Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis)

Striped Bass is a saltwater species of fish that migrates to freshwater rivers to spawn. They can also live out their lives entirely in freshwater by human stocking efforts. (Such an environment rarely supports successful spawning) It is the Moronidae family, the temperate basses. Morone has no evident etymological meaning and saxatilis means living among rocks. Small striped bass can be confused with white bass, white perch, and yellow bass. Striped bass are also hybridized with white bass as part of aquaculture.

Where to Find Striped Bass

Striped Bass are a coastal fish of the Atlantic Ocean that can be found from Canada to the Gulf of Mexico. They have also been stocked along the Pacific coast of the USA and in freshwater lakes. The two largest breeding populations come out of the Chesapeake Bay and the Hudson River.

Other Names for Striped Bass

Other names people have used to refer to this fish include striper, bass, linesider, and rockfish. Sized-based nicknames include striper with a diaper, rat, and schoolie.

When to Fish for Striped Bass

Striped Bass can be fished for the entire year in locales that have holdover bass through the winter. In other parts of their range, they are only found in between spring and fall movements.

What Tackle to Use for Striped Bass

Stripers will readily take to most styles of lures as well as varieties of bait. Popular bait includes clams, crabs, menhaden, mackerel, and bloodworms. As per ASMFC's management plan, inline circle hooks must be used when bait fishing.

Popular lures include bucktails, spoons, jigs, and plugs. Due to a striper's large mouth size, lures for them are amongst the biggest used for any species by land-based anglers on the East Coast of the USA.