Attn: CSMarine

Joeseminole18 · Post by **Joeseminole18** » January 20th, 2004, 6:06 pm

I got directions from mapquest and it seems that its nowhere near the gulf, so I'm assuming that I'll need a freshwater license to fish?

Also, since its apparently fresh water, I'm going to also assume that the mullet everyone is using is chunked and maybe 3-wayed off the bottom?

Thanks for the help, I might check it out next Tuesday, dont have class till 6:45 at night.

Post by **CSMarine** » January 21st, 2004, 8:36 am

It is about 3-4 miles up-river from St. Marks. You can fish all the way to the fence across the St. Marks above hwy. 98 with a salt water license. That is if your targeting salt water fish. The stripers are concidered a fresh water fish, so you do need a fresh water license. Most folks use dead finger Mullet just as you mentioned, off the bottom.
I would suggest talking to my Aunt at the bait shop at the hwy 98 bridge. She, or her husband will be glad to guide you in the best tactic for catching the big stripers. They also have the bait Mullet. Get them to show you the pictures of recent catches.
Good luck.

Post by **Sir reel** » January 21st, 2004, 10:02 am

CS that's something I've never considered before, that Stripers are considered a freshwater species in the river. I know there are areas where they are land locked in freshwater lakes where a freshwater license would be a no brainer. But in a river where they have access to saltwater I guess I figured they would be a saltwater species. I was under the impression that stripers are, generally speaking, a saltwater species that have been successfully introduced into freshwater in some areas, and have been crossed with white bass as well, but that may not be correct. They are a saltwater critter in many coastal areas and come into freshwater at times. How does one know when they are or are not a freshwater versus a saltwater fish for license purposes?

Post by **CSMarine** » January 21st, 2004, 11:17 am

Sir, they are always concidered a fresh water species, no matter where you catch them in Florida waters. If you catch one 10 miles off shore, you would need a freshwater license to keep it. Just as you would need a saltwater license if you caught Grouper in Lake Jackson.
You are somewhat right about the mix of the White Bass and Striper. However, they dont mix the White with the Striper to make a fresh water tolerant Striper. They mix a Striper and a White to make a Hybrid Bass. They don't propagate, so they have to be restocked every year.

BTW, I know of a 21 pounder caught by an off duty Game Warden in Ochlocknee Bay about three weeks ago. Caught on a crank bait.

Littoral · Post by **Littoral** » January 21st, 2004, 12:41 pm

Interestin'

The topic is management and biology. In terms of biology I'd agree with everything CS said.
I'm not sure about the management details but if I caught a nice hybrid in saltwater I'd anticipate pleading some version of I didn't know. I spoke with a fisheries biologist who has done many years of collection in estuarine conditions and he has never collected a hybrid in salt water. That's his input. I know stripers breed in saltwater and white bass don't. I doubt that hybrids can handle much salinity so the one caught in the bay is a surprise. I believe it but I'd also appreciate more info on this myself.

Post by **Chalk** » January 21st, 2004, 1:34 pm

CSMarine wrote:propagate

I didn't know you had it in you

Post by **CSMarine** » January 21st, 2004, 1:44 pm

Thanks Lit. One thing about the Florida Stripers is that the female will only lay out in fresh water rivers. She is one of the few Bass that just lay out thousands of eggs in the river current and leaves them to their own. They have to free float in the current to get enough oxygen to live for two days before they hatch. Thats why they have to be stocked in "Land Locked" lakes. Most don't have enough current. Another factor is water temp. They hunt water from 60-70 degrees year round. Thats also a reason they move into some of the springs of the rivers in the summer.

Don't know about other areas of the country, only the Florida Stripers.

Post by **Sir reel** » January 21st, 2004, 4:24 pm

CS knows what heâ€™s talking about regarding the striper being a freshwater fish for license purposes.

In Florida's Freshwater General Regulations, the statewide bag length and limits are as follows:

20 Striped bass, white bass, and sunshine bass (individually or in total), of which only 6 may be 24 inches or longer in total length.

Nowâ€¦.being from Missouri, and being a creature of the ole â€œshow meâ€

Joeseminole18 · Post by **Joeseminole18** » January 21st, 2004, 4:36 pm

Wonderful, spend more money on a license, grrr.

I would have assumed that a striped bass would have been considered a saltwater fish, considering they're an anadromous species. All stripers, except the land-locked ones of course, live their life in saltwater and return to freshwater to spawn, much like a salmon. Up north in the spring, striped bass follow alewifes (river herring) into the rivers....though I'm not quite sure if they also spawn then, or just come up the river to eat the herring. I've caught plenty of stripers in the spring in CT, and dont recall ever seeing any eggs when I've cleaned them. Just to give you some sense of how far they travel they're routinely caught in Mass. out of the Connecticut River, all the way up and past the Holyoke dam, so a good few hundred miles.

I'll buy myself a license and see if I cant get down there next week and do some fishin. I highly doubt I'll catch anything as big as my current record holder, 41" 25.5lbs....crazy fish. Broke the damn net trying to get him into the boat last spring.

Whats the biggest they've caught down there?

Joeseminole18 · Post by **Joeseminole18** » January 21st, 2004, 4:39 pm

Sir, nice find. You posted that just before I did.

Quite frankly, I dont care what the State of Florida says in their regulation booklet, Striped Bass are a saltwater species everywhere else in the country.

Also, here's just a link to another message board up in CT, totally dedicated to Stripers.

http://www.ctriverstripers.com

Joeseminole18 · Post by **Joeseminole18** » January 21st, 2004, 4:43 pm

Just to add a pic....not me, just showing the size they get up there.

Post by **wevans** » January 21st, 2004, 4:58 pm

Dang, I hope he throwed that little ol thang back

"no wait, that's what a Texan would say"

Post by **CSMarine** » January 21st, 2004, 5:38 pm

Being a life long Marine and having too much pride to misled my fellow fishermen, I offer in defense a quote from Florida Fisheries site.

QUOTE:
Habitat - All Florida populations of striped bass are river dwellers rather than anadromous (normally living in salt or brackish waters, but entering freshwater streams to spawn). The species has been widely introduced in numerous lakes, rivers and impoundments throughout the world. Stripers prefer relatively clear water with a good supply of open-water baitfish. Their preferred water temperature range is 65 to 70 degrees.

Heres the site:
http://floridafisheries.com/fishes/stripers.html

I did make the point that I was talking about Florida Stripers only.
Been fishing the Gulf for 50 years and have never seen a Striper anywhere on the flats, or offshore. Wouldn't you think if they are a saltwater fish, someone would have caught one/saw one out there.

Joeseminole18 · Post by **Joeseminole18** » January 22nd, 2004, 1:38 pm

Still interesting. I'm surprised the Atlantic over by Jacksonville doesn't get cold enough in the winter/spring for them to venture out into the ocean....

Post by **CSMarine** » January 23rd, 2004, 8:50 am

Joe, I'm not sure that the water temp is the reason or not. Last summer, the water off Jacksonville got down to 52 degrees. That's lower than normal, but it's still stays colder than the Gulf.