State of Stripers....

[Darian]

It seems to be the appropriate timing for a discussion of the current state of the Striped Bass fishery in the Delta/tributaries.

Recent reports of surveys by DFG on the health of the delta eco-system indicate that the food chain is virtually on the verge of collapse beginning at the bottom end up thru and including the fact that there’re few small or baby stripers in the system. DFG and others attribute this condition to a number causes. Such as, pumping of water out of the delta for any purpose, run-off that includes agricultural pesticides and heavy metals, storm drain run-off, effluent from development, invasive species and more ad nauseum… .

A Project that recently made its way into the limelight is the South Delta Improvement project (SDIP). I’ve been told that project proposes to increase pumping of water from the Delta to wherever under the guise of improving water conditions in the south Delta . An Environmental Impact Report is due out from Department of Water Resources (DWR), shortly (may’ve already been released). All of this and more appears in posts on Blanton’s BB, already and many of you’re aware of it.

Formal Proposals:

1. Some groups are proposing a slot limit for take of Striped Bass.

2. A number of groups are banding together to oppose the SDIP

There’re probably many other proposals out there but unknown to me.

I’m wondering how much longer our current fishery can withstand the stresses put upon it by the demands of our economy and societal needs Is this current trend merely an interim downward cycle or a signal of the total collapse of the fishery as happened in Winchester and Coos Bays of Oregon

OK, your turn. What do you think What can be done, if anything

[Katz]

Question:

What is considered a "baby" Striper. I have been out at the mouth of the Feather and on the American where we will catch over 20 fish in a short time that are from 6-15". Do these count as babies?

I wish I had a good idea about how to help. I sure love fishing for them and would hate to see the fishery decline

Katz

[HC]

Katz, Yep, babies they are. Treat them kindly, they are the future. HC

[David Lee]

HC -

You are correct , Sir - A PLAUGE on those that fish a chunk of Sardine on a 2/0 hook ..... baitfishing KILLS more immature Stripes than anything .

Darian -

The collapse of the Winchester bay population was largely due to poor spawning conditions - I've heard that conditions allow a good spawn every 8-15 years . I think John Shewey ( i just know I got his name wrong ....) wrote at length on the subject .

A single fish UNDER 28 inches would be a good start .

NO BAIT ABOVE FREEPORT would be another .

NO FISHING FROM BOATS couldn't hurt , either :P

KILL ALL THE SEALS/SEALIONS - please send hate-mail to my PM addy , as so to not clog the board w/ debate (might help w/ salmon/steelhead , also .) .

Have a nice weekend , fellas

David

[Darian]

Hi David,.... Was beginning to wonder if anyone cared about this. You've made some interesting and positive observations.... I do concur for the most part.

Of course, limiting fishing to shoreline access would severely cut into guide fees for drift boats and delta guides.... Pretty sure how they'd react to that. Since I see all things as being in balance when popoulations are self sustaining, killing "....all...." of anything is not an option for me.... (and, I kinda like our pinniped pals when they're under some control )

One item we haven't addressed, yet, is mitigation. Losses resulting from loss of habitat have, historically, been mitigated thru the hatchery program for Salmonids. What happened to the warm water hatcheries that used to be in places like Elk Grove (where Stripers were reared/released) Maybe we copuld work on having that program revived The facility is still there (On laguna Creek at the corners of Bond rd/Elk Grove-Florin Rd.) but in disrepair.

While catch/slot limits, catch/release ethics and limitation of bait fishing are some very valuable tools, I'm not sure they're anything more than stop-gap measures. If the DFG surveys are correct, the beginning declines (while not yet evident to us) are already in place.

Environmental groups appear to be so distracted/divided on these problems that they seem to be inadvertantly working against solving Delta problems. For example, the effort to restore Hetch Hecthy by eliminating the dam that is a principal source of water for the City of SF will undoubtedly put more pressure on water sources that currently supply the Delta to replace Hetch Hetchy . Other groups are working to establish slot limits and others are working to oppose state projects to increase increased pumping in the Delta.

All of these "things" seem to be inter-related.... I'd really like to explore what is possible and I'm inviting all of you to participate..... If we don't start looking into this subject area now, I'm afraid we'll preside over the demise of yet another anadromous species....

[David Lee]

Darian -

Sorry ... I forgot the double-razz at the end of the "kill' bit .

The no bait/no boats thing was also a joke .

To be honest , I don't think that there's really anything we can do to save them - if there is money to be made regarding water exports , the stripes WILL be doomed . I'm not trying to be a downer , but the powers that be are going to have their way .

The lust for the allmighty dollar and total apathy for nature shown by the majority will ruin us all in the end .

David

[Darian]

Reluctantly,.... I find myself in agreement with your assessment but I hope I'm worng. What Striped Bass need is an advocate/champion for its cause like there is for Salmonids.... So far, with few exceptions, people seem to be ambivalent about the fate of Stripers....

Currently, there is an effort in the legislature (AB 7) to secure funding from current licening fees for the hatchery program (inland fisheries) with an emphasis on producing Salmonids; no mention of Stripers or Shad. Yet, both are anadromous and of great economic value to this State....

In another example of divided efforts of conservation organizations, one of the advocates is CalTrout, originator/supporter of the Heritage Trout Program which seeks to establish native salmonids throughout their original range and replace all non-native Trout and other species.... In other words, a return to the past (without Stripers, Shad and some other warm water species.... CalTrout, also, supports the proposed slot limit for Stripers....

There doesn't seem to be the same mystique surrounding fly fishing for Stripers as there is for Salmonids. I suppose a lot of that is due to the comparative amount of literature between the two and the fascination with tying attractive, small, imitative flies/lures.... My guess is that river/brackish/salt water fly fishing is in its relative infancy on the west coast. From what I can determine, there is much more interest in restoring/maintaining Striper fisheries on the East Coast.

[Tony Buzolich]

Hi Darian, and All,

This topic really opens a can of worms to all kinds of snide comments and gives everyone out there a chance to vent off steam, but I think the truth of the matter is exactly as David said, "those with the power to be (money) get the lion's share of whatever". Not exactly those words but you all get the idea.
It hinges around water. Southern California has a lot of thirsty people,,,,,,, with money. Money Talks, and, money corrupts.

Should we share our resources at the expence of our own well being?

Politics everywhere work under the guise of being for the people, but all along the way some one else winds up suffering.

Not all enviromentalist groups are good. Some are extremists no matter what they parade their cause for.

I think all we as fisherman can do is support what is of concern to us. Guys on Dan's Board (sorry Bill) are really in to this striped bass thing because it's right in their own backyard. Guys like Doug Lovell and Red Bartley spend endless hours fighting to support striped bass any way they can and we need to support them.

The mention of the east coast just brought something else to mind, they (the striped bass groups back there) were just now able to change the statis of striped bass to a game fish. In so doing, this brought better protection and regulation to striper industry. Previously, they were caught and sold commercially. Now, they have been able to prove that farm raised stripers for market purposes are far more profitable, and thus allows the sport striper industry to thrive and flourish. Better for both.

Geez, I guess I got a little rant too,
TONY

[Darian]

Hey Tony,.... I was hoping you'd enter this discussion. Thanks for the observations.....

I agree that water politics is driving nearly everything in this state and feel a certain frustration with that situation.... Water issues are the most complex, legally, here in the west where even the relationships between states is very testy.... I agree that this part of the equation may not be resolvable by us.

About the game fish designation, not sure about this, but I believe Stripers are already designated as a game fish in this state and they're still in decline in spite of what current high catch rates reflect.

As yet another example of the right hand not knowing what the left is doing, DFG is conducting the study to determine the landing rate between barbed and barbless hooks with an eye to amending the regs for better management of fisheries (read is increased bag limits ).

Mike Putman (MSP) observed that he felt everyone should be using barbless hooks. Does anyone on this BB think that use of barbed hooks will not result in increased catch rates Use of barbless hooks'll certainly result in reduced mortality rates during release (assumming the fish are minimally handled).

Sorry guys..... Gotta get this stuff off my chest.... If it wasn't so dam hot, some Irish medicine might help.... :P :P :P

[David Lee]

Tony is a VERY wise man .

D - chase that stuff w/ ice-cold Beer .

I avoid this subject like the plauge because I get angry about the way things are ....

What kind of ASS doesn't take into account that nature has a RIGHT to exist ?!? Who the hell cares that Striped Bass are NOT native - they are NATURALIZED . If we don't have enough water for the unnatural amount of people we have in this state , Maybe , instead of sucking the life out of the Delta , we should CONTROL THE F___KING POPULATITON ?!

Give it about 15 years - when the Delta is totally destroyed , and the Salmon , Steelhead , and Stripers are all gone , who will we blame ?? The bottom line is .... VOTE . Vote for a Boy Scout , or someone who isn't owned by $$$$ , make a stark , drastic statement . DO NOT buy into the bullshit being force-fed to you . raise a huge stink , because , if you don't .... You only have YOURSELF to blame .

Career Politician= some PRICK that is padding his or her nest - They don't really care WHAT happens to you , or your water , or the Ecosystem , as long as their wallet is fat .

What REALLY matters ?? Someone's lawn in Simi Valley ..... Or a Delta Smelt that DOESN'T have a say in the matter ?? If you have to think about that choice , I feel sorry for you .

Take a stand - we have become too complacent about what happens in the world around us . Americans should NOT be a bunch of Goddamm Sheep - we should take charge and stand up for WHAT IS RIGHT .

'Right' does not equate to money , it is being able to look in the mirror in the morning and knowing that the things that should be ..... ARE .

Bill and Eugene - feel free to delete this - its as far out as I will ever post .... but this is what I believe . I don't think that this is a political statement as much as it is a call to arms to get-off our DEAD ASSES and fix a problem that will be our downfall in the end .

David Jerold Lee