New Hogan Lake record Striped Bass taken

[HC]

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.d...TS05/608230330

A 31# plus striper was TAKEN at New Hogen lake last week. Click on the link above to read the srticle and see the picture. Harley

[Katz]

Too bad it was TAKEN

Kraig

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

Most fish taken on top on flies are 4-6 pounds.

[Tony Buzolich]

Sadly, that striper was kept and killed. Yes, quite an accomplishment on 8# test and surely a trophy for anyone and one very proud grandson who caught it.

But, wouldn't it have been nice if the guide was educated enough to know what it means when you kill a big female like that.

That fish a female. Only females get that big. By the size alone that fish has to be over twenty years old. That's old for a fish. That's not good "eating " fish even if you're so inclined. When you go to the butcher and buy a nice steak for the BBQ do ask him for oldest piece of beef he has has in the case? NO, you want the youngest most tender thing he's got. So why keep a tewnty year old fish?

Ever wonder about eating mercury? Think that "old" fish might just have a little mercury in her. Think about that fish having the HIGHEST concentration of mercury in her flesh as she is, or was, one of the largest apex preditors in the lake.

Lastly, being a female like she was, think she might have contributed to the striped bass population in the lake? A big female like that will produce over three MILLION eggs in ONE spawning season. Keep pulling big females out of any spawning population and see how long the population lasts.

Maybe New Hogan has too many stripers, that's why the limit is ten???

TONY