Big Stripers Close to Home

[Tony Buzolich]

For all of you good ol' local boys (David Lee, et al), I just got a call from Jim Jones from Western Outdoor News calling for the most recent fishing report for our area. I spoke to him about our recent trip to the delta for stripers and told him I'd heard about other successes this week at Verona.

We talked for a while about the stripers showing this high up in the system so early in the season and thought it might be a bit of a fluke.

For whatever reason, we've been getting a few big stripers being brought in to our shop for weighing and pictures. Most of these are being taken by guys fishing for salmon using small Gibbs Minnows.

The real teaser here is what Jim said about a Lake Washington tournament held yesterday. The winning fish came in at 38 1/2lbs.

Now, I know you guys have been hitting it in your float tubes and kayaks and not doing much, but you need to get SERIOUS about this area. These are BIG fish we're talking about in your own backyard. And, if they're being taken around Verona and Yuba City, there's got to be some fresh fish going up the American as well.

Now,,,,,, if any of you know a good ramp for boat access to the Lake Washington area (no mud bank slip&slides) I'll be there tomarrow rain or shine :P
TONY
www.feather-river-fly.com

[Darian]

Hi Tony,.... Years ago when I fished the harbor area, I had a membership in the Lake Washington Outboard Club. They had private access to a concrete launch ramp just outside the entrance to Lake Washington and I had a key to the gate. Haven't used the key in many years (in fact I don't think I could find it, now ).

The launch ramp is the same used by the rowing teams for their races. The last time I checked, I couldn't find the driveway to the launch area.... Guess I'm gonna have to do some scouting in the next few days....

[David Lee]

Thanks for the heads-up there , Tony .

I'm planning a Wednesday trip .... if anyone would like to join me

David

[JerryInLodi]

Tony, is it possible these fish never left the upper river and just weren't rediscovered until the salmon fishermen started up?

[Tracy Chimenti]

hey Tone,
I've often wondered if you could put in on the "tule canal" that runs north/south from I-5 (veteran's bridge), south to West Sac and appearing to dump into lake wash and the turning basin, you just might have it. It's at least 8-miles (one way) so you gotta ask yourself... do you want it REAL bad? You could get gas and burgers right off the slough.

I did hear about the lower Feather producing some nice fish on bait. The lower end around Nicholaus has certainly changed. Water looks good though.

Tracy

[Tony Buzolich]

Hey Jerry,

You hit some of it right on the head. Yes, there are resident stripers in the Feather that don't migrate, just as there are resident stripers in the American and I'm sure elsewhere throughout the river system.

But what I am hearing is that there are also a lot of little bait stealers around too. Now, these little guys I don't think stay around through summer and fall. I do believe that the bigger resident fish stay and feed on anything they can put in their mouth, and because of their size they can accomodate a much larger choice of food from the available supply be it steelhead smolt, squawfish, suckers, shad, trout, crayfish, lampreys, and even their own kind. Yes, they are cannibalistic.

The area around Verona has come alive recently but I never thought of it as a holding area for a good food supply. It seems to be more of a staging area for moving fish to decide which river to head up.

TONY
www.feather-river-fly.com

[JerryInLodi]

Tony, I think our west coast stripers are just adapting to changing conditions. They appear to be a relatively smart and resilient fish in "fitting in" to their environment. After all they had no problem when introduced from the east coast and have since expanded or contracted their range as conditions and water quality have allowed.

I have a lot of literature on east coast stripers and comparing weights, our fish out west seem to have developed into a leaner (and meaner?)shape than their eastern cousins.

Their only faults are their aggressive nature and somewhat predictable habits which are costing them their brood stock in large numbers. Of course those same two characteristics are great for the fisherman.

If only more of the people that fished for these great fish would adopt the philosophy of the current bass fishermen, that of "letting them go" after catching them, we could have a true world class fishery. One that would bring as many fly fishers to California as currently travel to Florida and Montana.

Perhaps that's the way we should try to sell DFG on a striper management plan. Out of state income. That of big bucks for the state in tourism and economic gains centered around the tourist/sport fishing industry similar to Montana and Florida. They don't seem interested at all in just providing quality fishing for the current residents of this great state.

[Tony Buzolich]

As ideal as it may sound I don't think California will ever become a tourist destination for striped bass. New England and upper east coast, yes.

As long as the powers to be keep sending water south we will continue to struggle trying to keep or maintain what natural resouses there are.

Everything seems to be centered around the need for water. The farmers on the Klamath or in the San Joaquin or Imperial Valleys need water. The exploding population coming across the border needs water. We here in Northern California need water. Everybody needs water.

The sad part of it is our natural resources and wildlife need it too. And this includes striped bass. Though they may not have been native to our area originally, they are now. They've been growing and breeding here a lot longer than you and I have. Heck, we weren't native here either until we expanded and developed the country. Now, it's getting to the point of push and shove and whoever is the weakest gives in, and in this case it's the wildlife.

As long as we can try to continue good conservation practices, encourage catch and release, create slot limits, we may be able to hold on just a little longer.

I take a few once in a while for dinner, but for the most part I take a picture of my catch. Memories of a good day will last a lifetime.

TONY
www.feather-river-fly.com

[Frank Alessio]

Tony....

Just think how much fun it would be to fish the Afterbay if there were Stripers in that shollow water fishery... And close to home Too. Happy Thanksgiving...... Frank

[JerryInLodi]

Tony, do the shad still swim in a big circle in the afterbay? It used to be neat to fish there on the bank. The shad circle school would swim counterclockwise. Looking at the dam from the shore, the guy at the six o'clock position would stick fish and it would work up the line until the 2 o'clock guy at the top of the line stuck fish. In one pass about eight to ten guys would all be hooked up. Great fun!