Here's an interesting post I dug up from way back that pertains to this topic...
http://fishingnetwork.net/forum4/showthread.php?t=8084
If you don't like to read, here's a Cliff Note's version:
As catching 2 and 3" striped bass fry occurs more frequently now, I'd like to ask if the DFG knows where the stripers are actually spawning. Are they spawning in the aqueduct system, or are they spawning in actual lakes themselves?
Originally Posted by
Mike Giusti
There have been several studies conducted in CA, Arizona, Nevada and Utah which have documented in-reservoir spawning of the striped bass...
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Is there a cycle that occurs with the size of these striped bass? It seems that lakes that had the striped bass early, like Pyramid and Skinner, the size of the fish has been on a steady decline. While 'newer' lakes, like Castaic and DVL, have a larger population of bigger fish.
Originally Posted by
Mike Giusti
It is important to remember that striped bass are basically an ocean fish and they had lots of different types of forage fish to eat. When they were stocked in inland reservoirs and they reproduce the population quickly exceed what the threadfin shad population can support. Even with trout stocking you cannot maintain larger striped bass for a very long time. Also, in an effort to try and maintain larger stripers the Department eliminated the size limit in southern California and increase the bag limit to 10. If striper anglers want bigger fish they need to reduce the number of small fish in the lake so there is more forage for the remaining fish.
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Have other states' studies regarding landlocked stripers shed any light on the behavior of the fish in smaller landlocked impoundments? What did studies at Lake Powell and Lake Pleasent in Arizona reveal?]
Originally Posted by
Mike Giusti
I was in communication with the folks in Utah that were monitoring Lake Powell. They documented in-reservoir spawning and determined that the lack of nutrients in the lake cause a reduction in the number of the shad. With the reduction in shad came the striped bass with big head and snakey bodies.
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With the introduction of striped bass into lakes, has their been a decrease or increase in the forage population; threadfin, silversides, or otherwise, or does the forage population follow a pattern not affected by apex predators?
Originally Posted by
Mike Giusti
For the most part the populations of threadfin shad are cyclical with a peak population every 3 years. The predation by stripers may reduce the number in lower years so that the peak numbers are lower in those years. If stripers get overpopulated they can essentially eat themselves out of there forage supply.
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Finally, what is the future with the striped bass fishery in Southern California?
Originally Posted by
Mike Giusti
I think as time goes on you will see more lakes with lots of 2 pound fish and very few big twenty pound plus fish. There will always be a few big fish but most won’t be caught by anglers. I can tell you about 4 years ago we were surveying at Lake Skinner and found a school of about 20 stripers that were all over 20 pounds. I anticipate it will be another 5 or so years before the striped number at Diamond Valley will really take off to the point that it might be a management issue. Stripers are here to stay and it is up to the angler to determine what size they want to catch...Catch and release for striped bass does not help the striper fishery.
So to recap...
• Stripers spawn in lakes just fine.
• That 20 pound striper you release today will probably starve in a few years since it needs more calories than the smaller stripers do, who will in turn, end up eating all the forage (read: shad) which then affects other species who rely on shad for sustenance.
• Catch and release does nothing beneficial to a land locked striper fishery
• If the stripers deplete a lake's main forage, it is silly to say that they will go on a Nutri System diet and not go after other fish. Go ask old timers about the TROPHY Brown Trout population at Silverwood and what happened to it as soon as the stripers infiltrated. Just because you've never found largemouth inside a striper's stomach, doesn't mean they won't eat it. Using that logic, I can say that because I've caught PLENTY of stripers on bass patterned baits, they must be eating them or else they'd avoid the bait.
eddiefishtaco, you say that you have documented evidence that show a landlocked striper fishery is not detrimental to other species, especially the largemouth bass. As a fan of invasive species and their ability to change an environment, I'd love to get some of these publications so I can see how, when and where these studies were conducted. I know I've read about a dozen or so studies regarding landlocked stripers and most did not focus on the lack of predation that occurs.
In any case, I too will continue to release stripers....
I usually release them slowly, in an underhand fashion towards my buddy who is standing at the back of the boat, ready to take a swing with one of those wooden oars that DVL's rentals provide. Then, after I get home, I release their cut up filets into a large bowl, along with a large red onion, 3 large tomatoes, some chopped cilantro and parsley, and some lime and lemon juice, and then I release some salt and pepper on top.
Back to Diamond Valley lake- Release the striped bass?
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