Oh Boy, Bass

Striped bass caught in Lower Trinity River

Hoopa fisherman, Mikey McCovey caught this striped bass in his gill net on the morning of August 18. Striped bass are rarely spotted in the Trinity River. According to Hoopa Valley Tribal Fisheries Biologist, George Kautsky, this species was introduced to the Sacramento River system from the East Coast over 100 years ago. It’s not native. Kautsky said presumably, the bass found in the Trinity River are straying from Central Valley populations. Sustained populations also occur in the Coos River system in Oregon. “Based on their rare encounter, they are probably not a menace at present, though they are a voracious carnivore and would happily consume steelhead and salmon smolts,” Kautsky said. The Tribal Fisheries department plans to do more extensive research in the coming weeks./Photo by Allie Hostler, Two Rivers Tribune.