PDA

View Full Version : Finally! Got my canal striper!



Geraldlim
11-09-2010, 09:09 PM
Went to sleep early last night and woke up early this morning, could not get back to sleep, so went to the Coachella Canal. Got there at 4-ish and set up a catfish rod as well as trying to catch a panfish for bait. Not a single nibble on the catfish rig with shrimp as bait, or the panfish rig with nightcrawlers.

Started casting my 3" Blaze lipless on and off between tending the catfish rod. At about 5:15am, there was a glow just starting in the east but it was still dark, when I got a hit on the crankbait. I pulled it in and lifted it out. I could barely see the fish struggling and flipping around, and I thought I got another catfish until I shone the light oh it.
A striper! Finally! About 15 inches and slightly over a pound. I was more stoked with this little striper than 30 pounders I have speared!

2688926890
I kept casting at different locations. Got a couple of small hits that felt like small LMB that did not stick. At about 5:45am I was fishing the same area I got the 1st striper. I retrieved the lure all the way to my feet when WHAM! I got hit hard. I almost had a heart attack, jerked back, and the lure flew out of the water. I could see the dark shape of another striper still looking for his intended victim right below my feet. I immediately lowered the lure back into the water in front of the fish. Immediately WHAM! again, and I haul back. &%$# - did not stick again, and this time the fish realizes something is not right and takes off. This one looked slightly bigger than the first (of course, since it got away!)

I got home and took more pictures. It is amazing how perspective changes the size of a catch! LOL.
2689726898

Note that the fish was hooked on the front hooks on the lure. I have switched the treble hook for 2 single hooks to reduce snagging the lure on the bottom. I have included closeups of the rig. Now I know it still can hook fish at least some of the time.
2690326899269002690226901

Geraldlim
11-09-2010, 09:15 PM
Just to give you an idea, I have hunted and speared a lot of stripers over the years (freediving), in the Colorado (upper Lake Mojave, Lake Mead) as well as on the east coast in Rhode Island. Here are some taken from the upper Lake Mohave from a few years back
26904

Geraldlim
11-09-2010, 09:28 PM
BTW I got to work by 8:30am.:Big Grin:

VietReefer
11-09-2010, 11:32 PM
The the hell .. you tied your hook with a piece of string?? You're lucky they hold up the striper LOL.
Congrats on your canal striper. Hard work and persistence paid off.
You're right, the fish in the first pic looked 3-4 times bigger :D
Great job :)

P1M
11-10-2010, 11:58 AM
good job! I figured there had to be bigger ones in there

P1M
11-10-2010, 02:33 PM
wait a minute..... Did you catch that at the spot I told you about? If you did you need to go put it back so I can catch it! J/K

fullstringer
11-10-2010, 03:25 PM
way to go Gerald.Doing anything this weekend?

yolo
11-10-2010, 03:45 PM
Way to improvise and find your pattern and set up that works and keeps more money in the pocket by not losing lures. Those speared striper must be a blast too in the clear, deep water of Lake Mohave.

Geraldlim
11-10-2010, 07:33 PM
The the hell .. you tied your hook with a piece of string?? You're lucky they hold up the striper LOL.
Not string; 30 lb Spectra. Will try leader wire next.


wait a minute..... Did you catch that at the spot I told you about? If you did you need to go put it back so I can catch it! J/K
Not your spot. This was in North Shore area. I put it right back; into my tummy


way to go Gerald.Doing anything this weekend?
Going to China tomorrow to watch my daughter swim in the Asian Games. Back on the 18th


Way to improvise and find your pattern and set up that works and keeps more money in the pocket by not losing lures. Those speared striper must be a blast too in the clear, deep water of Lake Mohave.
Still lost one today. Who put those stupid Chrstmas trees in the canal? LOL
It was upper lake Mohave, actually the river part that feeds into the lake. Most of the river portion there is not deep, 15-25 ft average, except Monkey Hole which goes down to 70 ft . There is about 25 miles of river between the Hoover Dam and Lake Mohave. Would you believe I actually drifted/swam that entire stretch over a 2 year period? I was scouting the area to figure the stripers out. I only found one area in that entire stretch that will consistently hold stripers every time. I need to go back and fish that area now, huh?

yolo
11-10-2010, 07:41 PM
Still lost one today. Who put those stupid Chrstmas trees in the canal? LOL
It was upper lake Mohave, actually the river part that feeds into the lake. Most of the river portion there is not deep, 15-25 ft average, except Monkey Hole which goes down to 70 ft . There is about 25 miles of river between the Hoover Dam and Lake Mohave. Would you believe I actually drifted/swam that entire stretch over a 2 year period? I was scouting the area to figure the stripers out. I only found one area in that entire stretch that will consistently hold stripers every time. I need to go back and fish that area now, huh?

I would go fish it if I was you.

VietReefer
11-10-2010, 08:51 PM
Gerald
I wonder why you're not using the original split ring that comes with the lure, just take out the hook and replace it, but leave the ring. Or you can get the rings at Sport Authority or me :)
And you need to give me that hole so I can hit it the next time I go to Las Vegas hehehe

Geraldlim
11-10-2010, 10:10 PM
I don't have hooks with big enough eyes tp fit a split ring.
Gerald

TopWaterStriper
07-17-2011, 11:14 PM
Nice report! crankbait works well, too.

TheAsianGuy
07-18-2011, 11:08 AM
Great job! Now, we know where to start hunting in the low deserts. Keep hunting the canal!