The striped bass is the most popular game fish on the east coast, as well as one of the best tasting. Stripers are called "rockfish" in the southern states, and can reach weights of over 60 pounds. 

East coast striped bass stocks suffered serious declines in the 1980s but stringent management measures involving severe sacrifices by fishermen contributed to a major rebound. Today striper stocks have been declared fully restored. Striped bass spawn during the winter, mostly in the Hudson River and rivers feeding Chessepeak Bay. In the spring stripers move to the coastal waters and migrate to the North and East. We fish for stripers from late April to early December and we fish in many different ways. In the bay we cast rubber lures day or night during the spring, summer, and fall. Night trips in the fall fish with live eels drifting from the lighthouse to the inlet or cast artificial lures. November and December day usually trips cast diamond jigs in the ocean.

Fishing Tips:

Bay Casting:

            We catch a lot of stripers casting rubber lures like "bass assassins" on jig heads. We do most of this fishing in the evening or at night. This fishing is usually best with light or moderate wind. Week nights and late trips are usually best because of the lighter boat traffic. The people who cast the furthest from the boat usually do the best. The bow and stern seem to do the best when we are drifting and the middle of the boat when we are anchored.

            Braided line like "Power Pro" works well for this fishing because you can cast a bit further and feel the hit better. When you feel the hit, jerk up on the rod immediately and hard to hook the bass.

Drifting Eels:

            In the fall eels leave the bay on the ebb tide beginning a 2000 mile journey to spawn in the Sargasso Sea. Stripers wait around the inlet rips for them to swim by. West wind is usually best for this fishing. For live eel fishing, monofilament line is usually better. Spinning and conventional rods are both good and never fish under the boat. When you feel a bite, just start reeling to hook the bass.

Ocean Diamond Jigging:

            In November and December when the wind is Northwest the inshore ocean waters of Long Island are relatively calm. Peanut bunker, herring and other baitfish inhabit the 40 to 60 foot depths and the Southwest migrating schools of stripers feed on them. Spinning or conventional rods are both ok and monofilament or braided lines are fine. Just cast away from the boat and reel in slowly or jig slowly until you feel a hit, then lift up quickly to hook the fish.

Clam Chumming: 

            When we clam chum we anchor and put a chum pot up tide, usually in the bow. The current carries the ground clam away from the boat. The stripers taste the chum and start swimming toward the boat and eat the first clam bait that they come to. The rougher the inlet, the better the fishing. Depending on the strength of the wind and current, the lines and chum usually run toward the stern, making that the best place to fish. Now, often there is enough breeze to cock the boat causing the lines and chum to run a little bit off one side. Fish on this side and cast out a bit with a spinning rod to do best. For stripers never fish under the boat. Monofilament line is much better for this fishing. When you feel a bite, just start reeling.