The Striped Bass: A Top Game Fish for Fresh or Salt Water

The incredibly adaptable game fish, naturally found along the East Coast of the US, has been introduced to many of the large reservoir impoundments across the United States, and also to the Pacific Coast of North America. Striped bass are a top level sport fish, which has been introduced to many waterways outside their natural range.

The striped bass spawning ritual of traveling up rivers led them to become landlocked during lake dam constructions. Santee Cooper River in South Carolina was one of the first areas where they became landlocked during the construction of the dams. They are a migratory fish that move between fresh and salt water.

East Coast striped bass are typically found from the Carolinas to Nova Scotia. On the West Coast, stripers are found throughout the San Francisco Bay and surrounding coastline. They are also found in the California Aqueduct canal system, and many California lakes. Stripers are considered a cold water fish and prefer water temperatures in the 55 and 65 degree range. Therefore, if the water temperature goes above or below this range, bass can be tougher to locate, as they will migrate to warmer or cooler waters. In warmer areas of the US they are more likely to be found in fresh water lakes and rivers where the water is colder.

These guys are like any other creature and will seek-out comfortable surroundings. On hot days in the summer, the bass will look for shipping channels and deep holes to avoid the heat and find more suitable temperature and oxygen levels. Whereas, on a cooler day, you might find them close to the surface, just a foot or two below.

Striped bass prefer the cooler water with one of the landlocked striped bass populations in Canada located in the Grand Lake, Nova Scotia. They migrate out in early April into the Shubencadie River to spawn. These bass also spawn in the Stewiacke River (a tributary of the Shubencadie ).

Striped Bass Fishing is an Addictive Experience. 

Keepers commonly weigh in from 10 to 30 pounds. But they can grow much larger. Large stripers are commonly weigh-in at the 40 to 60 lb. range during tournaments. Stripers frequently feed in schools so when you get into them, you can usually count on a few fish! They can be very unpredictable found at different locations and different depths depending on the weather, time of year and even the time of day. Stripers love water movement due to changing tides or wind direction. Movement of the water stirs up sediment, which moves and attracts bait fish (who feed on the sediment). In turn, the feeding bait fish attract the stripers.

Types of tackle used 

Depending if you are fishing the surf, from a boat or for schoolies in the river, there are several tackle combinations to target these fish. Almost any rod and reel heavier than a light spinning outfit is suitable for striped bass fishing. The tendency is to use heavy fresh water or light salt water gear with a medium to heavy rod, and 10 to 12 pound monofilament line.  However, a medium to heavy spinning rod with 12 to 25 pound test line is considered ideal by many anglers for plugging, jigging, or bottom fishing. Some anglers, who work the beaches with plugs and live eels, prefer the long 9 to 12 foot surf rods and a conventional or spinning reel spooled with 20 to 40 pound line. The lighter the tackle, the greater the sport; also the smaller diameter lines are easier to cast. However, when fishing for the large cows, fairly heavy tackle is desirable.

Fly Fishing for Stripers is Gaining Tremendous Popularity

The ancient art of fly fishing, most renowned as a method for catching trout and salmon is gaining in popularity. Anglers are targeting a wide variety of species including pike, bass, panfish, and carp, as well as marine species, such as redfish, snook, tarpon, bonefish and our mighty striped bass. Lefty Kreh is most known for being one of the pioneers of saltwater fly fishing. Lefty started the craziness of fishing for huge Tarpon in the Florida Keys back in the day. Lefty Kreh invented the "Lefty's Deceiver" fly in the late 1950s as a streamer that would be easy to cast in wind and would not foul.

Here is a short video about matching the hatch when fly fishing for Stripers by Jose Wejebe .
Star of the fishing show "The Spanish Fly" Jose was a fishing legend who died tragically in a plane crash a few years ago. 

Live Bait Fishing

Common types of bait include menhaden, herring, bloodworms, and eels. These live baits are not used for catch and release fishing. Striped bass aggressively swallow their prey and any hooks attached. Although they may initially swim away, bass can later die from internal bleeding. To avoid creating fish mortality, you may want to use circle hooks. Circle hooks are shaped at an off-set angle so the fish hooks themselves in the corner of the mouth, and therfore are not swallowed. Swimming plugs like Rapalas, Rebels, and Rattletraps are popular lures that are great for catch and release fishing .

Striped bass tend to feed most actively at dusk and dawn, where they can hunt smaller fish under the cover of darkness. Therefore, your success rate will increase if you fish at these times. When bass feed they will push bait to the surface. At times marine birds such as terns and sea gulls will flock to the feeding school hoping to pick up an easy meal. Keep your eyes peeled for birds working the surface while on the water.