Striped Bass

To most freshwater anglers, the striped bass is a very important game fish is relatively new. The striped bass closest freshwater relatives are the white bass, the yellow bass, and the white perch.

HOW TO IDENTIFY A STRIPED BASS

The striped bass is easily recognized by the 7 or 8 prominent black stripes that run along the scale rows on each side of its long, sleek, silvery body. One stripe runs along the lateral line, and the remainder are about equally divided above and below it. The first dorsal fin has 8 -10 spines and second, 10-13 soft rays.

The striped bass is longer and sleeker and has a larger head than its close and similar looking relative, the white bass. The striped and white basses have been crossed to create a hybrid known as the WHITEROCK or sunshine (in Florida) bass. Striped bass can be distinguished from hybrids by the regularity of stripes while the hybrid usually has interrupted or broken stripes.

 

WHERE TO CATCH STRIPED BASS

The striped bass, or “rockfish” as it is known in North and South Carolina, occurs from the St. Lawrence River to northern Florida on the Atlantic coast of the United States; off Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi in the Gulf of Mexico; and along the U.S. Pacific coast from Washington to California.

In saltwater, the striped bass is anadromous and migratory. Some migrate from North Carolina, Virginia, or Maryland to more northern climates in the summer and return when the summer season is over.

The species moves far upstream in rivers during spawning migrations. In some of these waters populations have become landlocked due to artificial impoundments that blocked their return to the sea. In recent years, striped bass have been introduced into freshwater systems in most of the states. The following list includes specific places on where to catch Striped Bass:

 

BACKFLOW                                                                 BREAKERS

JETTIES AND BREAKWATERS                                 OUTSIDES OF BENDS

SCHOOLS                                                                   BIRDS

COASTAL WATERS                                                   NIGHT FISHING

RIPPLES, CURRENTS, SWIRLS AND SPRAYS      CURRENT EDGES

 

HOW TO CATCH STRIPED BASS

A voracious and opportunistic predator, the striped bass will consume all types of fishes. A wide variety of fishing methods are successfully employed, including trolling, jigging, bait fishing, surf casting, fly fishing, and spinning. Baits and lures include mullet, squid, eels, crabs, clams, bloodworms, plugs, spoons, flies, and casting lures. The following are fishing methods you can use to catch Striped Bass:

 

JIGGING               FLY FISHING              SURF CASTING

DRIFT FISHING          TROLLING             STILL FISHING

 

STRIPED BASS LURES, TACKLE & BAIT

The following are fishing lures, tackle or bait you can use to catch Striped Bass:

 

CLAMS        CUT BAIT     JIGS    CRABS   FLIES    PLUGS