Species migration profile
Striped Bass migration calendar.
- Morone saxatilis
- Migratory
- Also: Rockfish, Striper, Linesider
Striped bass migrate north each spring chasing menhaden and squid; fall they retreat south following bait. Target structure breaks where current funnels bait — bridge pilings, channel edges, jetty pockets, rip lines. Live menhaden and large soft plastics during active migration windows; trolling tubes and umbrella rigs for staging fish.
Conservation & regulation
Overfished — coastwide stock under rebuilding plan per ASMFC. Slot limits and seasonal closures have tightened on most coastal states. Verify the current rule for your state before harvest.
Region-by-region
Where the striped bass are this year.
Sorted by current month — regions where striped bass are at peak or good status this month appear first.
| Region | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maine & New Hampshire Coast Northeast | ||||||||||||
| Long Island Sound & New York Bight Northeast | ||||||||||||
| Massachusetts, Cape Cod & Islands Northeast | ||||||||||||
| New Jersey Coast Mid-Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| Rhode Island & Connecticut Sound Northeast | ||||||||||||
| Chesapeake Bay (Lower) Mid-Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| Chesapeake Bay (Upper) Mid-Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| Delaware Bay Mid-Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| Virginia Coast & Eastern Shore Mid-Atlantic | ||||||||||||
| North Carolina Outer Banks Mid-Atlantic |
Temperature triggers
- Preferred: 55–68°F
- Avoid below: 42°F
- Avoid above: 75°F
Read the water temperature, not the calendar — fish move when the water hits these thresholds, not when the date does.
Primary baitfish
- Menhaden (bunker)
- Atlantic herring
- Sand eels
- American eels
- Mullet
Predators follow prey. Track the bait — find the bait, find the striped bass.
Regulation & sources
Managed coastwide by the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC). Most Atlantic states require a slot-limit harvest and have specific season dates that have changed substantially since 2020.
Track striped bass arrivals on your coast.
Bield: Fish notifies you when water temperatures and bait movements line up for your home region — so you're on the water the day they show up, not the week after.
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