Post by GhostComanche©® on Jan 25, 2021 21:30:08 GMT
Big stripers reach 20-year high at Smith Mountain Lake
by Bill Cochran at the Roanoke Times
Fishing for striped bass at Smith Mountain Lake has been challenging the past two seasons, and 2018 isn’t likely to bring much improvement. But hang on, change is coming.
“We aren’t expecting fishing to get better in 2018, but hopefully things will start improving in 2019,” said Dan Wilson, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologist who manages the fishery.
Fishermen have been docking with an occasional citation-size striper. A striper must measure a minimum of 37 inches or weigh 20 pounds or more to earn citation status.
Here are some examples:
1. Last season, Timothy Reynolds of Chatham registered five citation fish with the DGIF during the first half of July, including one that measured 40.5-inches.
2. West Virginia angler John Kissell leads the Smith Mountain Striper Club’s big fish of the year competition with a 39-inch catch.
3. The biggest fish in the recent Striper Mafia Tournament was a 38-inch trophy landed by North Carolina fisherman Jerry Hollars. One-inch off of the pace was a catch by 12-year old Kaylee Cox of Fincastle.
4.There were 28 striper citations registered with the DGIF in 2017, three of them measuring 40 inches or more.
All this is evidence that big fish are making a comeback from a deviating kill in 2003. Catch rates for fish 30 inches or more last season were the best in 20 years, Wilson said.
What’s lacking is fish in the 20-to 25-inch bracket.
“That has historically been the major portion of angler’s catches, and they are really down,” said Wilson.
“Stocking success has been poor for four consecutive years [2013-16]. We have not seen this happen in the past 20 years.”
It took an average of 2.7 hours to catch a striped bass between 2011 and 2015. That figure jumped to 4.1 hours in 2016-17, according to data provided by members of the Smith Mountain Striper Club.
“We have definitely seen a decline in catch rates over the past couple of years,” said club president Mike Ward. “There have been some larger fish caught, which is a nice consolation, but the overall numbers of fish are definitely down.”
Stockings of fingerlings were increased last spring, and these fish appear to be doing well, Wilson said. A larger allocation of fingerlings has been requested this spring. Last year’s number was 448,136, the most since 2004.
“Young stripers are growing much better and all sizes of striped bass are healthier,” Wilson said.
The forage base has recovered after a crash, and there is a new species offering food for game fish — the blueback herring.
“This species has not been observed by DGIF in at least 25 years,” Wilson said. “Blueback herring prefer cooler temperatures and allow striped bass to forage and remain in deep water during the summer.”
by Bill Cochran at the Roanoke Times
i.postimg.cc/WbXZwqqh/1-71-orig.jpg
This 38-inch fish is an example of the big stripers showing up at Smith Mountain Lake.
Photo courtesy of Mike Ward
This 38-inch fish is an example of the big stripers showing up at Smith Mountain Lake.
Photo courtesy of Mike Ward
Fishing for striped bass at Smith Mountain Lake has been challenging the past two seasons, and 2018 isn’t likely to bring much improvement. But hang on, change is coming.
“We aren’t expecting fishing to get better in 2018, but hopefully things will start improving in 2019,” said Dan Wilson, the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologist who manages the fishery.
Fishermen have been docking with an occasional citation-size striper. A striper must measure a minimum of 37 inches or weigh 20 pounds or more to earn citation status.
Here are some examples:
1. Last season, Timothy Reynolds of Chatham registered five citation fish with the DGIF during the first half of July, including one that measured 40.5-inches.
2. West Virginia angler John Kissell leads the Smith Mountain Striper Club’s big fish of the year competition with a 39-inch catch.
3. The biggest fish in the recent Striper Mafia Tournament was a 38-inch trophy landed by North Carolina fisherman Jerry Hollars. One-inch off of the pace was a catch by 12-year old Kaylee Cox of Fincastle.
4.There were 28 striper citations registered with the DGIF in 2017, three of them measuring 40 inches or more.
All this is evidence that big fish are making a comeback from a deviating kill in 2003. Catch rates for fish 30 inches or more last season were the best in 20 years, Wilson said.
What’s lacking is fish in the 20-to 25-inch bracket.
“That has historically been the major portion of angler’s catches, and they are really down,” said Wilson.
“Stocking success has been poor for four consecutive years [2013-16]. We have not seen this happen in the past 20 years.”
It took an average of 2.7 hours to catch a striped bass between 2011 and 2015. That figure jumped to 4.1 hours in 2016-17, according to data provided by members of the Smith Mountain Striper Club.
“We have definitely seen a decline in catch rates over the past couple of years,” said club president Mike Ward. “There have been some larger fish caught, which is a nice consolation, but the overall numbers of fish are definitely down.”
Stockings of fingerlings were increased last spring, and these fish appear to be doing well, Wilson said. A larger allocation of fingerlings has been requested this spring. Last year’s number was 448,136, the most since 2004.
“Young stripers are growing much better and all sizes of striped bass are healthier,” Wilson said.
The forage base has recovered after a crash, and there is a new species offering food for game fish — the blueback herring.
“This species has not been observed by DGIF in at least 25 years,” Wilson said. “Blueback herring prefer cooler temperatures and allow striped bass to forage and remain in deep water during the summer.”