Save A Striper

The Striped Bass is a wonderful fish, great to catch and great to eat. Found in the ocean and throughout the Bay/Delta waterways, the striped bass has not received the protection and conservation attention of other species such as trout. Although the Striped Bass is a strong fighter, it is a fragile fish just as trout are fragile. As anglers, it is up to us to recognize that the Striped Bass is a resource, and every Striped Bass angler can take positive steps to protect and conserve this resource.

CSBA members have hundreds of years of accumulated Striped Bass angling experience. They have provided the following tips to help you conserve and protect the species while enjoying the great sport the Striped Bass provides.

Tackle selection

Hook size – Use larger sizes from 6/0 to 9/0 octopus, kahle, or circle style.
Go barbless – Easier to remove. Also good if a sturgeon is hooked.
Use Bait Buttons, Miracle Thread, snell egg loop or half hitch to keep bait on barbless hook.
Line size and type – Use 15-25# monofilament. Use colored line for better bite detection.

Fish handling – Use a Boca style gripper.

Hold the fish by the lower jaw.
Release non-keeper fish without removing from the water when possible
Do not touch the body of the fish.
Control landed fish. Do not allow fish to thrash around the boat

Hook removal – Use extended needle nose pliers or forceps.

Go in through or under the gills rather than through the mouth if deep hooked.
Turn the barbless hook and it will remove easily.
Be careful not to damage the gills.

Preserve your catch – Place caught fish on ice immediately. Bleed kept fish by snipping the gills with scissors or side cutter. This prevents growth of bacteria which can affect the taste of the fish.

If you would like to like to meet with other striper anglers and also support activities to preserve the California Delta, the home of the Striped Bass, you can join CSBA. Go to MEMBERSHIP

California Striped Bass Association
West Delta Chapter
P.O.Box 2691
Antioch, California 94531-2691