What are stripers?

Common Name:  striped bass
Other Common Names: striper, rockfish
Scientific name: Morone Saxatilis
Family: temporate basses- Percichthyidae
Related Species:  White Bass, Yellow Bass, White Perch, Hybrid Wiper
 

Sizes:  Anadromous-up to 125lbs, but more common 5lbs-40lbs.  Freshwater-up to 60's, common 2lbs-20lbs.

Habitat: Schools in open water, 30-100 feet.  Prefers 42-58 degree F water but will feed in  cooler or warmer water if deeper, cooler water, or warmer flowing water (power plant discharge) is available nearby.  Requires lots of water volume or moving water (high oxygen content).  Common in freshwater in tailraces behind dams, and near rocky banks with sandy bottoms.

Spawning Habits:  Anadromous variety- leaves ocean waters and ascends coastal rivers in early spring. Will seek out smaller tributaries with good current and gravel bottoms.  Very prolific female stimulated by multiple males, eggs released over bottom, no bedding. Freshwater stripers also ascend rivers seeking smaller creeks with current and gravel bottoms, however, many lakes do not have adequate spawning waters, limiting spawning effectiveness.  Bass feed heavily before and after spawning.

Feeding Habits:  Look for river mouths on tide changes, and near lighted deepwater bridges and piers.  Rocky banks with current and nearby deep water are also good. Primary forage species include herrings, anchovies, shad (all varieties), and menhaden, can include rainbow trout, clams, and crabs.   Larger baits work best for most stripers (5"-14"), as will lures that imitate menhaden and shad in this size range.  Smaller stripers (schoolies) will also take a variety of plugs, spoons, jigs, and twitch baits including those used for smaller  smallmouth and largemouth bass.

Notes:   Originally two separate sub-species: Atlantic, and Gulf.  Due to spawning habitat degradation and over fishing, however stocks of Gulf and Pacific stripers were severely decimated, and stocking of the Atlantic variety was used to supplement populations.  In freshwater, the creation of the Santee-Cooper impoundment created a source of solely freshwater fish.  These freshwater fish where the source of nationwide stocking efforts in the 1950's-1980's.  Due to large-scale production of the white/striped bass hybrid (wipers), ,the sterile wipers are now the choice of most fisheries managers, reducing striper populations in many reservoirs.  The Atlantic striper population is very cyclical and hinges largely on spawning habit availability, commercial/recreational fishing pressure, and menhaden/shad availability.  Also a victim of pfisteria in some mid-Atlantic areas.