Spring Break striper fishing

[dennishoddy]

Good fish. I'm hearing the hybrids are hitting good at Sooner.

I haven't caught a hybrid yet this year in the discharge. I fish at least three days a week there, sometimes before work, at lunch and after work. The smaller stripers are in there on occasion. We caught 4 at lunch today. About 1 3/4 lbs each. Only got a cell phone pic of two. They turned on for 5 minutes, and then quit. Its really spotty. We released all 4.

 

[Powerman620]

Did you see or hear how the shad are at the lake?

 

[dennishoddy]

The shad population sux. Problem is the Zebra mussles.
We had an ODW bioligist come in a couple of years ago, and explained this to us.
The main diet of zebra mussles is phyloplankton.
The main diet of zooplankton is phyloplankton.
The main diet of shad is zooplankton
The main diet of hybrids/stripers is shad.

The shad have little to eat, and the predators of the shad also have less food. We catch bass and stripers that should weigh 1/3 more than their length would be if they had sufficient food.
Bellies sunk in and really thin across the back.
Y'all need to do all you can do to prevent the spread of these mussles if you want your fishing to get better.
We can drop a 1/4" rope in the water, and within a week it will be covered with mussles. Kaw lake is the same way.

Back in the day, 18-19 lb hybrids were common. Now, a 5 lb is a trophy.
Stripers seem to be doing better with it though. Time will tell

 

[Powerman620]

I have caught several that looked like they were starving to death @ Texhoma in the past, a real shame.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Nice Stripers, and those are really good sand bass. Congrats

 

[WNM]

Did you see or hear how the shad are at the lake?

The threadfin shad population at Texoma right now is basically zero. Texas fisheries commission is looking at bringing some in. There are big gizzard shad up on the banks right now, but no threadfins = skinny striper.

The only good news is that they may hammer artificials this year.

 

[Oklahomabassin]

Dennis, that would a great perk for the job you have. Fishing before, lunch and after work in the OG&E restricted area.

 

[dennishoddy]

Dennis, that would a great perk for the job you have. Fishing before, lunch and after work in the OG&E restricted area.

It used to be great but has pretty much sucked the last three years. The fish are smaller, and not as many. Sooner held the state record for years with the hybrids, and its just not as good. Zebra mussles are the reason.
10 years ago you had to fight for a position at the discharge at noon with 10-15 employees down there, but now its just me or maybe one other guy. I'd just as soon toss a lure as listen to some of the pelosi around the plant. (pelosi= new cuss word)
I like to fish for black bass and its fair most of the time around the discharge. Pretty much everybody catches and releases the bass. Have weighed some 9+ pounders on digital scales. I did not catch the bigguns. Weighed for others. My biggest is just shy of 5 and was caught in a farm pond. My kids have caught bigger bass than me.