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<br />fishery. <br />The pelagic nature of striped bass added to the <br />unpredictability of angling for the species. Shad were pursued <br />in open water at random locations making striped bass schools <br />difficult to locate unless shad were chased to the surface <br />creating a surface disturbance or "boil". When striped bass fed <br />deep the use of fish finding graphs enhanced angler interaction <br />with feeding fish. Resting striped bass schools could be <br />detected with the graph and fish stimulated into feeding <br />activity. Presentation of bait at the exact depth of the resting <br />school often induced feeding. Feeding by one fish could get the <br />entire school "started". Chumming was extremely effective in <br />starting feeding activity within a dormant school and has been <br />legalized in Lake Powell to increase harvest of the abundant <br />striped bass population. Only dead anchovies may be used while <br />chumming. cut pieces of bait were broadcast around the boat. As <br />the bait settled, the resting school was aroused and took all <br />baits in the immediate vicinity for about a few minutes. <br />Chumming was an active part of striped bass fiShing. No <br />immediate response meant that there were no agreeable striped <br />bass in the area and the angler had to move to a different <br />location to find an active school. <br />Striped bass were fairly inactive during winter and early <br />spring until initial warming caused movement to prespawn staging <br />areas. Anglers finding a staging area often caught high numbers <br />of striped bass on cut bait and lures on a recurring basis until <br />the fish left the staging area to spawn. These staging areas were <br />occupied for as long as 3 months in some years. <br />Both sexes of striped bass will eat while in spawning <br />condition. Spawning congregations could be located with graph <br />recorders, by visual observation of surface disturbance and/or by <br />trolling or casting lures over holding areas. Whether the <br />response was due to aggression or feeding activity is unknown. <br />Most angling success for spawning fish is achieved after dark and <br />in fairly shallow water. <br /> <br />37 <br />