Gallatin steam plant

[Tnfishinrookie]

Anyone had any luck recently at gsp? Ive been a few times in the last few weeks and had little to no luck each time. Sunday morning I counted 11 other boats in the steam plant and it looked like no one else was having ang luck either. Any thoughts or suggestions on when I need to go or what I need to use?

[Reel Tune]

From what I hear nobody is having any luck, I think over the past few years the fish have gotten the memo not to go to the steam plant becuase that's where they get sore lips.

They have relocated to below Old Hickory Dam.

[txnative]

Unfortunately, crowds are part of the game at the steam plant. There are less boats during the week, but not by much. Most people there know to give space and try to run as quietly as possible with the trolling motor, but it only takes one idiot who is too stupid to realize an outboard going by (even at idle speed) will put the fish on high alert. The channel is not very deep (bank-beating jerks don't know fish use water deeper than 3 ft more often than not), and any boat noise (outboard, hull slap, slamming lids, stomping around like a hippo crushing cans, etc) will cause fish to catch a case of lockjaw...quick. I've been to the gsp a lot lately, and noticed a direct correlation with fishing success and a lack of boats, or at least with a lack of noisy boaters.

I fish from a kayak, and on Saturday I counted around 10 boats in the channel, at least, from 8:30-14:30. Most were quiet/courteous, but there those few [expletive] who showed up occasionally. I noticed a few fish caught by the quieter anglers, and zip by the noisy ones. In my kayak, I was into fish from start to stop. I would not go more than 5 min without a hit, I landed 15 bass, lost 4, and simply missed a dozen others. I was quiet, matched the hatch, and presented my bait as naturally as possible. This may sound vague, but it's all I'll reveal in a public forum. The best thing to do is to act like a hunter: be quiet, use the current to your advantage (drifting and/or to present your lure) and use attractants to mask odors.


Chris

[nofish]

I haven't been in 2 weeks, but we were doing good on crappie for several trips. I planned on going today but I'm not sure if I'm going to make it.

[Tnfishinrookie]

I usually go at night and try to catch stripers, is it any better in the daylight I know daylight is when all the other boats showed up

[Tennesseejugger]

Unfortunately, crowds are part of the game at the steam plant. There are less boats during the week, but not by much. Most people there know to give space and try to run as quietly as possible with the trolling motor, but it only takes one idiot who is too stupid to realize an outboard going by (even at idle speed) will put the fish on high alert. The channel is not very deep (bank-beating jerks don't know fish use water deeper than 3 ft more often than not), and any boat noise (outboard, hull slap, slamming lids, stomping around like a hippo crushing cans, etc) will cause fish to catch a case of lockjaw...quick. I've been to the gsp a lot lately, and noticed a direct correlation with fishing success and a lack of boats, or at least with a lack of noisy boaters.

I fish from a kayak, and on Saturday I counted around 10 boats in the channel, at least, from 8:30-14:30. Most were quiet/courteous, but there those few [expletive] who showed up occasionally. I noticed a few fish caught by the quieter anglers, and zip by the noisy ones. In my kayak, I was into fish from start to stop. I would not go more than 5 min without a hit, I landed 15 bass, lost 4, and simply missed a dozen others. I was quiet, matched the hatch, and presented my bait as naturally as possible. This may sound vague, but it's all I'll reveal in a public forum. The best thing to do is to act like a hunter: be quiet, use the current to your advantage (drifting and/or to present your lure) and use attractants to mask odors.


Chris
Were you at the Steamplant in your kayak when I caught a 5 pound Wally? There was a guy out there fishing and took a picture for me.

[Tnfishinrookie]

Thats funny I just watched the video of you catching that walleye and wondered the same thing

[txnative]

Tn Jugger,

Nope, that was midtnkayakangler. I saw your vid on YouTube and laughed when he made his cameo. My kayak is blue and has a milk crate in back that usually has 4 rods. I usually have on black pants n shirt, a khaki colored life vest, and I always have a black cap. Feel free to say hey if you see me...which won't be till the water clears up some after this rain.


Chris

[Tennesseejugger]

I usually go at night and try to catch stripers, is it any better in the daylight I know daylight is when all the other boats showed up
The best luck that I have had catching striper's in when it is real cold, I caught my PB 43 pounder when it was 18 degrees out. It was so cold that when we were catching Skippie's for bait our eyes on the rods would freeze, had to stick them in the warm water to thaw out. I use live skip jack and let them free swim on a planer board.

[fairweatherfisherman]

Did any of you guys happen to get the water temp of the lake away from the plant?

[nofish]

Fixing to go there now. I'm sick of sitting in the house. I hope to catch something, but it doesn't matter I just want to get on the water relax and breathe fresh air.

[Tnfishinrookie]

Any luck nofish?

[Reel Tune]

Were you at the Steamplant in your kayak when I caught a 5 pound Wally? There was a guy out there fishing and took a picture for me.

That was me, and man was that a nice fish congratulations. It was fishing really well, and shut down "for me" not long after you arrived.

Jeremy

[Tennesseejugger]

That was me, and man was that a nice fish congratulations. It was fishing really well, and shut down "for me" not long after you arrived.

Jeremy
Thanks for taking the pic for me!

[nofish]

Any luck nofish?


I left all the my tackle in my friends boat so I bought some hooks and weights and fished for catfish with cut skipjack and we caught a a few channels. Between 2 and 4I this morning there were fish busting bait hard and all around us. Had I not dropped the ball by forgetting my tackle I think we could've got into them real good.

[90titans89]

Did any of you guys happen to get the water temp of the lake away from the plant?

It was 48 Monday.

[txnative]

How badly did the rain affect water color? I'm hoping it didn't affect it too bad, since I'd like to get out there Sunday.


Chris

[Tnfishinrookie]

I was wanting to go this weekend. Hopefully this weather didnt kill them

[fairweatherfisherman]

It was 48 Monday.

Thanks. Looks like a windy weekend.

[Tnfishinrookie]

Anyone doing and friday or saturday steam plant fishing?

[Dakota]

I have gone to the SP just about every week or so since late Nov. I've has good numbers this year 10-15 fish of all species each time out. I've used mostly threadfin shad, live and/or cut. Have caught a 9, 12, 15lb flatheads being the biggest fish. Usually by this time I've caught some big stripers. The biggest this year 3 lbs. lastbyear was a 36lb'er. I think it's been to warm of a winter so far. Skipjack have been slim to none so far.
Dakota

[txnative]

If anyone has been to the GSP today (Saturday 1/14) or on Friday, how was water clarity? I may go as long as it doesn't look like coffee & cream. Thanks.


Chris

[Tnfishinrookie]

Dont know about the sp but the lower end of the lake looks like chocolate milk

[Tnfishinrookie]

Went today 14 boats in the steam plant caught 1 small fish. Didnt see anyone else catch anything. Moved upstream and hooked what looked to be about a 36 inch striper but it got loose at the boat. But did manage to catch a few around the 25 inch range

[agelesssone]

Where is the closest ramp to launch a boat near the steam plant?

[txnative]

The best ramp for a boat is at Flipper's. The closest is the Coles Ferry ramp, but there is no dock and the parking lot is small, whereas Flipper's has multiple docks and a big parking lot.


Chris

[agelesssone]

I have a boat and the time (retired) if anyone wants to fish the GSP, drop me a note and let's try it sometime.

[txnative]

I may take you up on your offer. My work sched dictates my availability during the week, and weekends are my kayak fishing time. I'll send you a pm with my contact info.


Chris

[bd-]

Water color wasn't too bad this weekend. Skipjack have moved in, including a lot of large ones that are pushing 3 pounds. Fun on a flyrod.

Stripers are still relatively slow for this time of year.

bd

[agelesssone]

Do you guys fish up in the channel near the plant or more toward the mouth of the inlet. I've not been there yet, just looked at it on Google Earth today. Which is the intake (1st bay)and which is the discharge (2nd bay)?
I guess I'll figure it out when I go there on Thursday, huh?

[Tennesseejugger]

Do you guys fish up in the channel near the plant or more toward the mouth of the inlet. I've not been there yet, just looked at it on Google Earth today. Which is the intake (1st bay)and which is the discharge (2nd bay)?
I guess I'll figure it out when I go there on Thursday, huh? The discharge is at the Steam plant end.

[Jim]

Do you guys fish up in the channel near the plant or more toward the mouth of the inlet. I've not been there yet, just looked at it on Google Earth today. Which is the intake (1st bay)and which is the discharge (2nd bay)?
I guess I'll figure it out when I go there on Thursday, huh?

Tennesseejugger is correct. Here is a pic I posted a few winters back as we discuss the Gallatin Steam Plant all winter every year :)

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5WUIWzO2Bmg/TSZ3FtK4KeI/AAAAAAAAAiE/mNkIoMgHXQ0/s400/stream%252520plant1.jpg

The entrance to the steam plant canal is a bit tricky. Very shallow on both sides and the island that marked the downstream side is almost completely gone. There was a stake with a life preserver mark last time I was out, but I doubt that will last long.

Fishing seems to have been slow this year in comparison to the past few winters. (Especially slow for me as I have only been a few times)

Hopefully the colder weather will get them biting.

Good Luck,
Jim

[nofish]

this has been my 1st year going. i was sick last year i couldn't go cause i didn't have a trolling motor and all of you guys were posting pictures of big rockfish all of the time. everytime i've been i've caught fish and usually almost every species, but no rockfish. i take that back, my 1st trip my buddy caught 1 close to 5lbs. for the rockfish to get thick in there it has to get cold and stay cold right?

[txnative]

Not neccesarily, nofish. It makes the fishing better due to the threadfin shad being forced to find a thermal refuge, which in turn draws in skippies, then the big stripers move in. However, stripers have a tendency to repeat past behaviors, as evidenced by their anadromous lifestyle in their natural, salty habitat, and they will return to past feeding areas when conditions dictate (i.e: colder water/shorter days). They may not hang around as long as they would if the colder water forced threadies & skippies to utilize the GSP's warmer water, but they'll pop in from time to time.

This said, with the winter being so mild, your best chance at a large striper will be during ideal conditions (low light, LOW BOAT TRAFFIC, pre-front, slight wind, and a little light rain). If the fishing gods don't provide this "perfect storm," then be on the water as often as possible to up your odds that some big fish will move in while you're there to catch them. A good, hard-freeze spell will definitely help, especially if it stays cloudy for a few days, but with winter over half done, I wouldn't wait for one before going.


Chris

[agelesssone]

Made my first trip to the GSP discharge canal today. Met a nice guy at Skippers and followed him down river. He told me and showed me the rockpile near the entrance to the canal. The metal stake/rod is still there, the rocks are above water and someone has tied an old life preserver to it.

I fished jerkbaits,caught a keeper crappie on that, had a crappie rig off the side of the boat, caught two small catfish on that, threw a big white hairjig with white twistertail, caught a 17 inch sauger on that. Caught a couple yellow bass and one small smallie. Kept me busy trying and tying different baits while moving up and down the canal. i saw a couple of guys catch skipjacks, presumably for striper bait. Two guys were anchored fishing for stripers with skippies. When I left, they hadn't caught anything yet.
Saw one small largemouth caught.
A nice day on the water. I'll try again tomorrow just for grins.

[Jim]

Adding to what txnative said, the rockfish can show up any time. The presence of lots of skipjack definitely improves the odds of a big one. The smaller ones 3 to 8 lbs move in and out much more frequently.

While prime conditions help, I have seen blitzes of big rockfish when there were a crazy amount of boats in the channel. Most people are not rigged for the big ones, but a bunch get caught any how. That said, my biggest rockfish was during a snow storm just after dark. I had rockfish fever at that time :)

It seems like the big fish move into the canal as a group and then roam around eating everything for a while and then leave again. If you are fishing when they are there, it is not that hard to get hit. That said, the wait between rockfish schools can be a long one and it is hard not to fish for everything else.

When I first started fishing the steam plant a lot, I fished skipjack, then crappie, then bass, then catfish, then stripe (white bass) before really targeting big rockfish. When I started rockfishing, I would fish for everything else while waiting. I missed a lot of big fish that way. Now if I really want a big fish, I will fish for nothing else. Much more hit or miss, but great fun when you hit :)

I had a great fall on the rockfish, so now I am really interested in some eating fish. My next trip will focus on crappie, white bass, and sauger. But I will definitely have a big rig ready to go, if conditions looks good for the big ones.

Anyone have a report on eating size fish at the steam plant?

Jim

[Jim]

Thanks for the report agelesssone,

Sounds like you had a good trip and I am glad someone showed you how to get in and out of the canal. That is really the only tricky part.

Good to hear that so many different species are biting. I will be super happy if the sauger move in. Good eating right there.

Best of luck at GSP from the rest of the winter,
Jim

[Tnfishinrookie]

Went tonite, still slow fishing, bait fish everywhere but thats about it

[agelesssone]

Me and txnative fished the steam plant from about 1 til 7 PM yesterday.
TX was lighting up the bass and drum. Caught shad for bait, casting and drifting, baitfish everywhere.
Only striper caught was about 13 inches. No sauger or walleyes or even catfish.Very low boat traffic, but the front moved in, skies cleared up and fish stopped biting. Stayed til well after dark. One boat was leaving the dock to go to the steam plant at 8:30 PM. Wonder how he did?

[Jim]

I fished the Steam Plant yesterday evening also. Went after work from 4:30 to 10 pm. It was a beautiful evening to fish with no wind.

Fishing was slow for me also. I only caught one good fish and that was a 15lb flathead catfish. Other than that, it was drum and small catfish. Missed several sauger as the bait came back all cut up from their teeth.

I will say compared to past years, there is very little bait (shad) and few skipjack in the steam plant canal right now. There are plenty of shad to be netted, but it is not jammed full like past years.

I think I talked to agelesssone and txnative. I was in the Basstracker with the LED lights on it. The lights on the boat make it a super easy and safe to fish after dark. I got a pic of the boat at the ramp at Flipper’s with the lights on.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-MSl_vkq3dT4/TxnMEAMP6xI/AAAAAAAAAoA/KxPv9HBXxJU/s800/boat%252520lights%252520%2525202.JPG

The boat has a bunch more lights then are turned on in the pic, including bright LED headlights, green lights for attracting bait, and more red lights in the interior. Most were off, but you can see the blue for lighting up the shore and UV (purple) for make your fishing line glow. A big plus is that other boats can see me and don’t run so close.

Jim

[nofish]

Me and txnative fished the steam plant from about 1 til 7 PM yesterday.
TX was lighting up the bass and drum. Caught shad for bait, casting and drifting, baitfish everywhere.
Only striper caught was about 13 inches. No sauger or walleyes or even catfish.Very low boat traffic, but the front moved in, skies cleared up and fish stopped biting. Stayed til well after dark. One boat was leaving the dock to go to the steam plant at 8:30 PM. Wonder how he did?

If you were at flipper's that was me and my brother-in-law. We just caught about 6 bluegill, several small drum, 2 keeper crappie, and about 4 small crappies. We stayed until about 4:30 this morning.

[agelesssone]

Hi nofish,
That was me and txnative in the parking lot when you launched. I was wondering how you did out there. You guys are TUFF! launching at 8:30 at night and staying til 4:30 AM!! I'm impressed, sorry you didn't catch more.

And Jim, I absolutley love the way you've got that boat lit up. You are right, you can see that thing a mile away when you've got all your lights on. I'd like to see it in the daylight to see how you have everything rigged up. Where did you buy the lights? I was at Basspro today and they had diddly squat in the way of LED's.

Well, I guess txnative takes the prize for the biggest and most fish yesterday. He only outfished me about 5-1....ok 6-1. He definitely knows what he is doing there and from what I saw of the photos he has, about anywhere else he fishes.

Tx, thanks for teaching me some new tricks out there. Let's get together and do it again when you can get an early quit.

[nofish]

I fished the Steam Plant yesterday evening also. Went after work from 4:30 to 10 pm. It was a beautiful evening to fish with no wind.

Fishing was slow for me also. I only caught one good fish and that was a 15lb flathead catfish. Other than that, it was drum and small catfish. Missed several sauger as the bait came back all cut up from their teeth.

I will say compared to past years, there is very little bait (shad) and few skipjack in the steam plant canal right now. There are plenty of shad to be netted, but it is not jammed full like past years.

I think I talked to agelesssone and txnative. I was in the Basstracker with the LED lights on it. The lights on the boat make it a super easy and safe to fish after dark. I got a pic of the boat at the ramp at Flipper’s with the lights on.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-MSl_vkq3dT4/TxnMEAMP6xI/AAAAAAAAAoA/KxPv9HBXxJU/s800/boat%252520lights%252520%2525202.JPG

The boat has a bunch more lights then are turned on in the pic, including bright LED headlights, green lights for attracting bait, and more red lights in the interior. Most were off, but you can see the blue for lighting up the shore and UV (purple) for make your fishing line glow. A big plus is that other boats can see me and don’t run so close.

Jim


We saw your boat in the canal last night and man those lights look wicked in the dark.!.! You never have to worry about not being seen. Do those run off their on battery? At night time I have a hard time telling exactly how close I am to something unless I have a light shining directly on it, but I didn't have that problem with your boat. GOOD JOB!!! Very unique and very cool to look at. Also it could be mistaken for a police boat which makes it that much cooler in my book.

There was 1 other boat there last night and when they were coming out of the canal i guess they saw someone's jug go underwater and they asked if it was mine. Did you have a jug in the water? I stayed fishing in that spot for about another hour and never saw it surface.

[txnative]

Jim,

It was Ageless and me. Sorry on the luck, we share your pain. Nice looking set-up, though. Ageless was talking about getting forward facing lights for his rig. I'm trying again in the morning.

Nofish,

Me and ageless were loading out around 7:30, we saw two guys getting ready to launch. I assume that was you. Next time, feel free to say hey if you see me. I wear a black under armour cap and am usually in a blue kayak, unless someone needs a partner in their boat.


Chris

[nofish]

Jim,

It was Ageless and me. Sorry on the luck, we share your pain. Nice looking set-up, though. Ageless was talking about getting forward facing lights for his rig. I'm trying again in the morning.

Nofish,

Me and ageless were loading out around 7:30, we saw two guys getting ready to launch. I assume that was you. Next time, feel free to say hey if you see me. I wear a black under armour cap and am usually in a blue kayak, unless someone needs a partner in their boat.


Chris


Ok I'll definitely say hi next time I see you. I think ya'll might be good luck because that was the 1st time in a long time that my boat fired up on the 1st crank. Congratulations on your catch.

[tkwalker]

The discharge is at the Steam plant end.

TNJ ... I worked at the Gallatin Steam Plant for 13 years in my other life and did a lot in the epa end ... (235 trips up the stacks in 2 years ) We also monitored the temp discharge and found the the flume lasted as far down as the hwy 109 bridge ... The flume at the discharge heats the water up by 12 deg's ... and about 1 deg at the bridge .... I did a complete report on this years ago ... It should be on here if you back up about 3000 posts which you can do .... <'TK>< :)

[agelesssone]

I had a remote controlled spotlight at home just had never needed it. Went to Basspro and bought a RAM mount and mounted the base up near the trolling motor, ran a dedicated wire from one of my three trolling batteries to s two way outlet (for other eletrical equipment I may use), so I can clamp the light on for running at night and dismount and store it when not needed.

Next, I bought a pvc pipe so I can put the green light over our heads and out of our eyes when fishing at night.

Now I want to get the blue or black lights for the side of the boat for seeing the line at night. I have a combo black/white light but the black light isn't very powerful.

Where do I get those Jim?


Will flourocarbon glow under a black light?

[Tnfishinrookie]

Wow seems like everyone was there. That dissapearing jug scared the crap outta me I thought it was gonna make its way around my prop

[Jim]

Yep that was my jug in the water. I put two in a was about to float along with them when I hooked up to the flathead. The jugs got way ahead of me. I don't usually put any jugs in the canal, but I really needed some catfish for dinner. Drifting with two is fine. Plus, I thought everyone had gone home. I didn't expect boats showing up after 8. My bad.

There wasn't a fish on either jug when I picked them up.

Had flathead for dinner tonight. It was delicious :D

Jim

[Scott]

Me and a buddy of mine fished the steam plant on Friday (1-20). Fishing was very slow in the morning. Caught one keeper white and a few small bass and that was it. We tried fishing out on the lake in deeper water but that didnt work either. At about 12:30pm we headed back to the plant and i ended up catching several largemouths on a jig. Noting much size wish. The biggest was about 2lbs. The past few weeks have been slow. Before that we would catch our limits on whites and rocks. Im sure missing those days!! The temp in the canal was 64 deg Friday. Good luck to everybody!

[Tnfishinrookie]

Yep that was my jug in the water. I put two in a was about to float along with them when I hooked up to the flathead. The jugs got way ahead of me. I don't usually put any jugs in the canal, but I really needed some catfish for dinner. Drifting with two is fine. Plus, I thought everyone had gone home. I didn't expect boats showing up after 8. My bad.

There wasn't a fish on either jug when I picked them up.

Had flathead for dinner tonight. It was delicious :D

Jim
I dont think it was your jug that I saw on the way out of the canal, but it dissapeared and didnt come back, or at least I didnt see it

[Tennesseejugger]

Caught this 36 pounder and 24 pounder at th GSP on live skippies free swimming on planer boards.

[Scott]

Caught this 36 pounder and 24 pounder at th GSP on live skippies free swimming on planer boards.


Very nice!

[agelesssone]

Nice fish Jugger, daytime or nighttime?

[StriperFan]

Caught this 36 pounder and 24 pounder at th GSP on live skippies free swimming on planer boards.
Nicely done. Makes me want to call in sick tomorrow and go fishing.

[Tennesseejugger]

Nice fish Jugger, daytime or nighttime?
Day time and it was 22 degress.

[BOB]

Enjoy eating those fish but please, only take what you can realistically eat.

[StriperFan]

Enjoy eating those fish but please, only take what you can realistically eat.
Not speaking for Jugger, but as for myself, I will keep a couple at a time on one trip, and leave everything else I catch for the next few trips. The fillets freeze very well in water, and I have used fillets frozen in water months after the catch with no noticeable decline in taste or texture. TWRA stocks stripers as a food fish and they should be used responsibly. I don't think the picture shows any abuse of the resource in and of itself...in other words they would not go to waste around my house and I am sure they didn't at Jugger's either.

[bd-]

There is a lot of meat on a 20 or 30 lb striper. I will keep a striper or two for the table every once in a while, though it's usually smaller fish of 10 to 15 lbs or less.

I figure once a fish hits that 25 or 30 pound mark, that fish has beat the odds and has a lot of potential to grow into a real giant. I tend to turn those fish loose.

Everyone is certainly within their legal rights to keep two a day as big as you can catch (keeping in mind that you can't exceed the legal possession limit of 2 daily limits), but I think the fishery is better off as a whole if we encourage folks to turn the big fish loose.

bd

[Travis C.]

If my family would eat fish and we had something bigger than a icebox freezer I keep one every now and then. Unfortunately, I am the only fish eater here. :(

I have had them before and they are pretty good. Seems like we fed a campground up at Defeated one time with a 25lber. Plus, I 'd rather keep one of those or big catfish and clean it than have to clean 30 crappie or who knows how many bluegill to equal the same amount.

[bd-]

Oh but the crappie and bluegill are sooo good! :D

Seriously, bluegill are a lot of work to clean, but I'd rather have a bag full of bluegill filets than any other fish for a fish fry. They are tough to beat if you cook them right.

The nice thing about Tennessee is there is almost always some type of fish available and easy to catch if you want a meal. In the late winter, there are sauger and small stripers. In the spring, there are crappie and then white bass. In the summer and fall, you've got bluegill, catfish, trout, and bunches of other species.

Because of that, I don't store many fish in the freezer. There's just not much point if I can go out on any given weekend and catch something fresh.

bd

[StriperFan]

BD and Travis- good points, agreed and agreed, now we should let this thread get back on track. Anybody go to the steam plant today?

[agelesssone]

Went there today from about 11:00 AM til 5:00 PM. Great conditions, warm weather, 45-48 degrees, slight breeze, overcast. But the darn fish would not cooperate with me or anyone else that I talked to.

I caught one hybrid and three large drums. No sauger, cats, bass or stripers. Couldn't even catch a skipjack.

Guys were drifting, casting, anchored using cut bait and shrimp. I'm not shy, I'll ask people how they are doing and share with them how I am doing, looking for everyone to help one another.

On young fella had caught several small crappie, no keepers. It looked like he was casting a small stick bait.

I used live shad that I netted in the mouth of the discharge, average about 4 inches long.

Great day on the water, fun to fish, but exasperating on the catch.

[Tennesseejugger]

Enjoy eating those fish but please, only take what you can realistically eat. Well I realistically ate both of them or was it virtual reality?

[Tennesseejugger]

Not speaking for Jugger, but as for myself, I will keep a couple at a time on one trip, and leave everything else I catch for the next few trips. The fillets freeze very well in water, and I have used fillets frozen in water months after the catch with no noticeable decline in taste or texture. TWRA stocks stripers as a food fish and they should be used responsibly. I don't think the picture shows any abuse of the resource in and of itself...in other words they would not go to waste around my house and I am sure they didn't at Jugger's either.
Thank you Brother and trust me when I say they did not go to waist. No I could understand if I had a boat load, but I had my limit! And realistically I CPR'd them= Caught packaged and refrigerated...LOL!

[bd-]

Like I said, there's nothing legally wrong at all about keeping a limit of fish, and you're within your rights to do it.

I just encourage "moderation" when it comes to keeping the bigger stripers. No problem with keeping one every once in a while for the table but I prefer to turn the rest loose.

bd

[agelesssone]

I once saw a guy take home five big stripers from a tournament weigh in. The fish were given to him by the fishermaen who didn't want the fish. How would he explain that to a game warden? No notes from the "givers" or anything to explain the amount of fish, which exceeded his "in possession" limit, not to mention daily limit.

This is the trouble with tournament fishermen who catch the fish just to be in the tournament. If they don't want the fish, do they just throw them away when they get home?

And they call themselves a "Sportsmen's" club?

[Tennesseejugger]

I once saw a guy take home five big stripers from a tournament weigh in. The fish were given to him by the fishermaen who didn't want the fish. How would he explain that to a game warden? No notes from the "givers" or anything to explain the amount of fish, which exceeded his "in possession" limit, not to mention daily limit.

This is the trouble with tournament fishermen who catch the fish just to be in the tournament. If they don't want the fish, do they just throw them away when they get home?

And they call themselves a "Sportsmen's" club? I see your point, but if this guy took them home I doubt that he threw them away! Talking about clubs I joined a new one and it is called PETAS= People eating tasty animals and Stripers...LOL

[tkwalker]

Oh but the crappie and bluegill are sooo good! :D

Seriously, bluegill are a lot of work to clean, but I'd rather have a bag full of bluegill filets than any other fish for a fish fry. They are tough to beat if you cook them right.

The nice thing about Tennessee is there is almost always some type of fish available and easy to catch if you want a meal. In the late winter, there are sauger and small stripers. In the spring, there are crappie and then white bass. In the summer and fall, you've got bluegill, catfish, trout, and bunches of other species.

Because of that, I don't store many fish in the freezer. There's just not much point if I can go out on any given weekend and catch something fresh.

bd

Now Blue Gills and Shellcrackers are the only two species that I purchase to stock my pond ... One as a food source for my Bass but mainly I love to eat them ... Especially the large hand Size monsters !!! Now I differ from bd ...

I like the gills and crackers on the hoof ... I just take a church key (the old style beer can opener that has the hooked/beak end) This is the best scaler you can use ... The gills don't have very many small bones so basically you can just fry them and rake the meat from there spine ... And they are good !!! <'TK>< :)

[bd-]

I see your point, but if this guy took them home I doubt that he threw them away!

I'm sure that's true, but he was still breaking the law if he had more than twice the daily limit in his possession. "I was going to eat them" isn't a defense to violating the fishing regs.

bd

[bd-]

Now Blue Gills and Shellcrackers are the only two species that I purchase to stock my pond ... One as a food source for my Bass but mainly I love to eat them ... Especially the large hand Size monsters !!! Now I differ from bd ...

I like the gills and crackers on the hoof ... I just take a church key (the old style beer can opener that has the hooked/beak end) This is the best scaler you can use ... The gills don't have very many small bones so basically you can just fry them and rake the meat from there spine ... And they are good !!! <'TK>< :)

I hear you, TK. If I was the only one eating the bluegill, I'd probably just gut them and fry them whole. Same way with trout. It's definitely easier to clean them that way.

On the other hand, some folks never seem to get the hang of taking the meat off a whole fish, and it freaks them out if they bite into a bone. My wife is like that. She likes to eat fish but not if there's any chance of a bone.

Therefore, I've decided it's easier to just fillet them and take care of the bones on the front end. It takes more work at the cleaning stage, but they are easier to eat when they come out of the fryer. If you're having a fish fry with a bunch of people who don't eat fish very often, they will appreciate the fillets a lot more.

bd

[Tennesseejugger]

I'm sure that's true, but he was still breaking the law if he had more than twice the daily limit in his possession. "I was going to eat them" isn't a defense to violating the fishing regs.

bd
So when I kill a deer and take it to a someone that I know will eat it and feed their family with it. Are they breaking the law by taking it if they do not have a hunting license? I doubt it! And what if this guy that took those striper was not even fishing, had no fishing equipment what so ever in his possesion? Just saying!

[bd-]

No, but the fishing regs say that the possession limit is twice the daily limit. The daily limit on stripers is two.

Therefore, someone with five stripers in their possession has exceeded the legal possession limit by one.

bd

[agelesssone]

To be totally legal, the giver must give the taker a note with his information, name address phone number and hunting license number so DNR could check on the legitmacy of the deer meat.
The taker would have one in a million chance of being checked of course.

[txnative]

I've refrained from throwing my horse in this race, which has begun to devolve into another meat hunter vs sport angler debate, but certain implied points are not being stated explicitly. Point 1 is that while perfectly legal, keeping "bragging rights" sized fish is detrimental to the quality of a fishery. This is the dividing line between sportfishers and meatfishers. The tired line of "I never exceed my limit" is a poor excuse to damage a fishery's quality thru a slow-bleed reduction in numbers. If you were to keep 100 stripers in one day per year or 2 stripers a week during a year, there is still 100 less stripers in a fishery. One option is perfectly legal, yet at year's end, both are equally damaging to the health of the fishery. If your 100 keepers are 20+ lb fish, you're hurting both health and quality. Ethics SHOULD supersede legality here. Yes, you can keep what the law dictates, but you don't HAVE to.

Point 2 is less fishing-related and more personal. If a behavior or decision places you in a situation where you are defending yourself from the opinions of peers, you may need to rethink your choices. Most people on this site are ethical anglers, and coming under scrutiny is a sign you may need to recalibrate your ethical compass.

I think everyone here has had a trout, striper, bass, etc for dinner before, myself included, but constant removal of large, sought-after fish is unfair to others, and moreso to younger anglers. We all have heard the "ain't as good as it used to be" line, yet here we are repeating the same mistakes. As ethical anglers, we are charged with maintaing the health and quality of our fisheries for others, even if they are yet to be born.


Chris

[Tennesseejugger]

I've refrained from throwing my horse in this race, which has begun to devolve into another meat hunter vs sport angler debate, but certain implied points are not being stated explicitly. Point 1 is that while perfectly legal, keeping "bragging rights" sized fish is detrimental to the quality of a fishery. This is the dividing line between sportfishers and meatfishers. The tired line of "I never exceed my limit" is a poor excuse to damage a fishery's quality thru a slow-bleed reduction in numbers. If you were to keep 100 stripers in one day per year or 2 stripers a week during a year, there is still 100 less stripers in a fishery. One option is perfectly legal, yet at year's end, both are equally damaging to the health of the fishery. If your 100 keepers are 20+ lb fish, you're hurting both health and quality. Ethics SHOULD supersede legality here. Yes, you can keep what the law dictates, but you don't HAVE to.

Point 2 is less fishing-related and more personal. If a behavior or decision places you in a situation where you are defending yourself from the opinions of peers, you may need to rethink your choices. Most people on this site are ethical anglers, and coming under scrutiny is a sign you may need to recalibrate your ethical compass.

I think everyone here has had a trout, striper, bass, etc for dinner before, myself included, but constant removal of large, sought-after fish is unfair to others, and moreso to younger anglers. We all have heard the "ain't as good as it used to be" line, yet here we are repeating the same mistakes. As ethical anglers, we are charged with maintaing the health and quality of our fisheries for others, even if they are yet to be born.


Chris LOL,you are killing me really you are! You should really keep your horse in the barn where it belongs! The people of the Great Volunteer State have been harvesting large striper's for the table for years and it will continue to be that way. It has not slowed down at all, what has slowed down is the lazy anglers who do not have the patients to go out and outwit the elusive rock fish! God put fish in the water for us to consume and as long as I am alive and able to catch and eat fish I will darn sure do it! And as far as ethics, are you saying that If a person catches and eats a Large rock fish that they lacking ethics? What a bunch of bull!

I think I will stay with my choices and not rethink them at all! And if you or anyone else have a problem with my methods then that is a personal problem..So get over it! Guess where these three fish went?

[txnative]

Tnjugger,

You missed the point. CONSTANTLY keeping large fish to satisfy yourself and/or appetite is detrimental to the QUALITY of the fishery. Your arguments of "everyone's doing it" and "I can keep it 'cause the laws say so" are poor excuses to continue raping a fishery supported by every angler's dollars. Stripers are NOT a self supporting population, they are stocked to provide a number of benefits to the anglers and ecosystem. Yes, a benefit for anglers is as a food source, but the benefit to the ecosystem (control of native, overpopulating baitfish, i.e: gizzard shad and alewife) and the economy (people actually pay to chase our prized fish...TK can attest to that) outweigh your "need" to keep oversized, non-reproducing fish. Crappie, sauger, walleye, bluegill, etc are self-sustaining (though stocking for walleye and sauger does exist), and are widely touted tablefare. I understand the glory of catching big stripers, anyone who knows me can attest to that. However, I am able to temper my need for praise on my fishing prowess because I know fishermen with your (perceived) attitude are looking for the next big fish to take home. If you have no concern for the enjoyment of your fellow anglers, fine. However, it is a sad example you are setting of what stewards of our sport should do. Abstinence is not necessary, but moderation would be appreciated by those of us who do not share your ethics...or lack thereof.

As for people not knowing how or trying to catch large rockfish, your self-perception is overinflated. Using live skipjack is a well-known technique, so much so that the GSP has become a nuisance to fish due to the number of boats that anchor up or troll in the narrow channel, clogging up traffic and discouraging others from using the water as the law allows them to, further damaging the striper's benefit to the economy.

Instead of maintaing your self-serving belief, you should emulate past anglers whose restraint has allowed the fish you haul off to the freezer to be in the water to begin with.


Chris

[bd-]

TNJugger, all I was suggesting on the other thread, with all due respect, is that if we care about the world-class striper fishery we are blessed with in Tennessee, we will keep a few for the table but we will turn the rest of the fish - and the biggest fish - back. As I said before, all I was suggesting was moderation.

So you've responded by posting more pictures of dead stripers on that thread, plus you've started a whole new thread to post even more photos of dead stripers.

I guess you're perfectly within your legal rights to kill every single one you can get your hands on, but don't be surprised if other anglers don't agree with you on that. I personally don't.

bd

[Travis C.]

A 20lb striper which was bought paid for, raised, and released with aid from your sportsman dollars is roughly 8-12 years old. That is a fish that is not going to contribute to anything for its population. It will live until being kept or dying of old age even larger.

You can keep as many as you want and do as you wish even grinding them up for fertilizer. That is why we have our regs to allow for harvesting as well as preventing overharvesting.

I think one aspect they are trying to show is the amount of time it takes that fish to get to that size. It's no quick turn around and definitely something not all states have to our extent. Sportsmen before us have "invested" in this fishery by releasing those 20lb fish to have numerous 30, 40, and even 50lb fish. No doubt there are more than one world record fish swimming between Lake Cumberland and Barkley.

I am not going to tell anyone not to keep a legal fish. True a few here or there doesn't hurt the population but I highly doubt you are the only guy fishing taking his limit of 20 lbers either. Heck there used to be a family that netted more than their limits in that area.

One would suspect in the coming years this reg of (2 per >15") fish would change to include a one over length in the 40"s or close since that is the TARP.

[randy10357]

Ok here goes......I personally don't keep any fish other than an occasional catfish or a very few crappie. If you want to document a catch digital cameras and phones take wonderful photos. If you want a "wall hanger" the replica mounts have gotten to be of very good quality. I still regret harvesting an 8 lb. Largemouth full of eggs in March many years ago strictly for the trophy.

However......doesn't the TWRA and fishery experts establish creel limits based on sustaining a healthy population of fish?

If two stripers per day per angler is harming the fishery, shouldn't that be changed?

Also, what about slot limits which encourage you to take fish of a given size?

Are we second-guessing the experts in fishery biology?

I guess I am playing devils advocate, but if you are within the laws established by experts, what is the problem?

[bd-]

You're right about the regulations probably changing in the future, Travis.

And actually I kind of hate that, because like I said, I do like to keep one every once in a while myself.

However, at some point, if you want a trophy fishery, you've got to manage harvest, and some folks will harvest to the absolute limit of their ability as long as it's allowed.

Ralph Dallas suggested to me once that maybe we ought to manage these stocked trophy fisheries (stripers, muskie, big browns on the Caney/Clinch/SoHo, etc) like we manage the deer herd. Give everybody their "tags" for the season and let them harvest up to that point. I kind of agree with him.

It would strike a balance between a rule that says "you can't keep any at all" and one that says "keep a couple a day 365 days a year if you want."

I doubt you could actually administer it in the real world but ideally it wouldn't be a bad system to try.

bd

[bd-]

If two stripers per day per angler is harming the fishery, shouldn't that be changed?

Well, you have a question about whether you want to manage for numbers or quality.

Anyway, by way of comparison, five bass a day isn't harming the largemouth fishery, but if the average bass fisherman saw a guy taking home a sack full of 5 or 6 pounders for the table a few times a month, he'd probably say "Hey buddy, no offense, but why not scale it back a bit?"

I think eventually, TWRA will put a trophy limit on Old Hickory, similar to what is on Cordell Hull and maybe even more stringent. The Commission can be a little slow to act on things like that, but I think we will see it in the not-too-distant future.

bd

[randy10357]

Originally Posted by agelesssone http://www.fishingtn.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://www.fishingtn.com/showthread.php?p=18558#post18558)
I once saw a guy take home five big stripers from a tournament weigh in. The fish were given to him by the fishermaen who didn't want the fish.



Why do these tournaments not promote catch, weigh, document and release? :confused:

[Tennesseejugger]

Tnjugger,

You missed the point. CONSTANTLY keeping large fish to satisfy yourself and/or appetite is detrimental to the QUALITY of the fishery. Your arguments of "everyone's doing it" and "I can keep it 'cause the laws say so" are poor excuses to continue raping a fishery supported by every angler's dollars. Stripers are NOT a self supporting population, they are stocked to provide a number of benefits to the anglers and ecosystem. Yes, a benefit for anglers is as a food source, but the benefit to the ecosystem (control of native, overpopulating baitfish, i.e: gizzard shad and alewife) and the economy (people actually pay to chase our prized fish...TK can attest to that) outweigh your "need" to keep oversized, non-reproducing fish. Crappie, sauger, walleye, bluegill, etc are self-sustaining (though stocking for walleye and sauger does exist), and are widely touted tablefare. I understand the glory of catching big stripers, anyone who knows me can attest to that. However, I am able to temper my need for praise on my fishing prowess because I know fishermen with your (perceived) attitude are looking for the next big fish to take home. If you have no concern for the enjoyment of your fellow anglers, fine. However, it is a sad example you are setting of what stewards of our sport should do. Abstinence is not necessary, but moderation would be appreciated by those of us who do not share your ethics...or lack thereof.

As for people not knowing how or trying to catch large rockfish, your self-perception is overinflated. Using live skipjack is a well-known technique, so much so that the GSP has become a nuisance to fish due to the number of boats that anchor up or troll in the narrow channel, clogging up traffic and discouraging others from using the water as the law allows them to, further damaging the striper's benefit to the economy.

Instead of maintaing your self-serving belief, you should emulate past anglers whose restraint has allowed the fish you haul off to the freezer to be in the water to begin with.


Chris No I am not missing the point at all and by reading other replies it does not look like all agree with you! You or anyone else have no idea how may striper are in our waters...FISH ON!

[BOB]

Anyone, and I mean anyone, can catch Striper or any fish that are all schooled up in a thermal refuge while fishing with live or cut dead bait. Not exactly bragging material. It's like a perfectly fit person competing in the the special olympics and winning every event,,, then bragging about it.

I'm cool with taking some fish home to eat and wasn't trying to be a jerk with my post at all. However, your attitude and repeated smart *** remarks only reenforce what most here suspected about you in the first place. Good luck with your future endeavors at the GSP. Those hardcore local guys just love guys like you.

[master_cat]

I dont take anything out of the water over 8 pounds when i see a pic of a giant flat head or a big blue and people say mmmm tasty it makes me sick there are tons of channels and smaller blues and flats. Eat those id say the younger striper taste better then the older ones iv never caught a large striper i try but i have no luck

[txnative]

The number of fish is irrelevant, it's about the quality fish. Simple ecological rules dictate that there are far more sub-20 lb fish in any striper fishery. By selectively removing the larger fish, you reduce the quality. By all means, keep all the 5-10 lbers you can handle, but for the sake of a trophy fishery, allow the fish that have escaped predation to reach trophy size to swim away after you've enjoyed the fight and snapped a few pics.

There is a reason that anglers on the forefront of our sport, numerous fishing related organizations (IGFA, for example), and lure manufacturers have been supporting and promoting catch and release fishing. We, humans, are THE top predator in any given environment, and no animal can survive if we are determined to catch/kill it. Fishing has advanced due to technology, and formerly unexploited fish populations are now within reach, like open-water bass, sailfish from kayaks, etc.

You may not care how other members feel about this issue, but realize that this forum is open to non-members, as well. Showing you "hero shots" with the background revealing your location, then listing your technique and bait is an open invitation to invade a fishery and "get it while the getting's good." I have a daughter that loves to fish, and I'd love for her to enjoy what I have now when she is old enough to go on her own. Your attitude is something hardcore, dyed in the wool fishermen complain to each other about. I realize that getting you, tnjugger, to open your mind to the possibility that you are displaying poor ethics and a total lack of respect to the rights of others' to enjoy a fishery is a lost cause, but hopefully someone sees this thread and stops to think about their own behavior.

As for agreeing with me, I do not need the justification of others' to validate my points. Ethics are very simple: respect for other people and/or things should not be discarded to satisfy your wants.


Chris

[agelesssone]

I recently contacted aforementioned club about the keeping and giving away of large stripers.

They told me they have now implemented video measuring (videoing length and girth) and use a standardized scale of length times girth = pounds per inch to come up with a weight system so that more fish could be caught and released where they were caught.

I will stay in touch with the members of this club and see how the system is working and if there are more members catching, videoing, and releasing or if the majority still keep. And if a person is licensed, then I believe he has the RIGHT to keep whatever is legal and whatever he/she feels like keeping.

This is my opinion and I respect everyone who has their opinion, whether I agree with theirs or not.

[Tennesseejugger]

Anyone, and I mean anyone, can catch Striper or any fish that are all schooled up in a thermal refuge while fishing with live or cut dead bait. Not exactly bragging material. It's like a perfectly fit person competing in the the special olympics and winning every event,,, then bragging about it.

I'm cool with taking some fish home to eat and wasn't trying to be a jerk with my post at all. However, your attitude and repeated smart *** remarks only reenforce what most here suspected about you in the first place. Good luck with your future endeavors at the GSP. Those hardcore local guys just love guys like you.
HMMM is that a fact? Well where are your hero pics if it is so easy? Looks like I have gotten under your skin also....LOL. Let me ask you this, do you fish for crappie in the spring during the spawn? If you do tell me what is the difference from fishing for striper's at the GSP with live skips? Nothing! We all take advantage of a fish when they are most vulnerable. That is why Deer hunters kill big bucks, during the rut when they are only thinking of a doe in heat! It is a dog eat dog world that we live in and it is survival of the fittest!

[Tennesseejugger]

I recently contacted aforementioned club about the keeping and giving away of large stripers.

They told me they have now implemented video measuring (videoing length and girth) and use a standardized scale of length times girth = pounds per inch to come up with a weight system so that more fish could be caught and released where they were caught.

I will stay in touch with the members of this club and see how the system is working and if there are more members catching, videoing, and releasing or if the majority still keep. And if a person is licensed, then I believe he has the RIGHT to keep whatever is legal and whatever he/she feels like keeping.

This is my opinion and I respect everyone who has their opinion, whether I agree with theirs or not. Amen Brother!

[Tennesseejugger]

The number of fish is irrelevant, it's about the quality fish. Simple ecological rules dictate that there are far more sub-20 lb fish in any striper fishery. By selectively removing the larger fish, you reduce the quality. By all means, keep all the 5-10 lbers you can handle, but for the sake of a trophy fishery, allow the fish that have escaped predation to reach trophy size to swim away after you've enjoyed the fight and snapped a few pics.

There is a reason that anglers on the forefront of our sport, numerous fishing related organizations (IGFA, for example), and lure manufacturers have been supporting and promoting catch and release fishing. We, humans, are THE top predator in any given environment, and no animal can survive if we are determined to catch/kill it. Fishing has advanced due to technology, and formerly unexploited fish populations are now within reach, like open-water bass, sailfish from kayaks, etc.

You may not care how other members feel about this issue, but realize that this forum is open to non-members, as well. Showing you "hero shots" with the background revealing your location, then listing your technique and bait is an open invitation to invade a fishery and "get it while the getting's good." I have a daughter that loves to fish, and I'd love for her to enjoy what I have now when she is old enough to go on her own. Your attitude is something hardcore, dyed in the wool fishermen complain to each other about. I realize that getting you, tnjugger, to open your mind to the possibility that you are displaying poor ethics and a total lack of respect to the rights of others' to enjoy a fishery is a lost cause, but hopefully someone sees this thread and stops to think about their own behavior.

As for agreeing with me, I do not need the justification of others' to validate my points. Ethics are very simple: respect for other people and/or things should not be discarded to satisfy your wants.


Chris
Here are some more poor ethics for ya! Guess where these fish went? Does this make you mad? ROTFLMAO!

[Tennesseejugger]

I dont take anything out of the water over 8 pounds when i see a pic of a giant flat head or a big blue and people say mmmm tasty it makes me sick there are tons of channels and smaller blues and flats. Eat those id say the younger striper taste better then the older ones iv never caught a large striper i try but i have no luck Brent no one pulled your chain, the only reason you do not keep big cats is because you only fish in paylakes! I caught a 38 pound flatty back in the fall and still have meat from him in my freezer! But I caught him in the river not in a paylake!

[Tennesseejugger]

TNJugger, all I was suggesting on the other thread, with all due respect, is that if we care about the world-class striper fishery we are blessed with in Tennessee, we will keep a few for the table but we will turn the rest of the fish - and the biggest fish - back. As I said before, all I was suggesting was moderation.

So you've responded by posting more pictures of dead stripers on that thread, plus you've started a whole new thread to post even more photos of dead stripers.

I guess you're perfectly within your legal rights to kill every single one you can get your hands on, but don't be surprised if other anglers don't agree with you on that. I personally don't.

bd I look at it this way, I hate Striper's Period! I am a bass angler and wished the striper's were never introduced in our waters, they are bass eaters and they are killing them more than angers can catch them! So if I catch a striper believe you me I dang sure am going to make sure he never eats another Large mouth! You know how to catch a 10 pound bass in Old Hickory? Catch and kill a striper!
And all those pics that I have been posting are from two years of fishing, I just posted them to get under MR. Sophisticated's skin!

[Travis C.]

I am a bass angler and wished the striper's were never introduced in our waters, they are bass eaters and they are killing them more than angers can catch them!

I am an avid bass angler on Old Hickory as well. Have you ever cleaned a striper finding a bass inside?

I am not trying to stir the pot so to speak but this was a very intense topic on an east TN lake and I am really curious to find out if they do actually eat them.

[Tennesseejugger]

I am an avid bass angler on Old Hickory as well. Have you ever cleaned a striper finding a bass inside?

I am not trying to stir the pot so to speak but this was a very intense topic on an east TN lake and I am really curious to find out if they do actually eat them.
Well no I personally have not but have had friends send me picks of bass that have been taken out of the bellies of Striper's. There are a constant swimming eating machine just like sharks! But I do not mind if you wat to stir the pot, this is the most action this froum has seen in a good long time...LOL

[bd-]

Sorry, but the comment about stripers being bass eaters is just plain uninformed.

Largemouth stack up around the Steam Plant like cordwood in the winter, but it's very, very rare that you find a bass in a striper's stomach. What you find is shad.

The diet of stripers has been studied, and studied, and studied to death. I have a friend who got his master's degree studying striped bass foraging habits. You won't find a single study that shows stripers eating bass in any numbers. There is a reason for that.

bd

[bd-]

HMMM is that a fact? Well where are your hero pics if it is so easy?

A lot of folks don't need a hero pic and a fish on a stringer to prove anything. I guess it depends on whether you fish for yourself or to show off to others.

bd

[Tennesseejugger]

A lot of folks don't need a hero pic and a fish on a stringer to prove anything. I guess it depends on whether you fish for yourself or to show off to others.

bd I do both, but when are you going to answer my question about taking advantage of other fish species when they are the most vulnerable? Oh wait sorry that question was not for you!

[tkwalker]

I have been asked by posters of my board, my opinion on the discussion of keeping trophy stripers ...
I have read a number of the posts ... To be fair not all the posts ... looked at pic's and kind of got the drift where this is going ... What I see is the same discussion here that we have constantly with Trout. The Trout and Striper alike are both released into our Fisheries via TWRA to legally harvest that complies with the State regulations and laws ...

But the subject always arrises about catch and release ethics .... As far as stripers in my opnion there is only one man that has set the bar on keeping stripers . A two time State record holder of Stripers 62 and 64 pound plus which is really pushing the national Striper Landlocked records of 68 pounds .. My best was 61 pounds in 25 years of striper fishing and later guiding and number of 56 and 58 pounders but I never could beat Ralph Hollis Dallas ... A friend and adversary and a totally devoted to the Striper species and developement in our great State of Tennessee...

Ralph, like myself with a guide party would give the option that if you catch a nice fish you can opt out to keep it or release ... But only one a day ... Now remember folks, to some people a 25 pound striper is a trophy and the biggest fish they have ever caught ... basically most stripers in the Cumberland River chain (Old Hickory and Cordel Hull) are all schoolies until they hit the 40 plus pound range and that is when the rogues leave the school because they do not feel they do not need the protection of the school And the pics I have seen so far on this thread lacks any trophys ..maybe one ... (and some folks need to get their scales calibrated !!)... ... (And these are the females) Which does not mean a lot as far as reproduction ... But 5% of spawn do survive... I have read that nobody knows how many stripers are there ... That is BS ... Been in Tennessee longer that the poster and fishing for this specific species ... After decades of working with TWRA and in constant communication with Doug Markham and contact with the TWRA Bio group and shocking studies and the amount of fry that is put in the fisheries ... Yes we do know how many we have !!! ... This also includes the ones that I have witnessed thrown on the the bank in the Caney Fork by locals who consider them trash fish !!

The bottom line is ... Why any one wants to eat a striper I have know Idea ... after you remove the red Muscle you have a lot of waste ... (you really need to remove the red muscle !!) especially the larger fish ... the smallier under 20 pounds is not to bad ... As far as growth rates .. I have read some different schedules on the post which would probably be true in other waters ... But what you have here in the Cordel Hull and Old Hickory chain of the Cumberland is unique ... Cold water from Dale Hollow and Center Hill ... Premo conditions for bait and striper growth rate ... 35 pounder takes 8 years for a reference .. (Stripers spawn at H2O temps of 60 degrees April/May ... Migration starts in Feb ...

So basically here we are ... Catch and release Rogue Trophys are the Stripers who leave the school ... They have no predators ... They grow lazy and follow the schools ... They ravish the left overs after the schools go through the shad schools ... That is why folks are amazed that they catch them bottom fishing like Catfish ... Gizzard shad is good as wll as Skippies for boards ... The premo is is Trout for bait ... I bought and raised my own 14 to 18 inchers for the trophys ... that is just a hint ...

Bottom Line ... If the fish are caught legally... There is no issue legally ... What I see in pics are schoolies and are that for the most part the weight is not was proclaimed with an exception of one or two ... ... These size fish are bumping the tasty threshold..

Being Fisherman We over emphasize .. size and weight ... I have seen nothing through these pages as far as catch and release that shows any ethic abuse as long as it is consumed as a table food ... NOW!! what does concern me are the true trophys ... The big fish A TRUE 45 pound plus weight ... If these fish are caught ... If you need a wall hanger ... Keep it ... But do not keep another unless it exceeds it by 10 pounds !! ..

Do not use Bass gear when fishing for trophys !! use offshore tackle ... To keep a trophy alive is to get it to the boat as quick as possible ... There is no such thing as play these fish ... Use a broom stick size rod ... If to release ... Moving the fish back and forth through the gills like Bass does not work ... Lactic acid sets up in the muscles of these animals so grab them by the tale ..It will take both hands ...one hand can not get around a trophy striper tail ! ... and move it left to right as hard as you can .. They will be dorment for a short while and then slowly swim off .. Keep a visual if it doesn't make it ... THESE ARE HARD FIGHTING FISH and there mortality rate is really increase in warmer weather ...

Please Do not abuse These Giants of the sea that we were blessed to become an landlocked Treasurer .... <'TK>< Capt. TK Walker U.S.C.G. :)

[tkwalker]

I look at it this way, I hate Striper's Period! I am a bass angler and wished the striper's were never introduced in our waters, they are bass eaters and they are killing them more than angers can catch them! So if I catch a striper believe you me I dang sure am going to make sure he never eats another Large mouth! You know how to catch a 10 pound bass in Old Hickory? Catch and kill a striper!
And all those pics that I have been posting are from two years of fishing, I just posted them to get under MR. Sophisticated's skin!

TNJug ... I am sorry but you are so out of touch with the Striper reality and the facts it isn't funny ... ( you sound like a democrate !! which I know your not !!) .... Ralph Dallas (who is also a Taxidermist) in conjunction with The TWRA Bio Group and myself as well have done studies on what stripers eat ... The consumption of sport fish is less than 5% .... They are not going to seek out single fish that they are not use to eating (these includes Bass, Crappie) ... These fish are bait school junkies .... easy prey !!! Sorry but you have been missinformed ...

And I am not Mr. Sophisticated ... I am a true sportsman of The Tennessee Fishiers... And support them ... And as far as I am concerned ... From this statement you are not welcome on this site ... I am like my friend Charlie Daniels ... You have barked up the wrong tree !! .... <'TK><

[Tennesseejugger]

TNJug ... I am sorry but you are so out of touch with the Striper reality and the facts it isn't funny ... ( you sound like a democrate !! which I know your not !!) .... Ralph Dallas (who is also a Taxidermist) in conjunction with The TWRA Bio Group and myself as well have done studies on what stripers eat ... The consumption of sport fish is less than 5% .... They are not going to seek out single fish that they are not use to eating (these includes Bass, Crappie) ... These fish are bait school junkies .... easy prey !!! Sorry but you have been missinformed ...

And I am not Mr. Sophisticated ... I am a true sportsman of The Tennessee Fishiers... And support them ... And as far as I am concerned ... From this statement you are not welcome on this site ... I am like my friend Charlie Daniels ... You have barked up the wrong tree !! .... <'TK>< No wonder there are not many on this site, so thats what you do if someone has a different opinion is tell them that they are not welcome? Brother telling me that I sound like a democrat is like the pot calling the kettle black! I bet all your little followers came running to you " hey we don't like TnJugger kick him out...LOL. You do what you think that you have to do, this is your site. But there is always another TNjugger out there that is not going to agree with everything or everyone on your site! So much for growth! We have met in person and think that you could tell that I was not a bad person. I did not start this whole controversy, I was slapped in the face with it when I posted some pics of striper's! All I was doing was having a little fun with it and just picking a bit! But I guess most in here have thin skin and can't take a little rubbing! Oh and by the way I was not referring to you when I said Mr. Sophisticated!

[TNtransplant08]

I don't think anyone is saying that users of this forum is not allowed to have different opinions. A fishing forum is a great platform to share and discuss differet issues and topics, in a respectful manner. Its a great opportunity to teach, learn and share! You are allowed to have your own opinions, everyone else is allowed to have their own, and everyone agrees to disagree. However, whenever one discussion becomes nasty in a disrespectful, taunting tone, that is when people start having problems. Posting pictures and comments simply to taunt and irritate another member is just childish and against what this forum is about.

Lets hope we can all just sweep this under the rug, play nice and simply move on and get back to what we all love....FISHING! :D

[txnative]

Well stated, TNtransplant.


Chris

[BOB]

He's probably buds with them good ole boy commercial rapers,,, I mean netters...

BTW, what did you do with the Striper in this video? You said it was too big to eat so what did you do with it. Even the boys seemed to express disbeleif that you were just going to kill the fish.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQlK34GpvGg&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

[tkwalker]

Okay Guys lets start a new day!! I'm closing this thread <'TK><