Trophy Striper at Bullfrog

[wayne gustaveson]

The striper weighed in unofficially at 29.1 lbs. It was measured at 39 1/2 inches, with a girth of 27 inches. The fish was caught on a 4 inch Berkley Smelt by Dan Miller of Paonia, CO. The striper was caught on May 6th, 2017.

If anyone has more details lets add them here. Its a great fish. We have been overdue since the last trophy was caught. There is still the 48 pound lake record that needs to be broken

 

[TheMarinator]

Nice !!!!!!

 

[birdsnest]

I am heading to Powell on the 11th and after seeing that striper I'm ready to leave right this minute. What a beauty.

 

[Scott]

Here it is from another angle.

 

[birdsnest]

Showing that fish from a different angle is like different angles of a victoria's secret model.

 

[linnell]

The striper weighed in unofficially at 29.1 lbs. It was measured at 39 1/2 inches, with a girth of 27 inches. The fish was caught on a 4 inch Berkley Smelt by Dan Miller of Paonia, CO. The striper was caught on May 6th, 2017.

If anyone has more details lets add them here. Its a great fish. We have been overdue since the last trophy was caught. There is still the 48 pound lake record that needs to be brokenView attachment 489

He said it took 40 minutes to bring it in.

 

[Ryan]

That is an awesome fish!

 

[wayne gustaveson]

Here it is from another angle.

Scott and Linell - how about some more information? Where was it caught and how. Fishing with Berkeley bait for stripers on Moki Wall? Inquisitive minds want to know.

 

[Squirrel]

That is an awesome fish!

Ryan, were you at Bullfrog last week skiing?? Sq

 

[linnell]

Scott and Linell - how about some more information? Where was it caught and how. Fishing with Berkeley bait for stripers on Moki Wall? Inquisitive minds want to know.

I know roughly where, but you know what would happen.

 

[Desert Mountain Angler]

Are fish that size primarily females? May is the best time to catch a trophy...is that because females seek shallower water to spawn?

Scott and Linell - how about some more information? Where was it caught and how. Fishing with Berkeley bait for stripers on Moki Wall? Inquisitive minds want to know.

 

[Ryan]

Ryan, were you at Bullfrog last week skiing?? Sq

We haven't been since the weekend of 4/21. Planning (hoping) to go back next weekend on a fishing trip with the Lund.

 

[huntnbum]

What a dandy!
I hope we can find some down at the south end in a couple weeks.

 

[Nomofish]

Are fish that size primarily females? May is the best time to catch a trophy...is that because females seek shallower water to spawn?

Stripers spawn in open water. I don't think they go too shallow.

 

[Desert Mountain Angler]

Sorry Nomo, I was vague in my question:

My thought process was that 'trophy' size stripers live at deeper depths to conserve energy by not competing with younger, faster fish for forage (among other reasons). When females release their eggs, unfertilized float and fertilized eggs sink. Due to the oxygen content required for normal development, around 30 feet seems to be the magic number, I would assume females would seek out shallower depths to release their eggs to increase their odds of egg survival. Thus, making them more likely to catch during the spawn.

Stripers spawn in open water. I don't think they go too shallow.

 

[Chet Garling]

the water temp in the spring allows the bigger fish to stay in shallow water longer. Nice looking fish, congrats.

 

[Nomofish]

Sorry Nomo, I was vague in my question:

My thought process was that 'trophy' size stripers live at deeper depths to conserve energy by not competing with younger, faster fish for forage (among other reasons). When females release their eggs, unfertilized float and fertilized eggs sink. Due to the oxygen content required for normal development, around 30 feet seems to be the magic number, I would assume females would seek out shallower depths to release their eggs to increase their odds of egg survival. Thus, making them more likely to catch during the spawn.

I think Wayne would know more than me. I just repeat what I've heard. I know some toads have been caught in winter months.

 

[Scott]

I wasn't with Dan when this fish was caught, but I think it was in the open water near the Halls Crossing buoy field on a gulp minnow with 4lb test line (yes, you read that right, 4 lb test fluoro carbon line).

 

[wayne gustaveson]

Trophy stripers like 64 degrees as their preferred temperature. Right now they can go anywhere and feed on anything they encounter. That makes them a bit more vulnerable to anglers now. As the water warms on the surface stripers go deeper to find the 64 degree range.

Plus mature stripers spawn at night. Mature spawners will hang out on reefs and coves and be mostly dormant during the daylight and then become really aggressive after dark. The spawning trigger is a rapid increase in water temperature during the day that leads to spawning at night. Males are ready to spawn the first week of April. Females wait until mid May or even early June to spawn.

Stripers now caught at the dam are not in spawning condition due to inadequate food last fall and winter. They are hungry and respond to bait and chum.

Trophy stripers are most often caught on trolled or cast shad imitating lures.

There are millions of stripers in the lake, but only a handful of them grow larger than 4 pounds. Stripers larger than 10 pounds are uncommon and perhaps number only 100 in the whole lake. Those larger than 20 pounds are probably less then 50.

 

[Ryan]

There are millions of stripers in the lake, but only a handful of them grow larger than 4 pounds. Stripers larger than 10 pounds are uncommon and perhaps number only 100 in the whole lake. Those larger than 20 pounds are probably less then 50.

With this in mind, do you recommend catch and release for the bigger fish?