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Migration patterns

3K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  BUB 
#1 ·
"For their first few years stripers stay around the local rivers, bays and beaches where they were born. They begin feeding in the spring when the water temperatures get above 45 degrees F. They can be caught during the day in the early spring as they seek the warmer waters in the shallows. As the spring progresses and the water warms, they will move out and hang around the ocean beaches. During the summer they seek deeper cooler water. If you are brave enough you might find some success fishing from the ends of jettys at night. In some areas schoolie stripers can be caught off the sod banks at night. In the fall when the water cools and baitfish move out into the ocean, the local striped bass will be there chasing them."

"There are two categories of striped bass, migrators and locals or holdovers. Most older and larger bass are migrators. Younger bass hang around the bays and ocean beaches near where they were born until they grow stronger and large enough to join the migration. Most, by the time they reach a length much above 30 in. will be migrating. The migration has two parts, a spring migration, and a fall migration. It is during these migrations that the best striper fishing of the year occurs."
 
#2 ·
The egg-laden female swims up river giving off her scent which in turn attracts the male bass. When she is ripe, or ready to lay her eggs some times 10-20 male bass, depending on the size of the female, will hit against her body and stomach in an effort to help her release the eggs. The males at the same time will swim around releasing milt or sperm. The entire ordeal takes place on the surface where there is thrashing and splashing and it could last for hours. The female releases a mixture of eggs and oils, these eggs mix with the males milt and the eggs get fertilized.
The fertilized eggs will then drift in the currents for 36 to 72 hours before hatching. At this point they are very vulnerable to predators and mortality is very high.
At the end of the following winter the small stripers will be about 4-5 inches long and feed on small crustaceans and worms. By the end of one full year, they will reach a length of 10-12 inches. Striped bass do not migrate the first two years of life but soon they will be ready to join their older brothers and sisters in the yearly coastal migration.
 
#4 ·
Ive read countless articles on stripers and yet I always seem to learn something new. Thanks for sharing!:icon_salute2:
 
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