The First Stripers of Spring

I went striper fishing with a friend today. I went back to the holdover-spot-that-shall-not-be-named. I know, I know, I said I wasn't going back, but to be honest a few friends of mine have been going and have dialed the bite in better than I had and therefore have been getting some bigger fish, including a handful pushing 30 inches. So yeah, I gave in to temptation. But I'm never going for one of those ridiculous long triple digit days again, not at this spot.

I tried to pick out the larger fish with a 10 inch white bucktail pattern and a sink tip line. I was able to get about the same number of 20 inch+ fish as I did on my first trip here in  about a 6th the amount of time. One was actually the heftiest I've caught this winter, though still not even a keeper size fish.

That was all very fun. My friend was fishing jerk baits and he was catching well too, his first striped bass. The coolest thing I noticed were fish busting periodically in a rip. There must have been grass shrimp or small bait fish washing through that rip, just under the surface. Seeing surface action made me wish I had some small gurglers with me. I probably wouldn't have caught anything on top but who knows.

I'll leave you with this. Striped bass are a special fish and a lot of us would like them to stay around forever, but that won't happen with the kind of fishing pressure they are getting right now. PLEASE fish responsibly, release breeders, and don't keep fish every time you go out. Four or five 32 inch bass a year will do you just fine and maintain an suitable fishery. It physically hurts me to see a dead 40lb cow bass. These incredible fish will not be around long if things keep going the way they are. Don't take every keeper.

That is all.