Silverwood stripers - catch & release, or catch & keep?

[seal]

I'm surprised that the drought hasn't been used as an excuse on why our freshwater fisheries have taken a tumble, while we ignore the elephant in the room.

The drought has had no effect on Silverwood. Water levels were great all throughout the summer. Water level now low. I'm assuming maintenance being done on the aqueduct could be the answer cause the DWR really wants water in Silverwood (DWR likes money, Silverwood generates power, follow the money).

[Ultralight]

So concensus is....?

I should keep then? I can always give them away for those who care to eat them.

UL

[Ian]

biologically speaking, striped bass are a density dependent species which means the more of them there are the smaller they will be. If the management objective is to increase the number of larger fish, then their numbers have to be reduced. this is difficult with a highly fecund species (striped bass; 100,000 eggs per pound of body weight) found in a lake that affords optimal breeding conditions most of every year (Silverwood, Castaic, Pyramid, DVL, Skinner). that being said, there are consumption warnings in regard to methyl mercury and PCB's for predatory fish in most lakes in California. All of the "toxins" are bio-accumulated in the fish tissues. That being said, larger fish are in theory older and have potentially accumulated more of the "toxins" than smaller fish. a 1 lb fish has not had enough time to accumulate as much as a 10 lb fish and is relatively less likely to contain as much of the toxins.

Personally I choose to eat smaller fish (1-5 lbs) more readily than I eat larger fish and in moderation I don't eat anything over 12-15 lbs. My choice. You can make your own choices.

In your opinion, why haven't the striper taken more of a foothold at Perris? We still see only the occasional big one caught but not the smaller schoolies.

[ghost2uu]

In your opinion, why haven't the striper taken more of a foothold at Perris? We still see only the occasional big one caught but not the smaller schoolies.

Ian, the guys pulling flies are getting a fair amount of two to eight pound fish.

[kwin]

So Kwin when you do your shock surveys does any striper that floats go in the kill barrel.
Talk about a tomato garden!

I rarely get them and those that I do get go back.

[kwin]

In your opinion, why haven't the striper taken more of a foothold at Perris? We still see only the occasional big one caught but not the smaller schoolies.

They don't move enough water through Perris for them to spawn successfully most of the time. When they do move water it is more probable for them to try to spawn but I think most fish come in as small fry able to swim and not sink to the bottom from the source water i.e. Silverwood or Castaic. That is why there are few but larger than "normal" fish when compared to the other waters I mentioned.