Breaking News
Loading...
dimanche 5 février 2017

Info Post
By Pamela Ellis


Ever since colonial days, people have been overawed by the abundance and diversity of game in the New World. However, some things stand out. Catching striped bass has proved so enthralling that this species has been moved across the country and into another ocean. The East Coast no linger has the monopoly on this superb sport fish.

The first European settlers found America's waters teeming with large silvery fish that made wonderful eating. Also known as rockfish, they are now the state fish of seven east coast states. Spending most of their lives in the Atlantic, these powerful swimmers swim into bays and rivers to spawn. They have been successfully introduced to the San Francisco area of the Pacific as well as to many freshwater rivers and lakes.

In some areas where the species has been stocked, the fish now live all their lives in freshwater. Fisherman catch them in Lake Powell and the Colorado River. The stripers died out in some areas, like the St. Lawrence River in Canada, but have been successively re-introduced.

The 'striper' is a strong swimmer and moves around so much that it can be tricky to catch. It might be found forty feet down on a shallow ocean shelf or in a shallow wetlands. It can be huge; the biggest recorded striper weighed one hundred and twenty-four pounds and was over five and a half feet long. The record catch using a rod and reel is an eighty-nine pounder caught in Long Island Sound. The previous record was set using an artificial lure; that Atlantic Beach specimen was caught in the surf and weighed seventy-eight and a half pounds.

There is no lack of tips on catching these fish. Online recommendations include using a fish-finder, since the bass are always on the move. You can also watch for flocks of seabirds that feed on the bait fish that the bass chase to the surface.

It seems that live eels are one of the best bait, although many different ones work. Recommendations include clams, sandworms, bloodworms, mackerel, shad, and herring. Rockfish will take dead bait but it has to be fresh. Artificial lures work well; check out the tips on how to move them through the water. Trolling from a boat is a traditional way to catch big ones.

Bass feed most aggressively at dawn and again at dusk. They prefer cool water, from 45 degrees Fahrenheit to 65. On warmer days, they will go as deep as forty feet but can be found a foot or two below the surface on cool evenings. They like moving water, which stirs up the sediment that bait fish feed on. Look for them in areas with strong currents, at the mouths of creeks and rivers, and when a strong breeze is blowing.

A strong striper cam put up a twenty minute fight. The average fish caught on a hook designed to discourage smaller ones is from 8 to 40 pounds. Since the fish have firm, white flesh that is mild but flavorful, every region has its own ways to cook it. All are delicious.

Call it the Atlantic Bass, the rockfish, the striper, or the striped bass. This is one of the most popular sport fish and now can be found across the nation. It's definitely worth learning how to catch this one.




About the Author:



0 commentaires:

Enregistrer un commentaire