Susky Flats, 4-27-13

[HJS]

Fished the Susky Flats today, 4-27-13, 9:00am-1:00pm. I was using a green 16’ Oldtown canoe with 40# troller. Managed to catch a 25" striper on a 4” chart/glit BA paddletail on a .5oz head. The FF showed next to nothing in the channels, so I spent most of my time out in the Flats. The one striper was caught in 7’ of water near a small, loose, fleet of boats in the NW quadrant of the Flats. Not many boats out in this area compared to this time last spring when the bite was HOT.

So, the reports over the last couple of weeks were right. Striper action is indeed at a near dead stop. I didn’t see anyone else catch a fish. Dunno if I’ll get back before the C&R season is over.

Weather was ideal, comfortably mild and a near dead calm. Water vis was about 2.5’, HT @ 11:36am. Met a couple kayakers at the Tydings (City Yacht Basin) as I was taking out.

[chimo]

Better than getting skunked!

[sparky1423]

At least the flats are consistently not consistent. I am only minutes from the flats...Every time I finish fishing the flats I tell myself I am done for the season. Too much work for too little fish. But every time I am mysteriously drawn back for the rockfish "day of my life".

[ronaultmtd]

After talking to one of the bay's best rock fisherman, Skip, for about 14 hours Thursday and picking his brain about fishing the Bay for stripers, it seems that this is a very "down" spring for the trophy stripers- the weeks leading up to opening day were bad, few fish, long hours of pulling 20 some odd rods with nearly forty baits in the water for three or four fish all day- hours between fish and miles of water covered- the year class is a 30'sh fish being caught...nearly 40 inches but not quite...once in a while a few 40 inch fish hit the dock, but the vast majority run 36 inches...so we will see a lot of "slot" fish in the 18-27 inch range but few trophies- and the ones being caught are full of roe, the breeders, and that means the eggs didn't get laid- reducing the spawn-

The good news is that fewer giant stripers means more spot and more trout as stripers eat trout and spot...so do I! Love a fresh speckled trout!

[Shady]

Thanks for the report. I think we're getting close to another moratorium... Wouldn't bother me much, plenty of other delicious fish in the bay.

[DaveFX35]

nice meeting you at the takeout.

[DEkayakstriper]

The fishery is showing signs of struggle, but this past week was a full moon and a lot of fish were spawning on the lower shore rivers.

[DOGFISH]

Hey, lets catch them all. Then we won't have to worry, which fish have eggs or not. Sorry, the devil made me say that.

Just seems odd to talk about inconsistent fishing, while keeping the spawning fish.

[ronaultmtd]

Yep- totally agree- felt really bad when I cleaned my striper the other night- won't do that again...and the commercial fishermen probably feel the same way when they pull them out of their pound nets and gill nets- by the hundreds...

Same story out west- Oregon gill netters started the salmon harvest the Monday after we fished the weekend and caught our chinooks- we had to use barbless hooks and had to release a big native salmon, but the following week the gill nets were allowed to commercial fish the same waters we fished- twisted logic there-

[DOGFISH]

I must agree. If stripers had gamefish status, it would draw many more dollars to the state, in boat, tackle and charter dollars.

[Yak Fish]

At least the flats are consistently not consistent. I am only minutes from the flats...Every time I finish fishing the flats I tell myself I am done for the season. Too much work for too little fish. But every time I am mysteriously drawn back for the rockfish "day of my life".

Sparky, unfortunately you haven't had the yak out there when it's awesome...last season we were catching them in the 20-30" every 10 minutes.

[camelbird]

Hey, lets catch them all. Then we won't have to worry, which fish have eggs or not. Sorry, the devil made me say that.

Just seems odd to talk about inconsistent fishing, while keeping the spawning fish.

I've always been confused about this... I've seen a plethora of pictures showcasing female stripers caught with egg stuffed bellies, only to make it to the frying pan