Was It a Striper?

I was trolling a 1/2 oz gold hair raiser on the Petaluma river just upstream of the hwy 37 bridge yesterday and got a big takedown. I managed to get the rod out of my rear rod holder and it was no snag. I had the fish on for about 5 seconds then nada, line broke, drag too tight on cheap 12lb line.

If it was a striper, it would have been the largest I ever landed. My question is could it have been something else? In the river you have:

* stripers
* sturgeon
* bat rays
* leopard sharks

Its a given that a striper would go for a trolled jig. What about the other species?

There's a possibility that it was a leopard shark, or you coulda foul hooked a ray, but more than likely it was a striper.

Word on the street is that the Petaluma is bordering "on fire" status as far as stripers go....and I've landed a few 10lbers from the area near the 101 overpass in the past.

I read a report just a couple of days ago (with pic as proof) of a sturgeon that was foul hooked by guys trolling for strippers in shallow water.  Suisun Bay I think.

Nothing like a shot of adrenaline to spice up your day,

Dale L

I've foul hooked bat rays before trolling- happens more with treble rigs than singles. ChuckE thought he had the mother of all stripers at marin islands once, truned out he hooked a nice leopard in the dorsal

Where I grew up on the east coast, it wasn't uncommon to catch 40 lb Stripers.  Do they get that big around here?

Where I grew up on the east coast, it wasn't uncommon to catch 40 lb Stripers.  Do they get that big around here?

I will let you know after Sunday. 
Yea they do but it is not as common as it used to be. Downright rare nowadays in these parts.

The big stripers usually get caught in one of the feeder rivers to the bay.... 30# not uncommon, 40# i'd call rare/uncommon