Saltwater Species Guide

Atlantic Striped Bass

Morone saxatilis

A migratory East Coast favorite also established in San Francisco Bay and its watershed.

Also Known As:StriperRockfishLinesider

Atlantic striped bass identification illustration — NOAA Fisheries / Jack Hornady · U.S. government educational illustration · Image Source

Species Quick Facts

Common Angling Water

55–68°F

Approximate productive range, not a biological limit.

Typical Catch

Many coastal fish are about 5–25 pounds

Maximum Reported Size

About 5 feet and 77 pounds

Best Baits & Lures

Best Baits

Menhaden
Eel
Herring
Clam

Best Lures

Pencil poppers
Swimbaits
Bucktails
Trolling plugs

Habitat

Surf, rocky shorelines, harbors, rips, estuaries, and river mouths along migratory routes.

How To Catch Atlantic Striped Bass

Time current and low light around points, rips, and bait concentrations. Present lures across the flow and retrieve at a speed that keeps contact without tumbling.

Technique Is Not A Regulation

Confirm the open season, area, harvest status, size and possession limits, required gear, permits, reporting rules, and emergency closures for the exact jurisdiction and trip date. Some listed baits or methods may be restricted locally.

TideAhead Destinations

Harbor Guides For Atlantic Striped Bass

San Francisco Bay

A large urban estuary where halibut, introduced striped bass, salmon, and coastal reef species overlap.

Open Harbor Guide VA

Norfolk, Hampton Roads & Virginia Beach

The lower Chesapeake meets the Atlantic around bridge structure, shoals, beaches, and offshore wrecks.

Open Harbor Guide MD

Annapolis & Chesapeake Bay

A Chesapeake launch centered on striped bass, tidal rivers, bridge structure, and seasonal migratory fish.

Open Harbor Guide NY

New York Harbor

A major urban harbor on the migration path of striped bass, bluefish, fluke, and sea bass.

Open Harbor Guide MA

Boston Harbor & Massachusetts Bay

A historic harbor opens onto Massachusetts Bay, migratory bass water, offshore banks, and a giant-tuna fishery.

Open Harbor Guide ME

Portland & Casco Bay

Rocky islands and cold Gulf of Maine water support striped bass, groundfish, and offshore pelagics.

Open Harbor Guide MD

Ocean City & Maryland Coast

Bay, inlet, surf, wreck, and offshore-canyon fishing on Maryland's Atlantic coast.

Open Harbor Guide NJ

Atlantic City & Absecon Inlet

A New Jersey hub for back-bay, inlet, surf, wreck, and seasonal migratory fishing.

Open Harbor Guide CT

New Haven Harbor

Urban Long Island Sound access for striped bass, bluefish, fluke, and sea bass.

Open Harbor Guide CT

New London & Fishers Island Sound

A current-rich eastern Sound fishery around rivers, islands, reefs, and rips.

Open Harbor Guide RI

Newport & Narragansett Bay

A historic harbor beside productive bay currents, rocky reefs, and open Atlantic water.

Open Harbor Guide ME

Bar Harbor & Frenchman Bay

Cold Gulf of Maine water around islands, ledges, channels, and offshore grounds.

Open Harbor Guide

Species Sources

TideAhead summarizes stable identification, biology, habitat, and angling concepts. Use the primary sources below for deeper species context and live management information.

NOAA Fisheries species profile