Norman at nite 1/22/09

[TreednNC]

Set out around 9:00 in route to our favorite night time haunt, in search for stripers. Bait of choice would be a 3" Tsunami black back paddle tail or split tail in same color. Got to our illuminated destination and made about 10 casts each and NOTHING. 99% of the time, we catch a fish on our 1st or 2nd cast. Oh well, must not be here. Well I brought along the 5'6 St Croix 1/32-3/16oz rod with 4lb smoke green fireline and tossed a handtied pink head, yellow chenille, pink body jig....nothing, doesnt show up under the light well, as the water was almost chocolate. Hmmm need to go darker to set it off against the light. Having caught 14"+ crappie here before on striper gear, I was hoping to track one down with crappie gear, the normal way. So on goes a pink head, black chenille, blue kiptail jig I tie, first cast, goes to the bottom, as thats usually where we catch our fish at here, and line goes sideways....dang chocolate water must have some current to it. Pick it up, feel rod bowing over, set the hook, couple minutes later a nice fat 22" striper. Netted it, put it in the livewell, not another fish for the remainder of the 10min or so extra we stayed. Will have pics later. Fun way to break in a little rod like that. Pic to follow later this AM.

On a side note...whats the deal with the maggot like larvae looking things. I read an article once on them in stripers, but can't remember anything about them. This one was eat up with them. Assuming the fish is still OK to eat?

[TreednNC]

[ncnat]

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/virgi...thwestern.html

[pete]

gill maggots. they are fine to eat. chances are if that fish is ate up with em, it would probably die this summer.

[TreednNC]

I figured it was fine, it's on ice at the house. I know there are very few things that make a fish not edible, as far as parasites. Thanks.

[TreednNC]

Nat, not those. These are just maggot looking things. Look exactly like maggots, in the mouth and the gills. That nasty creme colored maggot look.

[Perch Jerker35]

I'm on the school computer right now, so I cant see the pic. And my comp at home is busted. Durn Motherboard blew up... Nice Catch anyhow.

[pete]

its been a long while since i last hooked into a striper on crappie gear.....fun stuff!

[TreednNC]

Yep. Ive caughter bigger on less, but this is the biggest on the littlest most recently. A couple catfish and a carp come to mind on lighter equipment in the past.

[Rookie12]

gill maggots. they are fine to eat.

I prefer to eat the striper and throw the gill maggots out with the guts myself. Whatever gets you goin' Pete