20lbers.
So,,,whats going on with these big fish showing up now?
Is it the shad moving back down stream, and the stripers are following the schools like they do with the steelhead smolt in March?
I don't think there are any new runs of stripers coming up.
Maybe it's females that have spawned and they're heading downstream?
In any case,there are lots of big fish being taken around Shanghai and Boyds and the Live Oak rock dam.
TONY

[steve sullivan]

Is their wade fishing at shanghai for these stripers? Where are the best spots for someone who has never fished for stripers?

[Tony Buzolich]

There is no wading at Shanghai though you can fish from the bank or the clay points. This clay area is extremely dangerous and slippery at best. The water here is deep and fast with two large whirlpools coming out of a narrow shoot. A boat is the best means to cover this area.
TONY