By Bill Cochran
Posted Sunday, October 3, 2004
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The time may be right for new regulations for striped bass fishing at Smith Mountain Lake. That’s the suggestion Dan Wilson, a Department of Game and Inland Fisheries biologist, has made to the Smith Mountain Striper Club. Some club members weren’t exactly happy with what they heard.
Wilson is kicking around the idea of a two-per day slot limit for cool weather months and a four-per day limit with no size restriction during warm weather months. There no longer would be a 20-inch minimum.
Surveys at Smith Mountain and elsewhere show mortality of striper released during warm weather months is as high as 80-90 percent. So why practice catch and release if the fish are going to die?
Wilson is advocating a regulation June through September where anglers would keep all the striper they catch up to four no matter the size then quit fishing.
During cold months, Oct. through May, the proposed regulation would be a two-per day 26- to 37-inch slot limit, meaning you could keep fish under 26 inches or over 37 inches, but nothing between.
Wilson said he was looking for ways to restore trophy striped bass at Smith Mountain Lake, where growth rates have declined and citation catches have dropped dramatically. Many fish have been lost to a parasite, but parasite numbers have declined, although they aren’t likely to disappear.
“We can continue doing the same thing and hope for the best or we can make some changes,” Wilson told club members.
Striper club members have been asked by Wilson to email their opinions about the proposals. His address is dan.wilson@dgif.virginia.gov.
The proposals would have to go through normal channels and it would be July 1, 2006 before any changes became law.
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