local species

Hi guys,
I'm a New England kayak fisherman looking for info on North West species. I read somehwere that striped bass were imported to the west coast about seventy years ago, and that the species thrives. They are strictly a sportfish in Ca. Do you get them further northwest?

Also, what are your local species in saltwater?

Thanks,
Adam
northamericankayakfishing.blogspot.com

I've heard of stripers ranging as far north as Coos Bay, OR.  Little seems to be known about this population, whether they are strays from San Francisco Bay, directly planted, or even if they are a self sustaining population.

Salmon is the name of the game in the NW, with 5 species available to varying degrees.  We also get Pacific Halibut, Lingcod, and a variety of rockfish.

-Allen

I've read of attempts to plant stripers in the Columbia, but they didn't take.

Winchester Bay, in southern OR, is the most northern spawning population, with spawning in the Smith and lower Umpqua. Most of the fishing for OR stripers is in the bay or rivers. Population seems to be in decline.

By my experience, the West Coast striper population, and sport fishery, is just a shadow of what's possible ni NY/ New England. I don't know that any West Coast striper pop. can truly be described as "thriving".

Besides the 5 salmon species, I'd add steelhead, some sea-run trout (cutthroat) and char (Bull trout or Dolly Varden). Also a bunch of minor flatfish species, and a decimated Pacific True Cod population.