stripers on the D?

[flyin]

from rec.outdoors.fishing.fly: thought it might interest some here, and wondered if there were any comments:

"Last weekend I was on the Upper Delaware trout fishing... I hooked
onto a nice 16"+ trout below the Hancock Bridge. As I was brought it
within 10 feet of me, a HUGE, at least 40 inch (fat, no idea what
weight) striped bass took the trout off my line.

Later that day down near the Calicoon Bridge, I was landing a similar
Rainbow. I felt a tug and the trout jumped 5 feet out of the water...
it ran into shore and right into my net. As I landed it in a still
pool, I looked and saw a another very large Striped Bass. It seemed
to be waiting for me to release it!! I had to take the trout up to
the rapids to safely let it go.

Two weeks ago, my dad was fishing for walleye in Narrowsburg. He was
fighting a nice walleye, when suddenly it started jumping out of the
water like a trout.... walleye are like white men, they don't jump.
Anyway, I striped bass took it off his line. I didn''t think much
about it because it was so far south of the trout waters... I've been
fishing the Upper Delaware for 30+ years and never saw one before.

Do the Stipers spawn in the Delaware?? Are they there year round???
Does a hungry 40+ lb. fish eat a lot???

Is there an ichthyologist in the house?


Laz
lazarus_1@hotmail.com"

 

[flyin]

btw, this could be a bunch of hooey, but wondered if *any* of you knew about this.

 

[HydeLowRider]

Yeah,

This has been common local knowledge for a while in the Hancock area. Actually, I remember hearing that the River Essentials (local flyshop that was open in Shehawken, Pa.) owner's son hooked and landed a striper in that size last season near the Bards Parker region (merging of the Delaware West Branch and the Delaware East Branch region).

I have also seen these fish swimming around in this area last season and the season before in the same size range. They were just cruising around in the still side water channel having a great time.

 

[dwing]

Last fall I was at Buckingham access & watched 5 or 6 BIG fish cruise & dart around together in a school. They appeared really big & they made real quick darts every once in awhile. What would these have been???

 

[HydeLowRider]

dwing,

They could have been Shad. However, if they were in the 30"+ range -- could have been Stripers as well.

The Shad dart around like that and also school up as well.

 

[NJFred]

They're up there no doubt. They've made an amazing recovery ocean side and are simply returning to their old haunts. Many probably chase the shad upriver and decide that trout are pretty tasty as well.

 

[Future Fanatic]

Is it time for me to give up on the trout for a while, and break out a surf pole and a few 9" floating plugs!? What a photo that would be for the site, huh Dennis? A 30" Striper with the Hancock "skyline"?!

 

[tommye]

Is it time for me to give up on the trout for a while, and break out a surf pole and a few 9" floating plugs!?

Hell, I'm gonna bring my 9wt. Where should I meet ya

 

[Future Fanatic]

I can't seem to let this one go... The thought of these monsters lurking in the Delaware near Hancock... it's like Salmon in Pulaski. Joe T., with all of your time on the Delaware, have you had any Striper experiences lately? Dennis, ask around this weekend... the PROS would know wouldn't they?
Tommye, make sure you have a lot of backing!

 

[flyin]

FF, no problem. Just catch a trout, then have a rod with 17 lb test, 36" 50lb leader, 7/0 circle hook. Take caught trout, hook on back just in front of dorsal fin. Then release. Free spool into slower water and wait.

When your rod almost gets jerked out of your hand, free spool again, then slowly lift up, then pull back behind you like you're trying to tow a VW off the bottom.

-- Rob

 

[Future Fanatic]

FF, no problem. Just catch a trout, ....

-- Rob

Let's not complicate matters with the whole "just catch a trout" thing. This is the Delaware, right, NJFRED? I just need some confirmation as to when they arrive, how long they stay and how far up they swim.
I used to fish for them in Jersey. It seems counter intuitive that they would now be in my "backyard" 120 or so road miles from the nearest ocean.

 

[Eagle Claw]

About eight years ago I saw a guy with a nine weight rod fishing where the mongap comes into the Del when he connected with a striper. I started talking with him and he said that he catches a lot of them and had caught one the night before. He was using a very large dry fly, I would say a 6 or 8 size. He also said that he does best at dusk to dark.
This was in late summer. He told me that they have been more numerous in recent years and that was eight years ago.

 

[NJFred]

Future...I think folks said there was a striper in the DRC home pool last year or the year before on the WBD. Most often I hear of them in Junction Pool. Also, I think it's possible that there is a year round population in the Delaware.

 

[Future Fanatic]

Fred(or others),
Is there any concern about trout populations in the Delaware (or other species for that matter) due to the Stripers? I believe that with the regulations that were enacted during the eighties (and on) when the Stripers were far and few between, the Stripers have rebounded in a huge way. I believe I remember reading that there were an estimated 6 million between Virginia and Maine in the mid eighties and recently they estimated that there were over 40 million. The belief was that these fish should now be utilizing their former spawning rivers, one being the Delaware. Are there any history buffs on this board that might be aware of the Striped bass' history in relation to the Delaware? I would think that due to Cannonsville and Pepacton, they may be able to move further up the River than they had previously. Who knows though given the wide variations in flows that we have seen in years past. Thanks in advance for any thoughts or facts!

 

[NJFred]

Future... There is some concern regarding trout populations. However, I don't believe there are any studies which have documented the up river striper population or their impact. You would think that if there were alot more around some of us on this board would have encountered them after hooking a fish on the Mainstem or lower WBD. I have neither seen them myself nor had one snatch a trout from my line.

 

[Dave B.]

3 summers ago I watched a guy lose a hooked brown to a striper in the pool in front of the boat ramp at Shehawken. First encountered them myself at Mongaup in the summer of '93. Spoke to DEC at New Paltz in '94 and was told they were aware of them as far up as Hancock since '92. Year round pop? Hell yes! And spawning quite successfully too! Hopefully the propsed flow regime for the WBD that DRF is battling for will kep them out of the west branch at least as they settle for more comfortable temps and an adequate food source in the mainstem. Time will tell. That and some cooperation from the NYC DEP! But that's another story.

 

[bjmiller]

I have been seeing Stripers on the Main Delaware for a lot of years now. Caught one about 5lbs right in the seam where the WB meets the EB about 4 years ago. I think when the Chesapeake had their numbers dwindle big time, very few were around to come up through Delaware Bay. Now that the fishery restoration has occurred, we're seeing what was there in the past. I'm sure these fish will eat trout when they have the chance, but like anything else, they will probably target easier species, like chubs and suckers. The attacked the trout and walleye because they were in distress. The Stripers follow the Shad up the river and I believe the large majority go back to their winter haunts in late Fall as I have not seen any past early October. Also, the farther you go downstream from Hancock, the more you'll encounter.

Bruce