Fishing for stripers can be a very satisfying adventure especially for the experienced fisherman. The average catch is between 10 to 20 pounds but they do grow much larger. The largest Striped Bass ever caught weighed in at close to 82 pounds! That is a big fish and a rewarding catch no doubt.
The Atlantic coastline of North America to roughly Louisiana is where the striped bass naturally originated from. These types of fish migrate on a regular basis between salt and fresh water and the spawning only happens in fresh water. These fish have been introduced to areas outside their natural range such as the Pacific Coast of North America and many natural lakes across the United States.
During springtime, the migratory striped bass runs up the rivers and into other fresh water areas to spawn. The second big run happens again in late in the fall where they go to shelter. The fall run is the best time to catch one of these beauties and many fishers exert their focus and energy on this time of the year. The bite begins close to the shoreline when the temperature is just right at 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the spring and then comes back full force in early fall. As soon as the water temperatures start to go back down so does the biting action.
You need to really know the striped bass feeding patters to have been chance of catching one and this can be quite tricky because they mostly feed during restricted daylight times. They mostly feed at dawn and dusk and of course during the night. They do feed during the day but not as often. When they do feed its quick and the spurts only last a few minutes. After they eat the stripers instantly head down to deeper waters. You need to keep on the lookout for swarms of birds feeding on the surface as more than likely the stripers should be there also.
Stripers also roam in schools so where you found one, you will probably find another. Also, be on the lookout for channels of water moving into lakes rivers and streams because snipers love fast flowing current for oxygenation.
