Saltwater Fish
Striped Bass Fishing: Complete US Guide
The striped bass (striper) is the East Coast's most legendary gamefish. From the rocky shores of New England to the Chesapeake Bay nursery, stripers have captivated American anglers for centuries. These powerful, line-sided predators hunt in the surf, rip through inlets, and slash through schools of bunker with reckless abandon. The fall striper blitz, when big bass chase bait along the beaches, is one of the great spectacles in all of fishing.
Quick Facts
Average Weight
5–20 lb
US Record
81 lb 14 oz (Greg Myerson, Long Island Sound, CT, 2011)
Best Season
April–June, September–November
Habitat
Coastal surf, estuaries, bays, inlets, and tidal rivers along the Atlantic seaboard from Maine to North Carolina. Also found in landlocked reservoirs. The Chesapeake Bay, Montauk, and Cape Cod are legendary striper waters.
Difficulty
Intermediate
Best Bait
Live bunker (menhaden), eels, clams, bucktail jigs, Daiwa SP Minnow, Yo-Zuri Mag Darter, soft plastic swimbaits (Hogy), and large topwater plugs.
Step-by-Step
How to Catch Striped Bass
A practical guide for weekend anglers, from choosing your method to landing your catch.
- 1
Follow the migration
Stripers migrate along the Atlantic coast, north in spring and south in fall. Track the migration reports to be in the right place at the right time. April–June and September–November see the biggest concentrations of fish along beaches and inlets.
- 2
Surf fish at night
The biggest stripers are often caught from the surf after dark. A 10–11 ft surf rod with 30 lb braid, a 50 lb shock leader, and a large swimming plug (Daiwa SP Minnow, Gibbs Polaris Popper) covers most situations. Fish rocky points, jetties, and cut beaches.
- 3
Live-line bunker
Snagging live bunker (menhaden) and slow-trolling or free-lining them near schools of stripers is the top big-fish method from boats. Use a 6/0–8/0 circle hook through the back and let the bunker swim naturally.
- 4
Bounce bucktails in the rips
A 2–4 oz white bucktail jig tipped with a Gulp! Swimming Mullet, bounced through current rips and along structure, is the classic boat technique. It works from Montauk to the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. Keep the jig near the bottom.
- 5
Track the blitzes on GilledIt
When stripers are blitzing bait on the surface, the action is fast and furious but fleeting. Use GilledIt to log blitz locations, tide stages, and times so you can predict where the next one will happen.
Where to Fish
Best Spots for Striped Bass
Top US venues and regions for this species.
When to Fish
Striped Bass Fishing Season
Month-by-month guide showing the best times to target this species.
Jan
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Frequently Asked Questions About Striped Bass Fishing
The all-tackle record is 81 lb 14 oz, caught by Greg Myerson in Long Island Sound, Connecticut, in 2011 on a live eel. The previous long-standing record of 78 lb 8 oz was caught in Atlantic City, NJ, in 1982.
Spring (April–June) and fall (September–November) are peak seasons along the Atlantic coast. The fall run, when large fish migrate south along the beaches, is the most exciting period. Some areas offer year-round fishing.
Regulations have tightened significantly due to conservation concerns. Most Atlantic states have a 1-fish limit with a minimum size of 28–35 inches (varies by state). Slot limits and seasonal closures apply in many areas. Always check current regulations.
A blitz occurs when stripers drive baitfish to the surface and feed aggressively, creating visible splashing and chaos. Birds diving over the activity tip you off. Casting plugs or flies into a blitz is one of the most exciting moments in saltwater fishing.
No. Surf fishing is one of the most popular ways to catch striped bass. Jetties, bridges, and piers also produce excellent striper fishing. A 10-foot surf rod and chest waders open up miles of productive water along the coast.
The bucktail jig is the single most versatile striper lure. A 1–3 oz white bucktail tipped with a soft plastic trailer catches stripers in every situation. For surf fishing, large swimming plugs and metal lip swimmers are legendary producers.
Yes, striper is excellent eating with firm, white, flavorful flesh. Grilled, baked, or pan-seared with simple seasoning. Given conservation concerns, many anglers choose to release most fish and keep only what they will eat within regulations.
Log your striped bass catches in GilledIt
Caught a striped bass? Log it in GilledIt, the free fishing app built for American anglers. Track your personal bests, see where other anglers are catching striped bass, and compete on weekly leaderboards.
Join thousands of anglers already logging their catches