ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, October 14, 1996 TAG: 9610150072
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
Anglers should be able to hook up with some hefty striped bass when Virginia's tidal rockfish season opens Thursday, but success is going to depend on the weather.
``We are going to have a lot of fish,'' said Hank Norton, the former Ferrum College football coach who is a fishing guide on the Chesapeake Bay out of Deltaville. ``The big question is the weather. The weather has been brutal this year - front after front.''
During a typical bay season, stripers begin to school in earnest about Nov.1, but that may occur earlier this year, Norton said. The water temperature has been dropping rapidly and is now in the mid-60s.
Thanksgiving week typically sees the peak of the fishing for anglers who troll, an activity that Norton says bores him. He specializes in fly-fishing and light-spinning tackle.
``For fly-fishing, I would predict the last week of October and the first couple of weeks of November will be best,'' Norton said. ``You can look out and see them on the surface by the thousands.''
Fish caught on fly and spinning tackle usually run smaller than those hooked by trollers, but on light tackle a 20-inch can give you an arm-aching fight.
``Last year the bigger fish were caught in December,'' Norton said. ``I am talking about fish that weighed 40 pounds.''
The season continues through Dec.31, with much of the late-season success found at the mouth of the bay along the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
Fly and light-tackle anglers should benefit from the outstanding striper hatch of 1993, Norton said. Many fish in that year should be reaching the 18-inch minimum size this fall and early winter.
The striper fishing has the potential to become even better in the future. The 1996 hatch exceeded the boom year of 1993 and is recorded as one of the best in decades, marine biologists said.
This year's juvenile index for stripers in Virginia was 23.05. That means that every time a state biologist cast a net into traditional spawning runs during the spring and summer, an average of 23 youngsters was snared. The previous index high was 18.1, in 1993. The 29-year average is 5.5. Maryland also reported a boom hatch this year, which will contribute to the fishery in Virginia. Maryland's season opened Sept.14 and continues through Dec.15. Many Virginia boats now are trolling in Maryland water.
In 1989 and '90, striper stocks reached such a low level that a ban was enforced on fishing for the species in Virginia. Biologists are elated over the big hatches of 1993 and 1996, but warn anglers not to read too much into them. Hatches in 1994 and '95 were weak.
LENGTH: Medium: 53 linesby CNB