 STRIPED BASS
Scientific Name: Morone saxatilis
Other
Common Names: striper, rockfish, rock
Identification
Striped
bass can be silver, copper or greenish, with six to nine dark,
unbroken stripes running from head to tail
along the sides. It has an elongated and slightly compressed body,
with a moderately forked tail and separated dorsal fins. On the
top of the tongue, it has two narrow tooth patches. This feature
is important
to note, as it separates striped bass from white
bass (one tooth
patch on the tongue) and white perch (no tooth patch). The hybrid
striped bass is similar in appearance to the striped bass but can
be identified by broken lines on the sides and a much thicker and
deeper body. Female striped bass grow larger and typically live
longer than males.
Habitats and
Habits
Striped bass
are marine fish native to the Atlantic slope from Canada to Florida
and west to eastern Texas.
As adults, they migrate each spring from the ocean into four major
North Carolina coastal rivers (the Roanoke, Tar, Neuse and Cape
Fear) to spawn. In addition to these native migratory populations,
the
Commission stocks striped bass into many reservoirs in the state,
where food and habitat are adequate. Striped bass stocked into
these reservoirs are not able to reproduce naturally; populations
are maintained
through stockings. Young striped bass favor zooplankton and eat freshwater invertebrates
and small fish as they grow. Their preferred foods as adults depend
on their location but can include crayfish, shad, golden shiners,
menhaden, herring and shrimp.
Fishing Techniques
Live
and cut baits, such as gizzard shad, threadfin shad and hickory
shad, are popular in coastal rivers. Bucktail jigs
in white and yellow, spoons and rattling crankbaits are also effective.
Large flies are popular among anglers during the spring in the
Roanoke River. Stripers move in schools, and all members tend to
feed at
the same time. Reservoir striped bass are more active feeders at
night so anglers should fish for them in low-light conditions and/or
at night.
Good Places to
Fish
The Roanoke
River striped bass run occurs from March through May and is the most
popular native striped bass fishery
in the state. Anglers can also catch stripers in other coastal
rivers during this time of year. Striped bass fisheries are actively
managed
in 13 reservoirs throughout the Piedmont and foothills of North
Carolina. Lake Gaston, Lake Norman and Badin Lake are three of
the most popular.
NCARP Minimum
Requirements: 10
pounds or 27 inches
State
Record:
54 lbs., 2 oz., from the Hiwassee Reservoir, June 7, 1991
World
Record: 78 lbs., 8 oz., from Atlantic City, N.J., Sept.
21, 1982*
* Anglers
provide information on their potential world-record catches directly
to the International
Game Fish Association, which maintains the world records
for sport fishing.
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