Stripers here Stripers there Stripers everywhere

[DBM]

Got back yesterday from a Bachelors party for my brother that we threw for him on a charter boat out of Solomons Island MD.

We were on a awesome 50' boat that was perfectly set up. We started with 16 lines out, and we running on avereage 8-10 lines in the water. Having never been on a charter trip and only fishing on my own and friends boat's, where we run 4-6 lines, 16 was striaght up awe inspireing.
We limited out in 3 hours and that was with 12 guys on the boat and with us throwing back the 30"-35" fish. Our biggist fish was 45" and 40lbs.

What a great time. It would take me about 3 years to catch that many fish on my rig.

Fair Seas, and fish dreams,

DBM

[AQUAHOLIC]

And how many were BIG FAT COWS, with THOUSANDS of eggs?

[grreatdog]

Limited out on the Maryland Chesapeake Bay means you can keep one striped bass per person and it must be over 28". So it isn't like they filled the boat up with fish. And my understanding is that most of them are in the mid bay right now because they are returning from spawning.

I am certainly going to give it a try this weekend when I finally splash the boat. My shakedown run will be straight out of the South River for some trolling between Thomas Point and Bloody Point. If manage to hook a keeper on one of my little ol' Peen 209's it should be some fun.

[AQUAHOLIC]

Wasn't a flame. Just wondering if most of the fish were females that already spawned or getting ready to spawn. Personally, I would throw a spawning female back. Just like with togs right now. The really fat ones are spawning females.

Throw them back, and catch the younguns in a couple of years :wink:

Sean

[Severnman]

A 31" striper that I took last week had IMMATURE roe in it's belly. Kinda surprised me since the spawn should be in it's later phases. Mike