I release probably 90 to 95 percent of the stripers I catch. But I don't think the "absolute 100 percent catch and release" viewpoint is any better than the "kill every single one you see" viewpoint.

Comparing stocked striped bass to endangered whooping cranes is kind of silly.

bd

Tastyness ?? <'TK><
 

:)My sentiments exactly ....(Of coarse Striped Bass doesn't fall in the catagory of a minority bird species that is recovering from distinction ) But if you are trying to make a reference to it's Tastyness ... Stripers is down at the bottom of the list ... If you have to disguise or alter the natural flavor to make it palatable, why eat it, when there are dozens of more fish to choose from as table fare ... There is a difference between disguise and enhance ... For instance ..Hickory wood smoke on pork .. Pork is palatable either way ... And good either way ... Walleye and Sauger, and Gills ... That's sweet ... LOL !!.. My two cents worth ... My Opnion ... I have been to Japan on business for lengthy stints many times .... But I never could get in to Sushi either. But there are Millions of people who love it world wide .... <'TK><

I do release 100% of the stripers and hybrids I catch, but it's because I'd rather simply catch them than eat them. They aren't in the same league as walleye, sauger, and crappie as tablefare. I do enjoy white bass on occasion, though. I think keeping some of the smaller stripers is fine, if you enjoy the taste, but I feel the larger fish are better enjoyed as sport than dinner.


Chris

Unless the water is to warm for it to survive release. Then it should be taken. I have seen some big f
loaters. Hi guys. Nice fish.

Gsp
 

OK, now that we've covered all the keeps, catch and releases, ethics, etc. how IS the fishing at GSP lately.

It was very slow in there last week, mid week. And since the weather has been warm, I assume it is still slow.

And as far as people posting "bragging" photos, if that is what you want/need to do, have at it. I didn't take any photos of the smallmouths I caught on Dale Hollow yesterday and my partners thought it was wierd. To each his own, I say.

How "great" is it to do something that thousands of others have done?? If it's not spectacular, I'm not impressed. If you catch a 5-8 lb smallie, that's something that doesn't happen daily. 2-4 lb'ers, a lot more common.

SOOO, how's the fishing out there guys?

It's a lot slower than last year. You hit the nail on the head - it's just been too warm for it to really be great.

Right now the main lake temps away from the plant haven't been cold enough to really crowd the threadfin into the plant. I have a theory that the heavy current disburses the plume of water somewhat and makes it a little less effective at drawing in the bait too.

There have been some schoolie stripers moving in and out of the plant area sporadically. You'll see them busting the surface after dark. One day they'll be thick and the next there won't be any sign of them.

For the folks who fly fish, the skipjack have been a little slow, but the ones that are there have been running pretty large - lots of 2 and 3 pounders in the mix.

There do seem to be a lot of largemouth stacked up around the canal. I don't bass fish much, but I've "accidentally" caught a 7 pounder on a redfin and a 5.5 pounder on a flyrod, plus some smaller ones, since the beginning of the year. I assume if someone was actually targeting bass they could clean up pretty good.

My boat is out of commission at the moment, so it'll probably be a couple weeks before I'm back there on it again, but that's the best information I can give you.

bd

:eek: You would say that with my bass boat being put up at the moment? :D

I'd love to get into the 2-3lber's on a 5wt.

7 pounder and no pic? hhmmm!

I my self enjoy seeing photos of what others are catching, it lets me know what I can find in the waters that we fish in, Bragging? Well why not? It is a natural thing for men to be competitive with each other! To me, pictures speak 1000 words. Anyone can say I caught a 7 pound smallie or a 10 pound bass, and they may have very well done so. But like those who are from Mo. "Show me" If I catch a 5 pound striper I will post the picture just as fast as if it was a 40 pounder! I mean this is a fishing forum right? Just think that if no one posted reports and pictures in here how boring that would be! Just saying!

I usually can't be bothered to take a picture if I'm fishing by myself. A self-shot picture of a fish laying in the bottom of the boat or something, especially at night, just isn't worth the hassle. The picture rarely turns out well, it's rough on the fish, and I'm not out to prove anything to anybody anyway.

If I'm fishing with somebody else, I'll gladly have them take a picture. I'm lucky enough that a few of the people I fish with are extremely gifted photographers, which helps. I'm certainly not.

Sometimes if there's someone nearby and I catch a fish that's exceptional, I'll wave them over and ask them to take a picture (assuming I have a camera), though more often than not the results from a stranger wind up sucking.

Still, I would have liked to had a picture of the big largemouth but it was about 9:30 at night and there wasn't a soul around but me.

bd

Don't get the wrong idea. I was as surprised as anybody. It's not typical - I don't fish for largemouth very much and those two just happened to hit while I was striper fishing.

bd

You mean like this...:p

I am more interested in getting the hang of catching them more than catching the big ones..... yet.

For years my number one target has been bass and feel I have been successful but ever since I picked up a fly rod trout have been my obsession. They are so hard sometimes to get to being over a hour away I want to kind of re-walk some of my bass foot steps with a fly rod during the time I can't get to trout.

I think it could be fun.

Travis,

If the right conditions occur, I can put you on some hybrids and stripers in a wadeable tailwaters nearby that are VERY catchable on a fly rod. The fish have been averaging from 5-10 lbs for the hybrids, and up to 15 lbs for the stripers. I have a spare 9 wt or 8 wt you can use and have designed a fly that absolutely kills 'em. Get with me on this and you'll have a new addiction.


Chris

Man the skipjack have not been in the SP area at all this year. Has anyone else had luck with the skippies. Want them for striper fishing. My sabiki rig has been lonely this year.m