Memorial service for Mr. Stripey

[Bassfan]

Ah, Memorial Day, the official beginning of rude boater season. Got to the lake really early since sleep was not really happening much Friday night, even arrived before Dan and Lulu. DMS’s background story on Mr. Yellowboat and the Jet ski crowd was right on. Not a bad line in front of me but for some reason it took 25 minutes to get to the booth. When I asked the guy checking for banded boats what happened that the line stopped for so long he said the front boats “wanted to talk” at the booth.

Not sure why they didn’t move the Chatty Cathys along since there was a very long line behind him. It takes two for a conversation and they indulged them for a long time.

Now for some fishing. Decided to skip trolling and try to get some fish early with bait since the day had the potential to turn ugly with the lice and possible wind. Went directly to the popular bait area and dropped anchor. Tried two spots but had the cloud of dinks following me so after a while decided to try somewhere else.

Went to a cove I never tried before and anchored in about 90 ft. It was a search mission from there to find a depth and direction to try and get some action. After about a half hour the rod tip went down and I was as shocked as I was happy to actually see that there were fish in a place I never tried. It was a really nice striper and I thanked him for breaking the cherry on my cooler. From about 9 to 11, I picked up 4 of the bigger size Pyramid stripers and one smaller. Then it just went dead.

Moved to another popular spot and the bite was good from about 1 to 3 and I picked up another 4 big ones and a bunch of smaller ones. Lost two big ones at the boat when the hook popped out just before the net. Stayed till 4 but the last hour was dead again.

I decided a while back to throw back any that were in the small to medium size even though most people keep a lot of those. If I’m going to filet a fish I want to get a nice size piece of meat for the trouble.

Somehow, I didn’t get pummeled by the lice as bad as I could have or maybe I was just having too much fun fishing to care but of course I did see my share of the BS. At one point 4 jet boats that were dragsters disguised as boats came out from a cove and one by one and as they got to the no wake buoy near me they floored it and took off like someone dropped the flag at Indy. Nice wakes, thanks guys!

Total count in the cooler 8 big ones.
No pictures but if you take the photo from DMS and add one large, subtract the two small at the top – Bingo, that’s what mine looked like. After struggling to get a good day for at least a month, this was the best day I’ve had in a while.

[cutbait]

Ah, Memorial Day, the official beginning of rude boater season. Got to the lake really early since sleep was not really happening much Friday night, even arrived before Dan and Lulu. DMS’s background story on Mr. Yellowboat and the Jet ski crowd was right on. Not a bad line in front of me but for some reason it took 25 minutes to get to the booth. When I asked the guy checking for banded boats what happened that the line stopped for so long he said the front boats “wanted to talk” at the booth.

Not sure why they didn’t move the Chatty Cathys along since there was a very long line behind him. It takes two for a conversation and they indulged them for a long time.

Now for some fishing. Decided to skip trolling and try to get some fish early with bait since the day had the potential to turn ugly with the lice and possible wind. Went directly to the popular bait area and dropped anchor. Tried two spots but had the cloud of dinks following me so after a while decided to try somewhere else.

Went to a cove I never tried before and anchored in about 90 ft. It was a search mission from there to find a depth and direction to try and get some action. After about a half hour the rod tip went down and I was as shocked as I was happy to actually see that there were fish in a place I never tried. It was a really nice striper and I thanked him for breaking the cherry on my cooler. From about 9 to 11, I picked up 4 of the bigger size Pyramid stripers and one smaller. Then it just went dead.

Moved to another popular spot and the bite was good from about 1 to 3 and I picked up another 4 big ones and a bunch of smaller ones. Lost two big ones at the boat when the hook popped out just before the net. Stayed till 4 but the last hour was dead again.

I decided a while back to throw back any that were in the small to medium size even though most people keep a lot of those. If I’m going to filet a fish I want to get a nice size piece of meat for the trouble.

Somehow, I didn’t get pummeled by the lice as bad as I could have or maybe I was just having too much fun fishing to care but of course I did see my share of the BS. At one point 4 jet boats that were dragsters disguised as boats came out from a cove and one by one and as they got to the no wake buoy near me they floored it and took off like someone dropped the flag at Indy. Nice wakes, thanks guys!

Total count in the cooler 8 big ones.
No pictures but if you take the photo from DMS and add one large, subtract the two small at the top – Bingo, that’s what mine looked like. After struggling to get a good day for at least a month, this was the best day I’ve had in a while.

Nice title and report.


I keep smalls or meds because the population.

I have no scientific backing on this but eliminating the population increases the avg size.

No release of stripey! EVER....

[DMS]

The only releases I do is if they are really really small or if I don't want to limit out on smalls. My first time out with bob we caught 40 and had to release 10 to stay legal and we still finished early. Lulu also like the 12" or so sizes as they cook better on her traditional Chinese way. Biggers are too big to do that whole fish gutted style as they are too thick or don't fit.

[Bassfan]

Nice title and report.


I keep smalls or meds because the population.

I have no scientific backing on this but eliminating the population increases the avg size.

No release of stripey! EVER....

I know the bass guys would love it if we kill every striper in the lake but don’t we need some of the smaller ones to live grow into the bigger ones to replace what we catch?

TO is turning out an army of striper hitmen pulling more fish out of the lakes than ever before. I could be wrong but it seems that must be helping to thin the herd a little bit anyway.

I frequently fish alone and if I keep all the smalls on a good day, I’ll limit too early and miss the chance to get 10 bigs. Saturday I had at least 8 small to medium and I don’t want to fire up the livewell to keep them swimming.

On the selfish side, my back is killing me after filleting more than one or two of stripers so I want enough meat to make it worth the pain.
Just my 2 cents.

[cutbait]

I know the bass guys would love it if we kill every striper in the lake but don’t we need some of the smaller ones to live grow into the bigger ones to replace what we catch?

TO is turning out an army of striper hitmen pulling more fish out of the lakes than ever before. I could be wrong but it seems that must be helping to thin the herd a little bit anyway.

I frequently fish alone and if I keep all the smalls on a good day, I’ll limit too early and miss the chance to get 10 bigs. Saturday I had at least 8 small to medium and I don’t want to fire up the livewell to keep them swimming.

On the selfish side, my back is killing me after filleting more than one or two of stripers so I want enough meat to make it worth the pain.
Just my 2 cents.

Cull the dead ones.......


"Everything dies". TroutOnly

[cutbait]

I know the bass guys would love it if we kill every striper in the lake but don’t we need some of the smaller ones to live grow into the bigger ones to replace what we catch?

TO is turning out an army of striper hitmen pulling more fish out of the lakes than ever before. I could be wrong but it seems that must be helping to thin the herd a little bit anyway.

I frequently fish alone and if I keep all the smalls on a good day, I’ll limit too early and miss the chance to get 10 bigs. Saturday I had at least 8 small to medium and I don’t want to fire up the livewell to keep them swimming.

On the selfish side, my back is killing me after filleting more than one or two of stripers so I want enough meat to make it worth the pain.
Just my 2 cents.

The way stripe reproduces in this lake no humans alive could stop them.

They are only constrained to within the waters edge, if they could breath air they would take over the planet

[Bassfan]

The way stripe reproduces in this lake no humans alive could stop them.

They are only constrained to within the waters edge, if they could breath air they would take over the planet

I am new to the stripey world so if you are right I may need to go back, catch those small/medium rats and KILL, KILL, KILL!!

[flyhigh123]

Nice title and report.


I keep smalls or meds because the population.

I have no scientific backing on this but eliminating the population increases the avg size.

No release of stripey! EVER....

I think kuay, the research dude, said earlier in Past post I think on dvl forum that catching more small ones will increase the average size and he had some research To back it up! So feel free to kill me all :)

[fishinone]

I am new to the stripey world so if you are right I may need to go back, catch those small/medium rats and KILL, KILL, KILL!!

No offense Bassfan but I just can't see you as a mad striper killer.

Oh, nice slay.

[vampirebret]

I want to take part and help you guys kill kill kill the stripers too. Only bad thing is that I'm in Fresno. Lakes up here have a two striper limit 18 inches and over only. Ahhhhh....sucks to fish for stripers in the central valley!!!!!!!! Whoever thought of changing the striper regs in the central valley should be punish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL