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This is my assessment of the Brazos river striper fishery below Whitney dam and my journey into the practice of catch and release. My theory and knowledge ive gained from fishing and living in this area since 2009 . This is what I have learned from talking to a few biologists I meet below the dam and the local people I have talked too. From March of 2012 till May of 2015 no water and no fish have came through the gates of the Lake Whitney dam.To clarify the gates are at the top of the dam wall. The turbines do run water out from the bottom of the lake but the fish that come through there are injured and usually become fish food. .But not since the lake was 5 feet high back in the spring of 2012 the gates have not been opened . And when this happens the striped bass and white bass are heavily stocked in the river and you can observe them schooling below the dam eating shad. But from what I have seen and observed there is very few white bass in the river now. Back in 2012 you could catch lots of them up and down the river . I haven't caught one since the fall of that year but white bass are still there and they do reproduce . But this has all changed since we got tons of rain in May of 2015.
Water and fish came through the top gates of the dam . And it's been restocked with Stripers and sandies. There is tons of smaller Stripers and there fiesty. Here is a double Striper hookup on a 5 inch topwater lure . Lots of fun 😀
Do Stripers Reproduce In the Brazos River ???? The stripers I have caught are 24 inches or bigger , nothing smaller than that . Another reason to think that stripers don't reproduce below Whitney . The biologists confirm this .And there is only one lake or river were stripers reproduce in Texas . Its the Red River at Lake Texoma. But back to Whitney. Its 40 miles from Whitney dam to the Lake Brazos dam in Waco. There is a river expert that belives they have reproduced below Whitney in seasons of heavy rainful in the spring . This angler has been on this river for over 20 years and said the years he belives they have reproduced was in 1992 and 1997. Biologist say they cant , they need hundreds of miles of flowing water to spawn there eggs. The only way they get stocked in the Brazos is if they come over the dam when the gates are open .And the only species that the TPWD stock below the dam is Smallmouth Bass. People have told me they come through the turbines but I don't belive that . Because the river would still produce catches of smaller ones in the 16 to 20 inch range and it hasn't .And these smaller ones haven't been caught in years . Stripers are caught in rare numbers now and they all are 23 inches and bigger. The 3 biggest ones ive caught are from 34 inches to 37 inches . In spring 2013 several people caught and released one that was 40inches. In the fall of 2013 , I belive this striper was killed by a bow fisherman. I know a kayaker that found him died and he had an arrow in him .He hasn't been caught since . A heavy rain that fills the lake would change this and restock the river.
The Rise of Largemouth Bass fishery .
Because of the drought and the lack of stripers the largemouth bass have grown big and have less different species to contend with for food. The catch of a 5lb largemouth is very common and a few 10lb bass were caught this year -25 inches or more .
Because striped bass are a rare catch , most people keep them to take home to show friends . That's probably why they get fished out of the river in a few years . In years past I saw people taking home there limit of them . Because of this I practice catch and release now and try to keep the river stocked . Ive observed Striper deaths if they are not released soon after the catch . They must be returned within a few minutes. So if your taking pictures. Make Haste !!!Thanks and keep our Texas fisheries healthy.
Do Stripers Reproduce In the Brazos River ???? The stripers I have caught are 24 inches or bigger , nothing smaller than that . Another reason to think that stripers don't reproduce below Whitney . The biologists confirm this .And there is only one lake or river were stripers reproduce in Texas . Its the Red River at Lake Texoma. But back to Whitney. Its 40 miles from Whitney dam to the Lake Brazos dam in Waco. There is a river expert that belives they have reproduced below Whitney in seasons of heavy rainful in the spring . This angler has been on this river for over 20 years and said the years he belives they have reproduced was in 1992 and 1997. Biologist say they cant , they need hundreds of miles of flowing water to spawn there eggs. The only way they get stocked in the Brazos is if they come over the dam when the gates are open .And the only species that the TPWD stock below the dam is Smallmouth Bass. People have told me they come through the turbines but I don't belive that . Because the river would still produce catches of smaller ones in the 16 to 20 inch range and it hasn't .And these smaller ones haven't been caught in years . Stripers are caught in rare numbers now and they all are 23 inches and bigger. The 3 biggest ones ive caught are from 34 inches to 37 inches . In spring 2013 several people caught and released one that was 40inches. In the fall of 2013 , I belive this striper was killed by a bow fisherman. I know a kayaker that found him died and he had an arrow in him .He hasn't been caught since . A heavy rain that fills the lake would change this and restock the river.
The Rise of Largemouth Bass fishery .
Because of the drought and the lack of stripers the largemouth bass have grown big and have less different species to contend with for food. The catch of a 5lb largemouth is very common and a few 10lb bass were caught this year -25 inches or more .
Because striped bass are a rare catch , most people keep them to take home to show friends . That's probably why they get fished out of the river in a few years . In years past I saw people taking home there limit of them . Because of this I practice catch and release now and try to keep the river stocked . Ive observed Striper deaths if they are not released soon after the catch . They must be returned within a few minutes. So if your taking pictures. Make Haste !!!Thanks and keep our Texas fisheries healthy.
