Summer Striper C&R=High Death Rates

TroyBoy30 said:

my guess is about as good as yours. neither of us have a clue.

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mtr3333 said:

Now that you say that, I just remembered. It wasn't the fight. It was the extended photo session after the fight most definitely. Case closed.

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Lake_and_stream said:

So did we figure this out?

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Mikemad said:

Sounds like a great show! Will more then summer time C/R mortality be discussed? I would like to hear their opinions on increasing recruitment. Getting more of the fish that are stocked to survive to a catchable size is a very important issue, at least to me. Be sure to let us know when it's going to air.

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MORRISTOWN, Tenn. --- The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will continue its closed fishing zone for the protection of striped bass after a study showed the fish still concentrate in the area above Cherokee Dam during the summer months. The closure will be effect from July 15 through Sept. 15.

Last August, studies were conducted on striped bass use of a portion of Cherokee Lake that has been closed over the past decade to fishing from a boat during summer months.

In order to protect Cherokee Lake’s striped bass, TWRA enacted a 1,100 acre closed fishing zone adjacent to the dam in 2001. The zone is closed to fishing from boats from July 15 through September 15.

The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) began using an oxygen diffuser system just upstream of Cherokee Dam in the mid-90’s to improve dissolved oxygen levels in their tailwater releases. This system also created an ideal summer refuge for striped bass and by 2000, enough anglers had discovered the refuge that mortality due to catch and release fishing became an issue.

TVA installed a new diffuser system in 2005 and TWRA’s striped bass stocking strategy has been changed significantly in recent years. In response to these changes, TWRA biologists, with the help of local anglers, re-evaluated the zone during August 2010. The TWRA needed to determine the extent to which the refuge was being utilized by striped bass and how to best manage the refuge in the future.

“The study showed that striped bass were still using the refuge area,” said Bobby Wilson, TWRA’s chief of fisheries. “The fish were heavily concentrated in the area and catch and release during the summer months would continue to cause high mortality on the striped bass.”

Unless there are developments that change the refuge area, the summer closure will continue each year.

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jighead1 said:

Lanier record was caught last year or so, I think 48 Lbs. Not to sound bad but if all lived I think we would not have nothing but those eating machines. I put a 21# 12 OZ 36" ON THE WALL YEARS AGO AND TODAY I WOULD NOT WAST MY MONEY THEY ARE LOTS OF HUGE FISH HERE. iN fLA. IT AIN,T WORTH GOING FISHING YOU CAN,T KEEP ENOUGH FISH TO FEED YOUR FAMIALY, CAPTINS ARE LOSEING BOATS THE KNOW IT ALLS DON'T KNOW IT ALL TALK TO ANY CAPTAIN AND THEY WILL SAYS MORE RED SNAPPER NOW THAN EVER.LIMITS ON BEELINERS, TRIGGERFISH WHAT NEXT. JUST TAKE A TRIP AND FEED THE FISH.SORRY FOR THE VENT,WE HAVE THE BEST STRIPER AND SPOTTED BASS LAKE IN THE COUNTRY AND DNR SAID BLUEBACKS WOULD RUINE THE LAKE, YEARS AGO I WOULD FISH TOURNMENTS AND 5 FISH AT 9-10LBS WOULD WIN NOW IF YOU AIN'T GOT 17-18 LBS DON'T BOTHER.FISHED A BOATING ATLANTA TOURNMENT BUDDY HAD 5 SPOTS 25# IN WINTER TIME, THATS SOME BIG FISH.STRIPERS ARE THE ONLY FISH STOCKED IN LANIER AND THE REST IS UP TO US AND NATURE AND WE ARE DOING A FINE JOB.Don't want to tick anyone off but it is the truth. I hate to say it but when they were first put in here bassfishermen would split them or toss them on the bank, and back then you just as well keep the fish beacuse they had to ajust to our waterand they would float. I had one bigger than my 21#12 ox fish and my buddy went to net him and said he won't fit in the net, he knocked my spook off and fish was gone I stayed in that area for 30 mins. hopeing he would die but no such luck, lots bigger than the one I mounted

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sinclair1 said:

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LOST ON LANIER said:

For what its worth I think the original point the poster was trying to make was that most people don't realize how likely it is that a fish caught in deep water during the summer is going to die. Maybe they'll think about it now, maybe they won't. As long as the DNR keeps dumping them in there will always be fish to catch. I personally would love to see how Lanier would fish after a few years without the summer pressure. I think it would be substantially better, especially if you're in it for big fish. Fishing downlines and leadcore are effective, but I enjoy catching them in shallow water on lighter tackle during cooler weather much more. The same fish being caught multiple times seems like everyone getting more bang for their buck to me. It takes a long time for a truly big fish to get that way.

Here's a few pictures of a large striper I found on Allatoona today cruising around. It had been recently caught (hook marks), had a full air bladder and couldn't stay down. After it made a few trips down and popped back up, I jumped in and noodled it out. I'd be interested to know who caught it this morning, it was an amazing fish for the ole' dead sea. 23lbs. I also saw quite a few dead hybrids washed up on the banks the last two days. Just makes you wonder if people could take the quality of fishing for the rest of the year in their own hands by cutting the fish some slack for the worst part of the summer. That 10 lb fish you winched in on lead core this summer could be a 30lb beast that slams your flatline on a cool morning in a few years, which would you rather have? Just something to think about.

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BradMyers said:

Yep and I'll have a new one up next year with more facts for the nay-sayers to ridicule in the name of self justification.

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