American River Striper Fishing!!

Finally seeing signs of the striper run on the American River. This vid is 3 days of striper fishing and finally getting my first keeper on the AR for 2024. Hope you enjoy the Vid. Waiting for the big mamas to come up.
#bfsfishing #stripedbassfishing fishing #bankfishing #americanriver

[@arsalmonar]

DWPS > "How ya' doin' there buddy?" FISH > "I dunno' I bumped my head on so many rocks... I can't think straight..."

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

Fair criticism. I'll do better.

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

Lower American River fishing regs - guys please make sure you check regs on the AR because there are a few and in different stretches. Heres a few that I know of 1. From Nimbus dam to the geological survey gauging station cable crossing (no fishing allowed). 2. From the gauging cable crossing to the SMUD power line crossing at the soutwest boundary of Ancili Hoffman Park (Open Jan 1st-Oct 31st, Salmon fishing July 16th-Octover 31st , only barbless hooks and this section is closed to all fishing from Nov 1st -December 31st) 3. From the SMUD power line at the soutwest buondary of Ancil Hoffman Park to the mouth (open all year to all species except salmon). The link to this information is keepcalmandflyfish.com/2016/10/ca-dfg-fishing-regulations-feather_29.html if you want additional information. I think there is also a reg on jig and trebble hook size allowed for salmon but I can't seem to find it. Alan Fong talked about this briefly on one of his videos but i can't remember which one. Keep in mind that Salmon season is closed again this year. Tight lines brothers!!!!

[@bornonfire452]

That was the biggest split tale i have ever seen . 👍

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

Thanks for watching brother!! tight lines!

[@k9er233]

You may want to give a 6" to 9" black swimming worm a try in the spring and summer on the AR. The out-migrating Lamprey are a favorite of Stripers, Black Bass, Pikeminnows and even Steelhead. I discovered this way back in the 70's when a 9.5 lb Striper was puking up 6+ inch lampreys as I was landing it.

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

Thanks for the info and for the reminder. I have caught them on purple ribbon tailed worms while fishing for bass and always wondered why the stripers went for them. Gonna rig up one of those and give it a try today if I can stand the heat. Thanks for watching brother and tight lines!!

[@alexpham7178]

how do you rig and fish it?

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

@alexpham7178 for the worm I use a round jighead with a dark purple ribbon tail worm and a slow straight retreive. I've only caught them using my BFS setup so the worms I have used are tiny. Gonna try using the 10" worms I use for bass fishing next time. Thanks for watching brother and tight lines!!

[@k9er233]

@@alexpham7178 Hi Alex, I rigged the worm by threading a 24" length of 8 lb mono leader on a long sewing needle and running it into the head of the worm, poking it out about 1/3 of the way down from the head, or down to the egg sac leaving most of the leader hanging out of the nose of the worm. I tied on a #1 straight shank worm hook with an improved clinch knot at the bottom end of the leader. Then I pulled the leader and hook up into the worm with the hook bend and point exposed and the rod end of the leader running out the nose of the worm. At the rod end of the leader, at around 12" to 18" above the worm, I tied on a small crane swivel (about a #10 or so), which I tied my main line to. The swivel does two things. It allows the worm to move more freely on the retrieve and rotate without causing line twist. You could try rigging it Texas weedless or Tex-posed I suppose, but I always ran it with an open hook since I was fishing it in open water, and I wanted to make sure that I was not going to miss any short strikers with the mid-hook rigging style. If you want to get the rig deeper, are running it in faster water, or just need to make longer casts, you can add a bullet weight or a bell sinker with the brass clipped out of it on the leader before you tie on the swivel. The sinker can be free on the leader or pegged onto it with a round toothpick. You could also use a twist-on "rubbercore" sinker if you like those. I liked the rubbercore style when I was walking the bank and fishing changing conditions because I could add or subtract the sinker without cutting the leader and re-tying for the bullet style. If I knew that I was going to be working mostly slower or slack water, I usually pegged it with a round toothpick or ran the worm weightless. I felt that the worm was able to move more freely without the additional weight if it was not needed. I worked the worm through current seams, riffle drops or through eddies when I could, or just cast and and use a slow to moderate retrieve in slower/slack water, like you would find in a slow side channel or a captured, ponded area, where the river has reclaimed an old dredger hole or gravel pit. These slower flow or slack water areas can be very productive. You can also work it in faster current letting it drift with occasional soft twitches or rod tip lifts to simulate a young lamprey tumbling and struggling with current. If I still lived in the area, I would also try the worm rigged on a drop shot with the same threaded hook setup. I lived closest to the Ancil Hoffman Park/Grist Mill area for almost 30 years, so that was my main home water where I discovered the young Lamprey phenomenon and developed the black worm rig. I have kept it a secret until now, and never saw or heard of anyone fishing for stripers or bass that way. I believe it worked because in salt water, I have heard that pile worms are one of the baits used for stripers, so that could be why the migrating/spawning stripers in the river system keyed onto the Lampreys. I hope this helped to answer your questions. Good luck out there. The only thing I really miss about living in Carmichael now is the Lower American River and the parkway. It is truly a gem of a suburban fishery, so enjoy it to its full potential.

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

@k9er233 Thanks for the detailed explanation and for sharing your tips. Always appreciate learing from other anlgers.

[@kentuckesseeangler]

Gorgeous water you’re working. I feel you with the “editors Block” I’ve certainly been there many times. I enjoyed the commentary aspect of the video. Nice fishing as usually bro!!

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

Thanks brother. Yeah i feel lucky to have this place within walking distance from my house. I actually have 4 older fishing trips on my yak that I still need to edit and frankly I may not even do those. Tight lines!!

[@AydenBurnett]

Nice fish dude, I also fish here often and get a lot of the tiny little stripers out here. Any tips on how to target those bigger fish? Tight lines man!

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

Unfortunately I don't have a secret to getting the big ones. I think its just a matter of getting your bait in front of the right fish at the right time. There was one year when I was catching mostly 22" plus almost every time I went for over a month but, the last couple of years its been mostly small ones. I'm hoping to catch some residential stripers in the fall. Those lone fish that live in the AR year round tend to be bigger in my experience. Love bank fishing this area. The trail is real cool. Maybe i'll run into you sometime. If you see a Filipino looking dude with an action cam, thats probably me. Tight lines brother!!

[@AydenBurnett]

@@DrinkWetPoopFishing Heck yeah dude I’ll keep an eye out. Also, it’s my first year striper fishing so I figured I was doing something wrong haha. Turns out everyone I ask says you have to weed through the small ones to find the big ones.

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

@@AydenBurnett Yup. See you around brother!!!

[@donaldlinville4242]

Nice video. For what it's worth, I've been catching stripers in that same stretch of river in the mornings with a white jerkbait. Tried swimbaits, topwater and even a lipless crankbait but the jerkbait is the only thing I've had luck with.

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

I havent fished it much in the mornings but in past years, i've had better luck from 3-7. I might have to give the morning bite a go now. I've mostly caught them with a paddletail, but i've caught them on different baits during the run. Thanks for wathing brother!!! Maybe I'll run into you out there. If you see a short Filipino guy with a chestie camera and a backpack with multiple rods, that is most likely me. Tight lines!!!

[@donaldlinville4242]

@@DrinkWetPoopFishing I’m the guy with the big, wet black dog…haha.

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

One thing this place has for sure is plenty of dogs on a walk and getting some swim time. All friendly happy dogs too.

[@robertmayes7629]

Took a guided trip on the American on the 24th. Caught steelhead, shad and striper. Thank you Austin Wilson. We caught all 3 that day. Had a striper maybe 10 lbs take a shad and run off about 50 feet before it let go. That was pretty exciting. There are so big fish in there now. Live bait is the key to the big fish. Austin showed us a pic of a 55" striper his buddy caught a week pryor and let go. Caught on a small american shad. The bigs are around. Hood luck out there.

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

Thanks for the info brother!! Got me all excited. Suppose to work on finishing touches on my kitchen but this might make me change my plans, lol. Was Austin recording the trip? Like to see it as content on his channel soon. Austin knows the American and catches bigs. Gratz on a successful trip. If anyone is looking for a guide on the AR I strongly recommend him. Tight lines!!!

[@robertmayes7629]

No he didn't record on this trip. He fished the day before we did and said he recorded that trip. Said he would post it but he is really busy. They caught all 3 spices that day as well.

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

@@robertmayes7629 cool. Dude is a new dad, holding a full time job and doing guides. That Is definitely a full plate. Thanks for the update.

[@bugerlee1185]

You may what to also comment about rules and regulations. The AR has so many!! A large stretch is limited to fishing with barbless hooks. Some sections are limited to hook size. I hope people just don't fishing there with out knowing.

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

Good idea. The AR definitely has a lot of special rules. No fishing past the geological cable, barbless only past Ancil Hoffman and only a certain size trebblehook and weight of spoons past the business 80 bridge. I'll try and look them up and post. Wanna make sure I have it all accurate before posting. Tight lines brother!!

[@jerryvang6050]

Have you tried fishing during the night? That's usually when the bigger ones are out and slow rolling a paddletail usually kills if they are in there like that. Thanks for the video and good luck!

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

Thanks for watching brother! I have not fished at night. I think the closest was right at sunset one time. I'll have to try that sometime. Tight lines!!

[@DamnChinn]

Careful there are dragons in the water

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

@@DamnChinn I wanna catch one, lol. Last year I had a salmon hit a paddle tail on one of the spots in this vid. It spooled me so fast it almost knocked me off balance when I ran out of line. Tight lines brother!!

[@1Mannco]

@@DrinkWetPoopFishing Read up on the regs on the fishing at night..It's one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset on "The American River" from the Business 80 freeway to the cut off 'cable line marker' at the Hatchery. You can fish all night from that Business 80 bridge to Discovery Park. On the Sacramento River you can also fish all night.

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

@@1Mannco glad you said that. I thought that rule was only for salmon. Thanks for the heads up brother!

[@chuckkeys9628]

I know the spot. Believe that!

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

cool, maybe i'll run into you sometime. tight lings brother!!

[@PhilSoloFishing]

Still mad that they blocked off the access.... Now you have to talk 100 miles to the spot lol

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

Not that bad PA. Most of the walk is in the shade and you can fish different spots all along the trail. Most importantly i need the exercise, lol. Tight lines brother!!

[@donaldlinville4242]

What is blocked? I'm down there a lot and there is a ton of construction, etc... but I haven't been blocked from anything.

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

@@donaldlinville4242 there used to be a gate to the levee near my house but it was removed when someone complained about too many people using it who didnt live in the neighborhood. The silver lining is now I get a little more exercise when I fish those spots, lol. Thanks for watching brother!!

[@SirSmokesALot710]

Oh I was looking for stripper fishing mustive found the wrong video 😂

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

LMAO!!!Nice. Dont ever google my channel name or you'll get recommended a bunch of sheet, lol.

[@SirSmokesALot710]

@@DrinkWetPoopFishing 😂😂😂😂

[@KnightOfZero117]

Did you park at howe or the watt acress?

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

I live near the spot so i bike or walk there. Out of respect to other anglers who fish this particular arae on the AR, I can't give away too much over the Internet as many of you would understand. I can say that you would have less of a walk from Howe than from Watt. Tight lines brother and thanks for watching.

[@arsalmonar]

@@DrinkWetPoopFishing You might try leaving the bridge out of the video if you really want to be discrete, lol

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

@@arsalmonar If you live in the area or if you've fished the spot that would be easy to recognize, but its not a well known landmark. Even when I'm driving over it, its hard to put two and two together. If i had the Tower Bridge in the background, that would be a different story. If people figure out where it is based on that feature, i'm ok with it. I just dont want to outright give it away. Thanks for watching brother and tight lines!!

[@spooner454]

You might want to invest in a net instead of dragging those tiny fish over the rocks buddy

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

Good point. I'll definitley do better. Thanks for watching.

[@user-jg9qt4fl8o]

Learn how to handle your fish. Protect our fisheries !!!

[@DrinkWetPoopFishing]

I'll definitely do better. Thanks for watching.