Striped bass fishing guide · USA

Striped bass fishing

Striped bass, also called striper or rockfish: when they run, which baits and lures work through the seasons and where to find them in the surf, in bays, rivers and reservoirs.

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Guide sections: Fish: Striped bass

Species Identify Trout fishing Pike fishing Bass fishing Striped bass Crappie fishing Fishing calendar Fish kitchen

Stripers and the fish around them

Striped bassStriped bass, also called striper or rockfish: the classic East Coast inshore fish with seven to eight dark lengthwise stripes that runs up rivers to spawn and is caught in the surf, in bays and in big reservoirs.

White bassThe white bass, also called sand bass or silver bass, is a silvery schooling predator of the reservoirs and big rivers of the US Midwest and South, famous for its spring spawning run into tributaries (Wikipedia).

BluefishBluefish, also called tailor or chopper: a fast, toothy schooling predator that drives bait schools into the surf along the US East Coast (the bluefish blitz).

When striped bass bite

Spring run. Spawning stripers run up the rivers, and the coastal fish start their migration along the coast.
Fall. Together with spring the main season on the coast, when the fish feed hard on baitfish.
Dawn, dusk and night. Often the best times of day, above all in the surf and in calm, clear water.

Best time by species

Striped bass: In spring spawners run up the rivers, and Chesapeake Bay fish migrate along the coast as far as Canadian waters (NOAA Fisheries). Spring and fall are the main coastal seasons, dawn, dusk and night often the best times (rule of thumb).
White bass: In spring during the spawning season from mid-March to late May, when fish move into tributaries and shallow areas (Wikipedia). In summer and fall the schools roam open water in reservoirs (rule of thumb).
Bluefish: On the US East Coast the recreational peak runs from May through October, with over 70 percent of the catch in July and August (NOAA Fisheries). Fish winter off Florida, reach Massachusetts by June and leave the waters north of Cape Cod in October (English Wikipedia). Surface blitzes give the schools away (rule of thumb).

From the species profiles, with sources there.

Methods and rigs

From the beach you surf cast bait or lures, from a boat you troll, cast plugs and poppers to feeding fish or drift a live eel or baitfish. In reservoirs, landlocked stripers follow the bait schools in open water.

Baits and lures by season

Spring: Sandworms, bloodworms and clams in rivers and bays, where the run starts.
Summer: Early, late and at night: live eels and menhaden (bunker), live or as cut bait.
Fall: Plugs, poppers and bunker when the fish chase bait schools along the coast.
Winter: On the coast mostly quiet; in reservoirs stripers stay with the bait, often deeper and slower.

Where to fish

Surf beaches: The classic East Coast spot, best at first and last light.
Bays and estuaries: Where rivers meet the sea and young stripers grow up.
Rivers in spring: Spawners run up rivers such as the Hudson and the Delaware.
Reservoirs and the West Coast: Stocked into many US reservoirs and introduced on the Pacific coast.

Check the rules

Each state sells its own fishing license, and seasons, size and bag limits for striped bass differ by state and water. In saltwater you usually need a saltwater license from the state. Fishing license by state

At sea the US has two layers: state waters usually reach 3 nautical miles from the coast, off Texas, Florida's Gulf coast and Puerto Rico 9 nautical miles. Beyond that, federal waters begin, with extra federal rules on seasons and bag limits. You buy your saltwater license from the state. For tuna and billfish in the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico (called Gulf of America by U.S. federal agencies), the boat also needs a federal HMS permit. Sources, as of 2026-10-15: NOAA, Maritime Zones and Boundaries, NOAA Fisheries, Atlantic HMS Permits (updated 28.01.2026).

Quick answers

When is the best time for striped bass fishing?

Spring and fall are the main seasons on the coast, and in spring the spawners also run up the rivers. Dawn, dusk and night are often the best hours. The fishing forecast shows the best windows for your spot.

What is the best bait for striped bass?

Live eels and menhaden (bunker), live or as cut bait, plus sandworms, bloodworms and clams. Plugs and poppers work when the fish chase bait.

Where can I catch striped bass?

On the East Coast in the surf, in bays and up the rivers in spring. Inland in many stocked reservoirs, and on the West Coast, where they were introduced.

Do I need a saltwater license for striped bass?

Usually yes: you buy it from the state where you fish. In federal waters beyond state waters further federal rules apply. Check your state agency before you go.