Where Do Striped Bass Live?

Striped bass live in a variety of habitats, from coastal seas to freshwater ponds, rivers and reservoirs. They have a wide range of temperature preferences, which helps them survive in different aquatic environments.

Spawning occurs from April through June in tidal tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic coastal waters. During spawning, females gather with up to seven males around their spawning areas and lay eggs on the bottom. They deposit their semi-buoyant fertilized eggs and then let them drift in the current for two to three days until they hatch into fry.

During the spring and summer, striped bass travel to and from their spawning grounds in tidal tributaries, where they feed on a variety of small fish. They eat alewives, flounder, herring, menhaden, shad, shrimp, crabs, shellfish, sea lamprey and other invertebrates. They are also prey for larger fish such as bluefish, weakfish and cod, as well as birds.

Landlocked striped bass, which live in freshwater lakes and reservoirs, also spawn from April through June. These landlocked striped bass travel tributaries of larger reservoirs and spawn near dams or upstream obstructions, typically in water that is warmer than 55 degrees F. They may move as much as 100 miles inland to spawn.

Inland freshwater striped bass populations have been re-established by stocking programs. These striped bass adapted quickly to life in freshwater and are now found in 30 states.

When fishing for striped bass in freshwater, you can increase your chances of landing these aggressive fish by using live shad and trolling at the right depth. A variety of lures, from baitfish-like to heavy jigs, in white, chrome or chartreuse are effective for freshwater stripers.

Spawning is the most important activity for striped bass in freshwater reservoirs. Spawning events are typically accompanied by a booming noise heard clear across the lake. It is believed that these loud noises are caused by a group of striped bass splashing around during spawning.

Although striped bass can spawn anywhere, there are several key spawning locations throughout the United States and Canada. The primary spawning area is in Chesapeake Bay, where striped bass spawn from mid-April to early June.

Other major spawning sites include the Hudson River in New York and southern coastal bays from Cape Cod to Martha’s Vineyard. Saltwater stripers spawn in coastal waters within about 5 miles of shore or a tidal bay.

Most striped bass spawn in saltwater, but some migrate to freshwater tidal rivers to spawn. Anadromous (saltwater-living and freshwater-spawning) stripers are commonly found along the Atlantic coast from Maine to North Carolina, and in Florida.

During the fall and winter, striped bass feed less. They eat more in the spring and summer when they spawn.

When striped bass are not spawning, they can be found in freshwater tidal rivers, bays and ocean waters from the Gulf of Mexico to British Columbia. Their favorite locations are near sand beaches and rocky shores.

Striped bass are also known as rockfish, but they don’t have a hard body like other rockfish. Their body coloration is a combination of olive-green to blue-gray on the back with silvery sides and a white belly. They have eight continuous horizontal stripes, from their gills to their tail on both sides. They have two spines on their gill cover and two patches of teeth on their tongue.